France toll tags and UK bank account

Dunclair
Dunclair Forum Participant Posts: 127

I have tried to subscribe to several different providers of toll tags for France so that OH doesn't have to fret and stuggle with the payments at the barriers.

Everything looks OK until I get to the payment page when the sites simply do not understand/accept my UK bank card details.

Any help would be greatly appreciated please.

Comments

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,958 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #2

    We use ATMB have for years, not had any problems with getting them to accept our CC details. 

  • TobyLeeds
    TobyLeeds Forum Participant Posts: 146
    edited July 2023 #3

    I use Emovis Tag UK. They have an office in Harrogate - UK call centre - 01423299017.

    best of luck

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #4

    For years I had a SANEF/Emovis Tag and you set up an account in the UK as mentioned by Toby. All in English BTW. Charges were just debited to my bank account when I used the Tag. You don't have to worry about your CC going out of date

    Surely you would be better off using a credit card rather than a bank card and with a CC like the Halifax Clarity card its likely to be cheaper?

    David

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #5

    I registered with Bip & go before my holiday in France last year and had no problems registering or using it for the 6 weeks i was in France. I'm off to France again in a few weeks and after checking my account everything is good to go.

    https://www.bipandgo.com/en/

     

     

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,297 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #6

    As DK we use Emovis. Account set up in UK using DD (with all the usual guarantees) on our bank account. Had it since 2019 and no issues so far.

  • Rufs
    Rufs Forum Participant Posts: 4,072
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    edited July 2023 #7

    Yup SANEF/Emovis Tag had it for years, they even send you an email when they think your battery might need replacing, or you can check it in your account online, only downside is you have to send the unit back to them and you receive a new one with fully charged battery, you cannot change the battery your self but battery life is approx 7 years

    have one for Spain also

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited July 2023 #8
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  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #9

    Phone them - number is on website.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #10

    Autoroutes without toll booths and barriers are being introduced in France - a “free flow” system.

    The new west - east  A79 is the first operating in that way already. Numberplate recognition cameras automatically charge the toll fee to a vehicle which has a tag on board, otherwise you have to stop and pay at a machine in a service area, and otherwise you are fined. So get a tag - any tag- they all work.

    The A13 is said to be the next to be converted to the new system, and others gradually to follow.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,381 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #11

    ET, can you now get a tag for over 3.5 tons? (class 3) Last time I tried I had no luck, not that I was too bothered because I tend to avoid French Autoroutes unless to get around a major cities like New Orleans. If they are doing away with booths then I may have to find a source of a Class 3 tag even if only occasionally used.

    It is worth noting that in many other countries where you need a tag you have to pay in advance of use, you cannot pay in arrears but you can get refunds of unused credit. This is best done with a credit card at designated points.

    peedee

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2023 #12

    Bank card details are no good to anyone if you are paying online from abroad. You need the details of the account to which the card is linked, specifically its 22 digit IBAN and the bank’s BIC code. Then you shouldn’t have a problem.

    Otherwise your alternative is to pay by credit card if that is offered as a method of payment.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,297 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #13

    How does it know what tag to charge it to ET. There is no record of a registration number attached to my tag as it can be used in any vehicle. I can’t find anyway of adding numberplates either.

  • iansoady
    iansoady Forum Participant Posts: 419
    edited July 2023 #14

    Like Tammygirl have had an ATMB card for nearly 8 years. Our card did expire and we were told by them but had no trouble setting up new card details. You do need a decent grasp of French however.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #15

    PD, I am told that the TollTickets company can provide them - on short time hire or for long term use - for vehicles over 3500  kg but I have no experience of them 

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #16

    Dunno!  Just Google ‘FreeFlow Autoroute’ and it might tell you.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,381 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #17

    Thanks, I'll check it out

    peedee

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,381 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #18

    ET, where can you keep track of these changes? I had a look at Toll Ticket and for short term use it works out at 58.5 euros just to obtain the tag and for long term 35 euro a year plus a 7 percent service charge on cost of tolls plus costs of obtaining the tag. For what little use I make of the autoroutes both options work out excessive. Once again thanks for the info but  I will suck it and see this year when on my way down to Spain.

    peedee

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited July 2023 #19
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  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,297 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #20

    Have done so and it’s still not totally clear. Possibly the translation program on the iPad, as everything is in French.

    As far as I can see if you have a tag nothing changes the tag will be detected by a gantry and you will get charged as normal. Otherwise your number plate will be read and you can either pay online, at a terminal somewhere on the autoroute, or it gets charged to an account you can set up. You get 72 hours to pay or you get fined.

    What  remains unclear is how it actually functions. If it detects a tag, does it not read or deletes your number plate. How do you know it has read it, hopefully you will still get the beep. Presumably it will establish the class of vehicle using the ANPR, although it does not say that.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,958 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #21

    Good you got it sorted David.

    We had to replace ours a year or so ago as the battery was low. We ended up phoning them to arrange it, the 'madam' on the other end spoke sufficient English to sort us out. 

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited July 2023 #22
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  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,381 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #23

    Googling around it does not look like Free Flow systems will be introduced in France with any great speed. I did note you can pay using the internet or at machines in service areas. No need to worry about the system just yet.

    peedee

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,297 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #24

    Talked with BInL who lives in France. Apparently it’s just being trialed in a few places. Given how the French tend to react to things full roll out could be well in the future. It always surprises me the number of locals who queue to pay when we have a tag to use in one of the fast lanes.

  • JimE
    JimE Club Member Posts: 352 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #25

    I used the A79 travelling back from Spain in March as a shortcut from the A75 north of Clermont-Ferrand to the toll-free route to Orleans via Nevers. 

    I didn't realise it but the gantries obviously read my Emovis tag automatically and the toll appeared on my next monthly bill.  It cost an excessive 30 cents !

    Here's the entry from my toll summary:

    Date                   Type Entry Plaza              Exit Plaza                        Class  Toll

    03/03/2023 15:31 Toll A79 LIMITE ALIAE / APRR A79 DEUX CHAISES 2 -0.30

     

    And here's a bit more info about how the system works.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,297 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2023 #26

    Thanks for the info JimE.

    I don’t think I’ve ever had a charge that small.😂

  • paul56
    paul56 Forum Participant Posts: 937
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    edited July 2023 #27

    Another vote for the SANEF/Emovis system. Wouldn't be without it.

  • Kasspa
    Kasspa Forum Participant Posts: 359
    edited July 2023 #28

    We use Emovis tags, the French one can be shared but the Spain/Portugal one is registration specific..... however I guess there's no reason that you can't change the registration should you want to share with anyone, trusting they'll pay when the charges land in your bank account wink