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Inspiration and great deals for your next low-carbon trips
Often, yes, especially for : weekends, school vacations, night trains, international connections. But this is not an absolute rule: some promotions or price adjustments may appear later. On the other hand, the longer you wait, the more prices tend to rise.
Eurostar tickets are available 6 to 8 months before departure. If you're traveling during the school vacations or to London at the weekend, it's advisable to book as soon as it opens.
Night trains usually open : Nightjet (ÖBB) : about 180 days before European Sleeper sales by fixed periods (often 6 to 9 months in advance) As night trains are few and far between, it is advisable to book as soon as they open.
Spain's Renfe is notorious for opening sales late, sometimes just a few weeks before departure. This doesn't mean that the train won't run, but it must be regularly monitored.
Yes. On SNCF Connect, you can activate a alert to be informed when tickets become available. This is particularly useful if : your train displays "non-reservable", you're waiting for a seasonal opening, you watch over an international train.
Yes. For TGV INOUI, INTERCITÉS and TGV Lyria it is possible to place an option free of charge for a few days to lock in the fare and seat before final payment. Handy if your trip is not yet fully confirmed.
For regional trains or outside busy periods, booking 1 or 2 months in advance is often sufficient. On the other hand, for : school vacations, international trains, night trains, lines with low frequency, it's best to think ahead.
Every year in mid-December, the entire European rail network changes its timetable. Around this time, some companies may delay putting tickets on sale for the following months. If you don't find anything in late November or early December, that's often normal.
Not necessarily. For a long trip in Europe, it may be strategic to book as a priority: the most expensive trains, night trains, international connections. You can complete the secondary segments later.
You've got your dates, your itinerary, your desires... and fear of missing the sales opening (or to see "non-reservable" everywhere). Breathe: this is the latest HOURRAIL guide to find out when tickets go on sale in France and Europe, and when to book to pay less.
Tickets SNCF (TGV INOUI, INTERCITÉS, OUIGO, TER) for travelling March 30 to July 3, 2026 have been put up for sale January 28, 2026 (depending on route and region).
Tickets for travel from July 4 to August 30, 2026 will be available from March 11, 2026 on SNCF Connect.
👉 Depending on the trains, the open period will :
Winter sales opening announced November 12, 2025 (with routes open until early July 2026, depending on the axis).
SNCF Connect publishes dedicated "Christmas" pages with fixed dates (handy for planning ahead).
If you're looking for a train and it shows "non reservable / unavailable for sale". it's often because :
Not all lines open at the same time. Some (such as OUIGO Train Classique in France) open later, around 45 days before departure.
So if your train says "not bookable", first check that you're not just... too early 😉
We advise you to bookmark this page and check the official operator page when you approach your dates (work = possible exceptions).
SNCF Connect - When to book TER train tickets by region
👉 It's already on sale (SNCF).
If you are traveling from July 4, 2026:
👉 Book from March 11, 2026.
⚠️ According to your train :
👉 Looking for 6 to 8 months before and check from time to time if any work has been carried out.
👉 Aims ~180 days before but accepts the idea that it could open later around the mid-December schedule change.
For tickets bookable on SNCF Connect, you can activate booking alerts from your app! And if your travel plans haven't been finalized yet, you can also place a free option on the date of your choice and pay later (for TGV inOui, Intercités and TGV Lyria) to lock in prices and ticket placement for several days!
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.
