Published on October 21, 2024, modified on March 2, 2026
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.
To remember
In France, SNCF often sells in seasonal "big waves (winter / spring / summer / Christmas), plus a general rule of thumb "about 4 months". The best source is SNCF Connect's official "Sales opening" page.
In Europe, each company has its own logic: Eurostar ~6 to 8 months, Nightjet ~180 days, DB up to 12 months...
Upcoming SNCF key dates (updated: 02/17/2026)
✅ Spring 2026: already open
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).
📌 Summer 2026: next big opening
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 :
or until August 30, 2026 (summer only),
or until December 12, 2026 (including autumn).
👉 Detail by train type
TGV INOUI (France & selected European routes) : travels from July 4 to December 12, 2026
OUIGO High Speed : travels from July 4 to December 12, 2026
OUIGO Classic Train Paris-Brussels : travels from July 4 to December 12, 2026
INTERCITÉS : travels from July 4 to August 30, 2026
✅ Winter 2026: already open (including "snow trains")
Winter sales opening announced November 12, 2025 (with routes open until early July 2026, depending on the axis).
🎄 Christmas: fixed opening date (recent example)
SNCF Connect publishes dedicated "Christmas" pages with fixed dates (handy for planning ahead).
Why do you see "non-reservable" (and why isn't that necessarily a bad sign)?
If you're looking for a train and it shows "non reservable / unavailable for sale". it's often because :
the sale is not yet open (most frequent case),
there are works or schedule adjustments (openings can slide),
you are around the annual schedule change (mid-December in Europe), a period when some sales are delayed.
ℹ️ A quick reminder
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 😉
When do sales open? (France + Europe)
We advise you to bookmark this page and check the official operator page when you approach your dates (work = possible exceptions).
When should you book tickets for your trips in France and Europe?
Overview: when to book (France + Europe)
France (SNCF & competitors)
🇫🇷🇪🇺 TGV INOUI Opening dates: usually around 4 months in advance + major seasonal waves. 👉 Example: opening on March 11, 2026 for travel from July 4 to December 12, 2026.
🇫🇷 INTERCITÉS Similar logic, but some waves only cover the summer period. 👉 March 11, 2026 opens travel from July 4 to August 30, 2026.
🇫🇷 OUIGO High Speed SNCF: follows the major SNCF seasonal waves. 👉 Opening March 11, 2026 for travel from July 4 to December 12, 2026
🇫🇷 OUIGO Train Classique (France) : generally open 45 days before departure date. 👉 Exception: the line Paris-Brussels follows seasonal waves (e.g.: opening on March 11, 2026 for travel from July 4 to December 12, 2026).
TER 🇫🇷 : depends on region (3 to 5 months, sometimes fixed dates), see SNCF Connect table by region below.
Europe (major companies)
🇬🇧🇳🇱🇧🇪 Eurostar (London, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany) tickets on sale 6 to 8 months before (this may vary if work is carried out).
🇨🇭 TGV Lyria (Switzerland) integrated with SNCF seasonal openings. 👉 Circulation from July 4 to August 30, 2026 open the March 11, 2026.
🇮🇹 Trenitalia (France-Italy / France) The operator publishes its own opening pages (e.g. winter sale announced).
🇩🇪 Deutsche Bahn (Germany) Depending on the country and offer, you can book up to 12 months in advance (please note the annual schedule changes).
🌙 ÖBB Nightjet (night trains) : in general 180 days before (sometimes less around mid-December).
🌙 European Sleeper (night train) sales by period; the Paris-Berlin/Paris page indicates the takeover/departure end of March 2026 and service info.
🇪🇸 Renfe (Spain / AVE international) : variable according to lines/periods; monitor regularly (some routes open very early, others much later). (We avoid a rule "set in stone": this is precisely the most irregular operator when it comes to sales).
When should you book your regional TER tickets in France?
SNCF Connect - When to book TER train tickets by region
The 7 golden rules for paying less
Note the next SNCF "wave (spring/summer/Christmas...): this is often when the best prices come out.
Be flexible A Tuesday/Wednesday departure is often the jackpot.
Compare multiple operators when possible (SNCF vs Trenitalia, etc.).
Think "plan B Intercités, TER + connections, sometimes much cheaper (and often very nice).
Activate an alert (SNCF Connect allows this on certain routes) and returns to D-1/J-2 if "not bookable".
Beware of connections sometimes only one of the segments is open, so the whole route appears "unavailable".
Don't panic : "not for sale" ≠ "complete". The majority of the time, it's just... not out yet.
Case studies: "I want to leave at such and such a time, what should I do?
You travel between late March and early July 2026
👉 It's already on sale (SNCF).
You're traveling in the summer of 2026
If you are traveling from July 4, 2026: 👉 Book from March 11, 2026. ⚠️ According to your train :
TGV INOUI / OUIGO GV → journeys possible until December 12, 2026
INTERCITÉS → journeys open until August 30, 2026
You want a Eurostar (London, Brussels, Amsterdam...)
👉 Looking for 6 to 8 months before and check from time to time if any work has been carried out.
You want a Nightjet
👉 Aims ~180 days before but accepts the idea that it could open later around the mid-December schedule change.
Further information
Pro tips: activate an alert or set an option
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.
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