Free Autoroute Tags
The current offer of free tags by French autoroute operator ATMB runs until 15 March 2015.
You have to pay postage for the tag to be delivered to you, but no other charges for 12 months. After that you only pay €1.60 for any month in which you use the tag.
Of couse you pay autoroute tolls at the normal rate and these can be charged to a UK credit or debit card -it is obviously best to choose a no fee card.
The tag does not have to be returned at the end of the free first year - it is yours to keep. It is valid across the entire French toll autoroute network and for toll bridges too.
Details and application forms on the ATMB website.
Comments
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I have just tried to take advantage of the latest offer to get an autoroute tag. However, I have repeatedly tried entering my Visa Credit card details but the application gets rejected at the text confirmation number stage. I messaged ATMB who said there had been a problem on their website that day, but having just tried again, the fault has repeated.
Has anyone else experienced this or found a solution as it does seem an excellent offer?
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MDD10, you quoting a post of mine from two years ago and I don't know what the present situation is.
But if one card doesn't work then perhaps try another? We have been in situations in further faraway places where we have had to try two or three before one worked. We always had half a dozen between the two of us ! Good luck with it.
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I bought mine about three years ago and registered with my Halifax Clarity card. A bit nervous every year for the first approach to the barriers but it works fine and I get regular reports on the ATMB website. It helps if you can read French but you can probably work it out anyway.
When I towed the caravan I had one or two problems at the tolls but the Motorhome is much better. I think the BMW windscreen created some problems. I find that the 30 kph "drive through" barriers work better and are fast.
Definitely a godsend with the MH as I am sure OH would have to get out of the van to pay at every toll gate.
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I would register and sign up with any card you can - then once you have an account you can change your details online to the no-fee card you really want to use.
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I got mine from ATMB about two weeks ago paying on Halifax Clarity - no problem. Tag arrived three days later. As yet they don't appear to have taken the €3 postage from the account yet. Perhaps it gets taken during the first month of usage.
As hitglitch states most of the ATMB site is in French but this can be easily translated by cutting and pasting into Google Translate (or similar).
Does anyone with an ATMB tag know if it should be activated online immediately or can this wait until nearer the date of travel?
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I also have the ATMB tag. I suggest that you activate it now (so that you don't forget and "remember" when it doesn't work at the barrier
It won't make any difference how long you wait between activation and first usage (mine was about 9 months in the end).The postage charge, and all other usage charges, come in at the end of the month so can be a while before it appears on your credit card statement but sadly it will eventually appear.
When you get your first statement you can download the individual charges and check that you have been charged correctly - I have never had any cause to query any of them.
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I applied for and received the ATMB tag recently, I have logged on to the website which states that the tag is "Activ", is there something else I need to do before I use it ?
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We have just tried to obtain tag using Halifax Clarity card without success.
Any suggestions as to what we may be doing wrong.
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Same here. Tried with several cards but not succesful. Don't know what I am doing wrong. Will try again tomorrow otherwise will have to pay as we go along on the toll roads.☹️
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It's a couple of weeks since I applied for mine but I seem to remember there were two options for the credit card details. One was for European based bank accounts which asked for an IBAN number amongst other details. I fell foul of this for a time until I realised that I should enter my details in the alternative bit. I can't remember it in detail but after finding the correct route on the application form it was very plain sailing. Hope this helps in some small way.
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Thank you JM20. The Iban bank card can only be used If you live in France or Monaco. I have tried to subscribe through the VISA card and got to the end including receiving a code from ATMB but on finishing it said 'not validated' try again. Have another go tomorrow. Thanks again.
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If you haven't done so already you will need to sign and return the Contrat d'abonnement and send the relevent identity proofs that they have asked for. Then all should work fine.
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I haven't been asked to sign and return anything. After finding the correct part of the application form for my credit card it was straight forward. The tag came three days later.
I've read through the booklet that came with the tag but can find nothing that says I should activate it on line and there was certainly nothing that had to be signed and returned. Looking at my ATMB account details it shows the tag status as 'Active' (Actif), but just to be on the safe side I've emailed them today to ask if anything else has to be done. So far I haven't had a reply. This might be because their website is having problems at the moment.
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Got my tag a couple of years ago, perhaps they have changed the procedure since then.
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+1
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Morning All
I've just received the following from ATMB regarding the activation of the tag.
When the badge is received, it is active. You can use the T-channels by having previously placed the badge on the appropriate space as indicated in the subscriber's guide.
You can reach us at 0800010074 for more information.We look forward to seeing you soon on our network. Yours sincerely,
Your contact: Nangy Client Relations Center Customer Service Center ATMB.(Translated from French with Google Translate)
So it looks as though the tag is ready to use and nothing else to do besides use it. Roll on the holidays. Hope those of you that have had trouble applying for one have now got it sorted.
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As ATMB state the Tag is activated before you get it - that still won't stop you getting in panic mode in the minutes before you first approach the Toll booths.
Have faith -
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Like johnin & others, I have been trying to get a tag using www.atmb.com/en for the last three days with no success. Have tried two different Halifax clarity credit cards & always get the same message at the final validation stage " Your validation was not successful, we invite you to try again later ". Difficult to believe web site could be down so long. Have emailed ATMB for help, but no reply as yet. Any help would be much appreciated.
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Tried again to apply for the tag and didn't get anywhere. Same problem going through the whole process and last click says 'not validated, try again'.☹️ Did others get through and got their tag?
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Unclemike, you were just ahead of me. Answered my question really. I started to doubt myself but feel better now I know it's not just me.😉
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There's someone on another forum saying he/she enrolled today by phone.
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I too this morning tried two different cards (Halifax clarity and Santander debit) and both were rejected at the final stage. As others have suggested, I selected the 'card' option as opposed to the IBAN one.
be grateful for any news if what appears to be a website glitch is fixed.
also, it seems the offer is now until 21/3, whereas the OP quoted 15/3. Maybe it's been extended due to these problems?
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Try 0033 800 074 100
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Have just been in contact with their Customer Support, they said they were aware of the problems with their website & took my name & phone number & would phone me when problem is solved ,didn't think it would be today . As soon as they phone me I will post a message to confirm. Meanwhile if anyone manages to get one through their website, perhaps they could do likewise
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