Hello everyone,

Not sure if this is the right section to post it but i need help on the SBB CFF FFS Visa prepaid card i received recently.

I have no idea how the card works, i would like to know answers for the following questions

1. How can i check the online card statement?
2. How can i add money to the card
3. Can i link the card to my paypal account?
4. Is there a website where i can login and check my card status? for example, amount of money it has, statements etc
5. How long does it take for the money to be added to the card and how will get to know once its done

Sorry for double posting, but i urgently need to buy something online

Thanks in advance

SBB's web site doesn't say anything about online services for the card:

http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/...l-abo-visa.htm

The user terms on the application gives a lot of information including a toll free help line number (found at end of link):

http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/kartenantrag-ga-visa.pdf

I've checked these files but still cant figure out how to add money and check the balance.

Call or go to your nearest SBB ticket office, they do speak English:

If you have any questions about the Half-Fare travelcard that are not answered here, you can obtain information from ticket offices – or by phone from the Half-Fare travelcard helpdesk on 0848 33 55 77 (standard rate: CHF 0.12/min., cheap rate: CHF 0.10/min., night rate: CHF 0.0625/min., from the Swiss fixed-line network).

http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/halbtax

The card is actually provided by Valartis Bonus Card AG not directly by SBB/CFF

1.) Valartis do not provide the service
2.) On the 21st of the month eg March, you get a bill with an orange paying slip which has to settled with the minimum before the 5th of the next month e.g. April
3.) Yip
4.) Nope
5.) Electronically it is the morning of the transfer, so if you set up the e-payment for the 5th it will be transferred on time early morning on the 5th. If you walk into a post office on the 5th you are already late! You can do an urgent transfer put you'll still be a day late and it will be more expensive to do the transfer. I think orange-slips take about 2 days to complete normally when processed at the counter. Confirmation is the same as with any other orange-slip payment.

I think it is possible to set up a direct debit to take the whole amount due or just the minimum. I have not looked into that.

Thank you for the answers

1 last question

• If i have 10 CHF in my card and i do a payment of 12 CHF will the payment be succesful leading to a negative balance which i can clear off later or will the transaction abort?

Think of it as a cash card and not a credit card.

http://www.visaeurope.com/en/cardhol...paid/faqs.aspx

Hi!

I've been looking for information about this card and I still can't understand a few things. If any of you could please help me a little bit it would be awesome.

My problem is that I have the Visa prepaid card since the last november and I didn't need to use it until now. I want to be able to buy some books from internet and for that I need a Visa card so I remembered I had this one and took the orange payment that came with it and made a transfer to my "account". The problem is, I never activated the card so, is my transfer going to vanish because of that? Where is my money going and how can I be sure that I will be able to use it?
I've been trying to call 0848 44 11 22 to ask them my questions but for some reason no one picks up the phone...

Thanks for your time,

Alexandra

I have the prepaid Mastercard from BKB (Basler Kantonalbank). Every month, they send you a statement of your charges for the previous month, along with a payment slip so you can load the card. This is separate from your regular bank statement. I think the company is called Viseca but BKB is also on the letterhead of the statement.

My experience is that it takes a couple of days to register the new balance when you load the card at the post office. I tried to order something from Amazon the next day after loading it and it didn't go through for 2 or 3 days. There is a number you can call to check your balance (they charge you 1 CHF for the call). In my experience someone always answers the phone. I've used this card for airlines and other online orders and to secure hotel reservations around Europe with no problem.

try avoid SBB prepaid credit card. ít charges you around 5 CHF everytime you transfer $ to this prepaid card, which is rediculous...

use pink slip they mailed to you to topup your account.

if you have a job, you can easily get an real credit card from UBS.

I just called the given number above after some time call is answered. They have informed I should use the orange slip they sent to enter amount into the card. Maximum amount we can enter is CHF 3000. If we use the card they will be sending the monthly usage bill. If you want the orange slip again you can call them to send it by post.
Regards,
Praveen

Looks like they are going to have a online system finally from Spring this year. Till now the only option to check for the balance was to walk to a Bankomat and use the PIN with the card to check for the balance on the screen only. Even no option to take a print of the slip for the same. The cash loading takes 2-3 days to get reflected on the account/card, you can then use it to make purchases and stuff. I got these info from talking to the call center for the SBB 1/2 VISA card now.

Regards,
Suman.

thank you for the posts above
(how do i thank an indidual post anyways? using the 'reputation' tool?)

i have signed up for the SBB visa but after reading this will only use it as an emergency card.

also, a friend warned about steep charges if they do not recieve the payment on time (even 1 day later leads to charges up to 20CHF)

It is good for the cheaper halbtax though!

You have a Thumbs UP icon just below the post which you can click to thank a post if you would like to, or groan accordingly if you don't like it.
Regarding the SBB 1/2 card, if its a Credit Card with VISA, then of course you can use it in case of emergency or any normal purchases. The physical statement and bill comes each month with which you need to clear the payment before due date. The reflection of the same in their side takes about 2-3 days, so I would suggest to make the payments atleast 4 days before te due date to be on the safer side.
If the SBB 1/2 card is a prepaid card (like mine), then you need to load cash to it first and then you can use that balance for any kind of purchases. The first loading(max 3000 CHF) is free and after that there is a charge of 1% for any subsequent loading. Once they bring in place the online, which would probably make a facility of Online payment and stuff would be of great help. Thats what I know for now. Fell free if you need any additional info and I can let you know if I know of it

Regards,
Suman.

I have the SBB Visa credit card and received a letter last week inviting me to sign up for the new online services (which include ability to check balance online and see record of last transactions etc) - not sure if it also works for the prepaid card, but for the credit card version at least the online service has already been launched:
www.myonlineservices.ch

Have you tried it out already?

Not that I don't believe you but the website looks seriously dodgy. The website adress is strange. The website is also very primitive and theres no link to jemoli. I couldn't find any other reference to this website either on bonuscard.ch or on google

The information about the website was sent with my last Visa statement, so I have no doubts that it is legitimite...have already signed up for the site, but not yet explored all the options

It would be good to hear about your experience once you try it!

i just registered. simple, clean and easy website to navigate. ticks all the boxes i needed: online balance, latest transactions, previous transactions bills etc.

recommended.

Don`t touch these cards with a bargepole. In UK these people would be on a Watchdog special.

I was given all the original information in German and it wasn`t made clear that the Halbtax would be renewed automatically with big charges when overdue.

They don`t respond to email or phone when you call them.

AVOID AVOID AVOID