When to buy SNCF tickets?

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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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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The earlier you book your tickets, the more likely you are to get the lowest fare available for the dates you want on the routes along your journey. You may book your travel up to 11 months in advance.

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Best Days To Purchase a Train Ticket: Middle of the Week “These days tend to have lower demand for train travel compared to weekends or Mondays. Therefore, purchasing tickets on weekdays, such as Tuesday or Wednesday, can often result in better deals.

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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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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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Your Origin-Destination ticket can be used any day, and may thus be purchased in advance. It is non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

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www.sncf-connect.com is the official French Railways website which sells tickets for train journeys in France and for international journeys to or from France, at the official SNCF price with no booking fees & a range of seating options. SNCF's website used to be www.voyages-sncf.com, this was changed to oui.

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The rail network announced a decision to raise prices last November because of the increase in energy costs. Christophe Fanichet, CEO of SNCF Voyageurs, said the company was “facing additional costs of 13 per cent in 2023.” He also said its electricity bills had gone up by 180 per cent.

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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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Generally speaking, the Off-Peak window begins after 09:30 and outside of evening commuter hours - 15:30-18:15 - for travel in and out of big cities. Super Off-Peak tickets become available after 10:00.

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You may not get cheaper airfare by booking on a specific day, but when you plan on flying can affect the price of the ticket. Generally, Mondays and Fridays are more expensive than Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Keyes says this is mainly because business travelers tend to avoid traveling in the middle of the week.

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Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date. According to CheapAir.com, you can expect rates to go up after that period.

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Some trains require them. A reservation is good for a specific seat in a specific car, on a specific train on a specific date between 2 cities. Seat reservations aren't always necessary, if you don't like to plan ahead, but be prepared not to have a seat on a crowded train.

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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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