Travel by train with HOURRAIL: our travel book
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Published on 9/27/24, modified today
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Inspiration and great deals for your next low-carbon trips
That's it—it's here! After months of testing and fine-tuning, in October 2026, the app HOORAY! officially launches on the App Store and Google Play. A year after the project launched, more than 2,000 beta testers have participated, and now it's your turn to join in.
On the program, free of charge : More than 300 train itinerary ideas to explore Europe without flying, and what else plan your own trips by day train or night train. And for even more features, the Premium version, available exclusively to members of the HOURRAIL Club! opens up Feedback from the community, exclusive benefits (discounts on train tickets, lodging, etc.) to travel more affordably and interactive maps of your trips, to share with those around you. We'll explain everything to you.
Is the HOURRAIL! app free? Yes. The 300+ itineraries and trip planning for day and night trains are free. The Premium version is included in the HOURRAIL Club! (39 € per year).
On which phones is it available? On iPhone via the App Store, and on Android via Google Play.
How is it different from SNCF Connect? SNCF Connect focuses on the offerings of SNCF Voyageurs and its partners. HOORAY! helps you plan a trip using all the trains in Europe with just a few clicks, and offers ready-made itinerary suggestions.
I'm already a member of the Club. What do I do? Install the store version and sign in with your usual account: your Premium access and benefits will remain the same.
Good news : You don't need to pull out your credit card to start dreaming. With a simple, free account, you'll have access to more than 300 train routes and a tool to plan your own trips across Europe.
A craving for canals and waffles ? Italian lakes ? Waking up in the Scottish Highlands after a night in a sleeper car ? The app features hundreds of travel ideas created by the team HOORAY!, each one mapped out step by step. Whether you have a weekend or three weeks ahead of you, there’s bound to be an itinerary that’s perfect for you.
Do you already have a destination in mind? ? Plan your own itinerary—whether by day train or night train—and watch it take shape on the map. No more having to keep ten tabs open just to figure out how to get to Vienna, Copenhagen, or Barcelona !
Want to take it even further? ? The Premium version is included with membership in the HOURRAIL Club!, for 39 € per year. It adds three superpowers to the free tools: community reviews, exclusive discounts, and features to liven up your trips.
Nothing beats the firsthand experiences of those who’ve already been there. With a Premium subscription, you get access to reviews from travelers in the community: that slightly tight connection you’ll want to plan for, the sleeper car that’s worth checking out, the hidden gem just steps from the station… In short, all the info you’d love to have before you leave.
Throughout the year, we negotiate on your behalf with our partners. In October 2026, Club members enjoyed, among other things, -20 % at Trenitalia and European Sleeper and 34 € in credit at GreenGo, among other benefits. It's a great way to explore Europe without flying—and without breaking the bank!
Your trip from Lyon to Rome, Lille to Edinburgh, or Paris to Istanbul comes to life on the map, step by step, just like in a movie opening credits sequence. All you have to do is share the animation with your friends and family or on social media, just to prove that a big trip without flying is possible (and, frankly, pretty cool). !
Some examples of Premium features
Already a member of the HOURRAIL Club! ? Nothing will change for you—I promise. Install the version from the app store, sign in with the same account, and voilà: you'll regain your Premium access and all your benefits.
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The HOURRAIL Club: the community for low-carbon travel and slow travel
Spoiler : They're not quite in the same league. The app HOORAY! It's not limited to SNCF Voyageurs' offerings—that is, trains operated by the SNCF and its partners—but helps you plan your trip using trains throughout Europe, regardless of which company operates them.
Let's take the Paris-Lyon route as an example. In addition to SNCF Voyageurs trains, the app includes Trenitalia trains on this same route. The same goes for European night trains and regional lines across the border. : You finally have an overview of the options for getting to your destination.
SNCF Connect is primarily designed to help you buy your ticket when you already know where you're going. HOORAY!, that's everything that happens before: the famous "What if we just left…?", the idea of traveling, the stops along the way, the big dilemma between taking a day train or a night train. Less a ticket office than a travel companion, in short.
Behind the app is a whole community of travelers who explore Europe by train all year round. The itineraries, tips, and reviews come from rail enthusiasts or people who are curious about slow travel… Just like you.
Objective : Don't just choose a train—create a custom adventure.
The app HOORAY! It all started with something you’ve probably experienced yourself. Juggling ten tabs open on different train company websites, trying to figure out international connections, spending hours comparing prices, and scouring obscure forums to find the best deals... As we all know, Planning a train trip can sometimes be a real headache. That, in fact, is why our media outlet exists: to provide you with reliable information, ready-to-go itineraries, inspiration, and great tips to make your life easier.
©Ptiloui - Presentation of the app during an Apérail event exclusively for members of the HOURRAIL Club!
But to make train travel truly simple, seamless, and appealing, we needed to go much further. So we decided to partner with Railee (the platform that makes booking train trips as smooth and fast as a TGV), for create the ultimate low-carbon travel app.
To bring it to life, we launched a crowdfunding campaign on Ulule. By participating, our community supported a project that’s getting travel back on track. And the contributors joined the HOURRAIL Club! to be among the very first beta testers of the app and enjoy exclusive benefits that let you travel for less.
Starting in early 2026, Club members were able to get an early look at the app. And one year after the project’s launch, more than 2,000 people have already used it, helped us find bugs, and shared their ideas with us. A huge thank you to all of them. !
Result: the application HOORAY! is now publicly available on the App Store and Google Play. And this is just the beginning: it will continue to evolve based on feedback from the community.
Two options, no hassle: the App Store if you're on an iPhone, Google Play if you're on Android. It's free to download—just create an account, and you'll have access to over 300 routes. So, hop on board ?
And to make sure you don't miss any new features in the app (or any great train deals), be sure to subscribe to La Locomissive, our free newsletter: low-carbon travel inspiration and great tips, every other Thursday, delivered straight to your inbox.
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Join the HOURRAIL Club ! This is an opportunity to:
© Ptiloui
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The HOURRAIL Club: the community for low-carbon travel and slow travel
Psst… We also have a book ! And in the 2026 edition, all the QR codes in the book link to content in the app to extend and enrich your experience. More info :
Article
Travel by train with HOURRAIL: our travel book
Issue du monde de la communication et des médias, Sophie est Responsable éditoriale chez HOURRAIL ! depuis août 2024. Elle est notamment derrière le contenu éditorial du site ainsi que La Locomissive (de l'inspiration voyage bas carbone et des bons plans, un jeudi sur deux, gratuitement dans ta boîte mail !).
Convaincue que les changements d’habitude passent par la transformation de nos imaginaires, elle s’attache à montrer qu’il est possible de voyager autrement, de manière plus consciente, plus lente et plus joyeuse. Son objectif : rendre le slow travel accessible à toutes et tous, à travers des astuces, des décryptages et surtout, de nouveaux récits.
