credit card / payment info - won't save, won't work

Quecoiwhi50

Tried to buy half fare cards with two different credit cards and got a non-descript general error that it couldn’t process the payments. Also just tried to add the cards (two different ones) as payment methods both times on sbb.ch, to my logged in account, and also no joy - non-descript error saying it couldn’t add the payment method.

I’ve verified card info, they’re cards we’ve used elsewhere and even for Swiss hotel reservations, etc. Anyone else have issues or ideas (besides “contact credit card company” to which they will tell me “should work”)?

RolandP

Hello Quecoiwhi50

Good day.

It is probably a Chase credit card. Can we refer to these posts?

https://community.sbb.ch/d/36523-payment-could-not-be-finalized
https://community.sbb.ch/d/41842-payment-error/4

Kind regards,
Roland

Quecoiwhi50

Hi RolandP Thanks for the reply.

Yes, indeed - one was Chase VISA. The other was Bank of America Mastercard. I just glossed over the posts just now, but will reread and see if I can glean more details. We can try a third card two, but don’t have AMEX like one guy in those threads did. Seems like Mastercard should have worked (if I read correctly).

Thanks for the pointers, and I will try to regroup tomorrow on this when I have more time. We’re trying to buy a couple train legs now versus after we get there (they’re busy and sell out sometimes).

Quecoiwhi50

Hi RolandP btw… we’ve used the same chase card directly with hotels on their own websites in Italy and France too. So it’s seemed to work fine at other EU online systems.

RolandP

Hello Quecoiwhi50

European webshops often use 3D secure ID for a better protection against credit card fraud; it is their decision how well they want to protect themselves. A hotel can still physically check your credit card upon check-in, the railways can’t as it is mass transit.

American credit cards simply do not yet meet the higher security standards; interestingly, these acceptance issues never arise with credit cards from Asia or Europe. And, the issues are less common with VISA or Mastercard, its either Chase or Bank of America.

If you fail to purchase rail passes, see swissrailways.com; tickets can also be purchased with Trainline, against a booking fee.

Quecoiwhi50

Hi RolandP I hear you on all points.

Of all the hotels we booked rooms with, they actually ran our cards fine (meaning we actually were billed, not just reserved). But maybe they’ve got a different system or post-checks of cards or something. Not sure.

My wife tried her Chase card (on sbb.ch, same account as me), and it actually seemed to work once - she got a notice from them, said the charge was valid, and it went through. However, subsequent ones did not. However, we then tried a Citicard, and that seemed to work fine.

Thanks for the pointers!