 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All
Is it cheaper to buy a tag to travel on French roads? As in is there a toll price discount?
I assume my credit card charges me each time I use it in a toll.
Also, if I pay by direct debit is there an advantage of using my french b/a as opposed to my uk b/a?
I saw that Eurotunnel is doing a special offer - any snowheads recommend that?
Also, is it only worth it if we are doing more than 1 trip a year (we plan one trip this year then 2 or 3 next year so should we wait til next year to register?)
Many Thanks if anyone can deal with my question overload!
FS
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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www.saneftolling.co.uk very easy - clear invoices - same charges as you would pay at booths - just a bit more to pay for tag and service charge. But, in my opinion well worth every penny for the time and hassle it could save you.
No or very little queing - dont have to wake passenger up - big advantage!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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It is not cheaper, its actually more expensive. You pay for the tag, the initial setup, and a cost for each month in which you use the tag (so in your case you might reasonably expect to only pay this 1 time).
On the plus side, it saves time and a lot of faffing around, means that the passenger can sleep, and its quite nice not having to open the windows late at night when its pouring with rain.
We've had ours for just over a year (3 ski trips and 1 summer holiday) and I wouldn't be without it now.
LR
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| LittleRob wrote: |
We've had ours for just over a year (3 ski trips and 1 summer holiday) and I wouldn't be without it now.
LR |
+1
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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+1
But its a bit more complicated - you can get discount on tolls in certain areas if you pay an annual charge - just a bit of simple maths told me it wasn't worth it. Tag was only €10 and you only pay an invoice charge of €1.5 per month if you use it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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No discounts on toll fees
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I got the SANEF one through Eurotunnel and we used it at Christmas. Whilst no cheaper, it made whizzing through tolls an easier experience. Have had no probs with billing etc either.
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Yep, no discounts but depending on your credit card and how they charge you for foreign transactions it may work out cheaper to pay in one lump sum per month rather than lots of small ones over a few days.
I've had mine (from APRR) for something like 3 years now, and it saves no end of faff trying to find small change for those annoying sub-5€ tolls and having to get out and use the card machine in a UK car.
If you do more than one trip a year it's worth getting one.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Had ours for 2-years with sanef UK
As has been said, is a set-up fee (waived for Eurotunnel offer) then an annual charge, get billed quarterly from UK account. Would not be without it as makes the tolls a breeze, both going skiing and also in summer with caravan.
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The monthly charge is very minimal, we probably end up using ours 8 out of the 12 months on various trips. Its back in France at the moment as we lend it to daughter or son if we are back here and not going to need it. I will collect back from her next week and OH just checks on the bank statement (I think ours is coming out of our CA account) and she settles up with us.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Not sure how or why but we pay €30 a year fees and then the tolls at tolls cost if that makes sense, no monthly fee for the months used.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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we pay a fee each month we use the tolls (I think it is about 2€) but not when we don't. Paid a deposit for the badge which we get back when we return it (10€ or so).
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the tag is thoroughly worth it for nipping past queues at half term through the 30kph automatic lanes. Costs are minimal, but as we merely use france to get to switzerland it saves us having to get euros out in cash, so the small fees cover themselves by not having to faff with currency exchange each trip (fuel on credit card, we dont really stop for anything else, taking it with us)
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You know it makes sense.
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Search DOOFER on here.
As it happens. We drove down last week and there are getting more and more doofer users. I guess to many people on here using them.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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On the monthly charge point, it's worth remembering that its per calendar month, so go out Christmas come back New Year, that's two monthly charges! (one for December one for January)
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'm happy to pay the minimal extra charges for the ease of passing through the tolls without queuing excessively and for not waking my front passenger to take a ticket or pay.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I ordered mine directly from APRR. They are happy to send tags to the UK. It works out cheaper than SANEF UK but there is no English language support.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Gaza wrote: |
| I ordered mine directly from APRR. They are happy to send tags to the UK. It works out cheaper than SANEF UK but there is no English language support. |
+1
No monthly charge for the months when you don't use it. 1.2 euro when you do. Toll price is the toll price. There are deals for 10 euro's for the tag when you sign up and get that back the first time you use it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Gaza, if you need you phone them, they will find someone who speaks english for you if you need them to.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We purchased one, everything said so far is correct as in not cheaper but handy and at half term you dodge the monster queues - the toll company have an office in Yorkshire that we dealt with last year to purchase ours though.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| Gaza, if you need you phone them, they will find someone who speaks english for you if you need them to. |
I haven't had the need to call them as yet but it's good to know that they can find someone as my french is VERY limited. Mrs Gaza's is much better than mine so I'm sure we could muddle through. 
