Sanef
Has anybody taken advantage of the club offer of free Sanef tag application and is the tag worth the added extras you have to pay. Planning trip France - Spain next year. Have travelled down through Spain and returned April - June and never had queues at tolls etc. Would be nice though just to sail through & OH is not great at leaning out of window to insert card or deposit cash in bin.
Comments
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All the French motorway companies sell them and this one from Sanef has dearer operating costs than some of the others, but if you would find it useful then go ahead and get one. It won't break the bank. Many of us have had one of these tags from one company or another for years.
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Used mine for the first time earlier in the year. Makes life much easier.
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I wouldn’t be without it now, even without the free tag. Just so easy and some tolls have a tag recognition that you done even have to stop - just slow down to 30km an hour.
YES go for it. You can always send it back if you don’t get on with it.
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Rufs, a tag for French motorways from the ATMB company will cost you an initial 11 euros plus 4 euros postage. Thereafter you pay normal tolls plus1.90 euros for any month when the tag is in use. The charges go to your UK bank credit or debit card - ideally one without conversion charges.
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We have had one for years and I think we got ours via a deal with Eurotunnel which was similar to the offer by the Club. They are certainly convenient especially now that many toll booths are automatic. As to cost the difference is quite small between the different types and the convenience of Sanef is that they have a UK based account page. It can only be paid for by direct debit. Whatever tag you get it will be worthwhile.
David
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We've had a SANEF Tag for a number of years and it makes life a lot easier especially when you are towing. It is sometimes a little more difficult to get close to the payment booth/basket/machine when you are towing as the Caravan is a little wider than the car, so a Tag is useful.
If the ATMB Tag works out cheaper, it may very well be worth considering, but as I have the SANEF tag, I doubt if I will change it for the sake of a few Euros.
David
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I would doubt that the ATMB tag would work out any cheaper once the cost of paying for the tag is taken into account. I got an atmb tag earlier this year just before the sanef deal was announced. I think the advantage of the atmb tag is the toll goes directly onto my fee free credit card in € not at the generally poor exchange rate that occurs if you let the vendor do the conversion. I doubt the savings I will make will be greater than the cost of the tag in the first place. However in my opinion having a tag whichever one you choose does make life easier when towing.
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All you have to pay with ATMB is the €1.90 per month but only for months when the tag is used. There is no payment as such and indeed the deposit was waived when we got ours last year under a special offer. €1.90 (or €3.80 if we're away straddling 2 months) is nothing when you consider the advantages.
We previously had Sanef and again you don't actually pay for the tag - it's just a deposit.
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Just a heads up you those whose TAG has expired and replaced by SANEF. The new TAG comes with a different holder to the original. Obviously it comes with a holder but should you require addition holders (my son and I tend to share it) they are available from SANEF.
David
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The best thing about the tags is when you get the drive-through and can do up to 30kph without stopping. I haven’t got the nerve to do the maximum but I imagine it will work fine. Watch out for the “T” sign above the gate with a “30” in a red circle and just go for it!
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Just looking at getting this tag and it sounds great, but thinking about the direct debit from my UK £ bank account, I think the fees would be quite high, like £4 per payment. Does anyone know if you can use a Fairfax euro card to have the direct debit paid?
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SanefUK will charge costs to a UK bank account. Other French companies such as ATMB will charge costs to a normal UK bank debit card or credit card. Both are effective. In neither case need you go through the extra intermediate stage of loading cash on to a pre paid card in order to pay the bill.
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As I understand it I paid a deposit for my ATMB card which is retuned when I no longer need it. Batteries are replaced free (approx 5 yrs) and if I use it more than three times in any month the fee is reduced. I opened a Metro bank account for all my European transactions which are fee free and exchange rate is one of the best.
Hope that helps,
Ken
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Sorry to disagree, but if you are travelling off season, then not worth the hassle. If you are travelling 1000 miles, getting out of your car and walking round won't take 2 minuets out of your life!!!
Stop car, open door, walk round, insert ticket, insert card, press for receipt and return to car. It probable took me longer to type this than for you to actually do it!!
But if you like gadgets then go for it.
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But that's a bit dodgy in the lanes where I drive through at 30kph.
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My son has recently borrowed my Tag when he went to France on holiday. The advantage I find with SANEF is that the bills are debited to your bank account in sterling so no extra fees to pay as you set up the account in the UK. The bill I had for August was for €33.69 which was converted to £30.21 which if my maths have not deserted me works out at a rate of €1.115 to the pound which is a pretty good exchange rate. It's only when you get a tag that is administered in France that you will encounter the possibility of extra charges and as said it very much depends on your nominated payment method on what extra you get charged if anything.
Tags are particularly useful for motorhomers as my wife can't reach the machine from the cab. Whilst I am sure DJG is correct in saying that getting out of the car and walking around to pay only takes a few seconds, if everyone did that it would cause chaos!
David
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I have tags for both France and Italy. I’m sooo glad I’m not going to be in the toll booth lane behind you DJG. It’s never “off season” for the bulk of the vehicles that use the motorways in France and Italy.
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I'm anticipating doing an 'out of season' trip next year but am wondering if it is worth the bother of getting a tag in case I decide to use some toll autoroutes. Just another thing to fiddle about with.
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Like I said, what is 2 mins out of your life.
When I was going through the Toll south of Lyon, there was a 5 KM queue to get to the toll. Having a tag made no difference until the last 300 mtrs when you could go through the tag lane!!
It only works when there is light traffic so whats the point, except to claim to have one.
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Sounds easy ... but the problem always seems to be that the receipt for the last booth had disappeared ..... and that was my fault even though I'd never touched the thing. Plus, using the tag allows you to use the wider nearside lane.
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I think if you're planning to travel for some time, tags are probably a good idea. However for those who go 'over there' for a 2-3 week annual vacation then I don't see the need. Queuing behind other continental campers, who also had to jump out of their vehicles, becomes a norm, as their arms can't reach the machines either albeit the toll booths are set up for those who drive on the wrong side!
Besides, it's good exercise for SWMBO 😉
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We never bothered until we had the motorhome. However with the increasing number of auto booths I think a tag is a good idea what ever the outfit. I suppose it is questionable whether one would be needed for shorter trips but they are so convenient I think I could be persuaded if I didn't have one already.
David
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