Published on October 21, 2024, modified on February 18, 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 your trips Summer 2026 will be available from March 11, 2026 on SNCF Connect.
✅ 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". is 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.
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 / INTERCITÉS under normal circumstances, about 4 months before + seasonal openings announced on SNCF Connect.
🇫🇷 OUIGO High Speed often sold via the same waves SNCF (seasonal openings). Generally 2 to 9 months before departure.
🇫🇷 OUIGO Train Classique for sale later (variable according to lines / periods, to be checked at time T on SNCF Connect). Usually 60 days before departure.
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) : often integrated into SNCF openings (waves) + variable rule according to period.
🇮🇹 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 periods; 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
👉 Watch March 11, 2026 (opening summer SNCF Connect).
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 aren't definite 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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