As others have said this is pure convenience factor and nothing else. In addition to my APRR Tag I have M6 Toll Tags and Tyne Tunnel Tags for both mine and my wife's car. We seldolm use them but when we do it is worth having.
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| LittleRob wrote: |
It is not cheaper, its actually more expensive. You pay for the tag, the initial setup, and a cost for each month in which you use the tag (so in your case you might reasonably expect to only pay this 1 time).
LR |
Not convinced this is strictly true... I paid €10 deposit for the tag, which is refundable if I ever send it back, and I thought you paid €10 a month for the first 2 months you used it, then nothing... just your bill which comes through about a month after your trip... My return trips usually come in at around €100 - €120 (to Les Contamines...) Regardless... you're talking a tiny amount of euros for the hassle free journey...
I have a Sanef tag and as others have said, would not be without it now... I have trucked up and down that motorway too many times in the last 6 months so it has been great to just be able to drive pretty much straight through...
Just do it... No more fumbling around for cash/cards/leaning over to the other side if on your own... 
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OK who has that nervous wait for the beep when you go through the 1st toll on a trip?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Please, everybody, SSSHHHH!!
When I got mine (around 8 years ago from APRR), it was hilarious to watch the natives flash and gesticulate as you pulled up to the T gate, only to look dumbfounded when it worked.
Last week, I found myself in a (short) queue for a T gate and at least 4 of the six cars had GB stickers. I'd say the secret is properly out 
The 30 kmh gates are great but I still cannot buck up the courage not to slow down! My old unit had a dicky battery, so I called into a little Liber-T kiosk and, apart from overwhelming levels of perfume, the service was perfect - 5 minutes later I walked out with a new, smaller, unit with mounts for multiple cars and solvent wipes for the screen, all in a pretty bag.
As mentioned earlier, I paid 10 euro (refundable if I ever cancel it) and 2 euros in each month it is actually used - the peage prices are all the same. As far as payment is concerned, I have a direct debit to a UK credit card and they send me an email when the expiry date is less than 6 months. I then have a fantastic struggle of a telephone conversation with a lovely non-English speaking lady in Dijon to update my card details - good fun!
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marcellus, YES!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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sproggski, you're right. Everyone will have them soon, and there'll be no point. 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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My card runs out this month, in the middle of a trip. Could be fun! I thought you could update the details on the APRR website, will soon find out
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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saneftolling dont charge a monthly fee - just an annual one off payment.
To credit card charges as they take the amount directly out of your bank acct - although the exchange rate is not always the best.
But still worth every penny - for ease of use!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
| OK who has that nervous wait for the beep when you go through the 1st toll on a trip? |
+1
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We found the ones down near Bordeaux didn't like our car and caravan combo - the auto recognition picked us up as CLass 3 HGV and was trying to charge millions - had to get out and do my best franglais to get us through at class 2
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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sarah, Thanks, I thought that was the case. I just hope I get my new card before I leave 
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Do the cameras reliably distinguish between a car+roofbox and a van? Assuming there is a price difference.
Also - I think I remember seeing chains imposing a height limit in the car lanes - anyone know what the height limit is?
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Wannabeskiing, it is 2m, but our 4x4 plus roof box goes under and that is over 2m.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Wannabeskiing, as above it is 2m in theory - but the limit is usually higher with chains hanging down - our Disco with roofbox comes in at around2.4m and goes under. There is one barrier between Calais and Moutiers which has a solid barrier we have to avoid and I think it is near new Reims bypass but never really any queues there
Going through these you will get charged Class 1 (car) - on the off chance you are charged as 2 I've found an email to say Oi gets the charge reduced.
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FAQ
yep
Not straightforward at all.