Do I need to buy SNCF tickets in advance?

For long-distance trains including all TGV, Intercités & Intercités de Nuit overnight trains, reservation is compulsory, but there are usually seats available even on the day of travel and you can buy a ticket immediately before the train departs. But there are much cheaper fares if you pre-book.



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Tickets available on SNCF Connect tend to be cheaper when you book them in advance, up to 2 to 9 months before your train journey. Don't hesitate to subscribe to the SNCF Connect newsletter and be the first to see offers and special deals or to activate the notifications in our app.

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Book Early, But Not Too Early Tickets open up for sale around 90 days before your travel date. In general, the longer your travel distance, the earlier you should book. But don't try to to book too far in advance, 90 days is the sweet spot.

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Technically it is considered theft of services to board without a valid ticket. So if the conductor really wanted to cause you trouble, he/she could have you arrested. Most however would probably never go to those lengths, unless you gave them a reason.

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Higher fares usually apply when purchasing tickets onboard the train. To secure the best available fare, passengers should purchase tickets prior to boarding the train.

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Is it okay if we book 30 days ahead ? In general it is cheaper to book long distance trains ahead of time - 10 to 12 weeks is when cheap (but inflexible) tickets are released for sale. At 30 days on most routes there would be a reasonable selection still on sale if you are not too choosy about times.

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Yes, Trainline is legitimate. Their app and website connect directly to rail and coach carriers' ticketing platforms so every ticket you buy through Trainline is valid for travel.

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Many French trains need to be reserved in advance, and seats can be limited at times. Make your train trips in France comfortable and reserve your seats before the journey even begins!

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Book travel across Europe By booking your train tickets in advance, either on the day the tickets become available or just after, you can save even more money on rail fares than you think. By booking your train tickets this way, you can certainly make the trip much better value for money.

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TGV is SNCF's high-speed rail service. Carrying passengers across France on trains exceeding 300kmh, TGV train has become one of the most popular modes of transport for travelling around the country.

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Trainline shows various date options side-by-side with their costs. So if you're flexible on dates and willing to travel on whichever day is cheapest, you are able to get some great savings. This is not possible with the SNCF (though their older site used to do it) or other platforms.

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Advance purchase tickets are cheaper rail fares which are sold prior to the day of travel, and, in some cases on the day of departure.

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Travel during peak travel periods will usually see you paying more as there is more demand for tickets. For that reason, the best days to buy tickets are generally in the middle of the week between Tuesday and Thursday, the former considered the best of all by several sources.

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Yes and no. If an airline includes online service charges in their fees, you may be better off buying at the airport for cheaper flights. However, not all airlines apply an online booking fee.

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Book in advance: Train tickets often get more expensive the closer you get to the travel date, so booking in advance can save you money. Be flexible with your travel dates and times: Off-peak trains and midweek travel tend to be cheaper than peak-time trains on weekends.

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Another reason why tickets may not be obtainable is that they have not yet been made accessible. Trainline unveils tickets for upcoming trips at varying intervals, so it's plausible that the tickets you are searching for have not yet been made available. So, you may ask yourself When to book tickets?

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