Rail passes available in Europe
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Published on 8/27/24, modified on 4/3/26
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April 2025 Update: Unfortunately, the Rail Pass will not be renewed in 2025. The reason? “The current budgetary situation does not allow for the extension of a pilot program of this type that is not meeting its targets.” That’s a shame, considering that more than 230,000 passes were sold last year during the two summer months, despite a late announcement in June. We’ll of course keep you posted if there are any updates. Want to travel by train across the entire continent rather than just in France? Check out our complete guide to the Interrail Pass:
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Article
Announced in September 2023 by the President of the Republic, the Pass Rail has finally been available for the past few days as part of a summer pilot program. Inspired by Germany’s Deutschlandticket, it offers unlimited travel for €49 per month. This program is funded by the national government and the regions. Here are the answers to all your questions about the Pass Rail France. So, who is the Pass Rail actually for?
For this initial trial, the Rail Pass is available only to people under 28 and is valid only for July and August 2024.
It costs €49 and is valid for 31 days. You choose the start date, which must be on or after July 1, and the validity period must end no later than August 31.
It's now available for purchase on the website SNCF Connect and Trainline.
You must therefore be between 16 and 27 years old, inclusive. The 2024 Rail Pass allows you to travel as much as you want on the entire TER and Intercités network. It does not, however, allow you to ride the TGV or Ouigo trains.
The Rail Pass does not replace the purchase of a train ticket for travel. However, it allows you to get second-class tickets for €0 on all TER and Intercités trains. And a sleeper berth for €19.50 on overnight Intercités trains.
In practice, once you’ve purchased your Pass, you simply need to make a reservation for each train you want to take, providing your Rail Pass number. You can make up to 6 reservations in advance. But as soon as one trip is complete, you can book another one.
A maximum of one trip per day departing from the same city (including transfers)
On board, if there’s a ticket inspection, you must show your Rail Pass, your ticket, and your ID.
It depends on your plans. It almost always pays for itself after just one round trip on the Intercités. On the TER network, you’ll need to plan on taking several trips. If you plan to stay within a single region, check the TER website for that region to see if there’s a more cost-effective local pass available.
Simply put, if you're thinking of leaving your region on an Intercités train or traveling on a TER train across several regions, this is a great opportunity to travel all summer long without spending too much.
You're probably already familiar with the TER network in your region. Here's a look at what the Intercités network is like. Enlarge the map
Let's get this getaway started! We already have plenty of ideas.
It’s often the undisputed star of the summer. The Mediterranean Sea offers a wide variety of beaches and landscapes, from the Spanish border to the Italian border—sometimes windy, sometimes turquoise.
With the Rail Pass, you can travel to the Mediterranean in Marseille or Nice from Paris by night train. You'll just need to add €19.50 to reserve a sleeper berth. (There's no extra charge if you're okay with a standard seat, but we don't necessarily recommend that if you want to sleep!)
Louise tried out this train a few months ago. We recommend that you Read his testimony here if you're interested in trying it out.
There is also another overnight train from Paris that serves Nîmes, Montpellier, and the rest of the Mediterranean coast all the way to the Spanish border.
There is also a daytime Intercités service that connects Bordeaux in Marseille via Toulouse and Narbonne. And a TER line Lyon - Marseille via the Rhône Valley (Vienna, Valence, Montélimar, Avignon, Arles).
We've written a short Marseille Guide with Must-See Attractions, The Best Vegetarian Restaurants and some eco-friendly hotels.
Do you already know all this? We've also found 10 Hidden Spots in Marseille.
All right, then. All the way to L.A.—in Loire-Atlantique, of course! Thanks to the Intercités trains from Lyon and Bordeaux, you can travel to Nantes using your Rail Pass.
Every summer, the city organizes its “The Trip to Nantes” by adding contemporary artworks to public spaces. It’s a great excuse to explore the city, the Passage Pommeraye, and the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany. Not to mention Les Machines de l’Île and its now-famous elephant—an immersion in the fantastical world of Nantes-born author Jules Verne within the buildings of the former shipyards.
The best way to enjoy all of this? Another pass! The Nantes Pass, which includes public transportation to get around the city and admission to the main tourist attractions.
From Nantes, you can reach the coast via the TER rail network: Le Croisic, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, Les Sables d’Olonne…
There are dozens of them all over France, and the festivals in your region are usually accessible by TER. It’s a chance to spend time with other music fans, take your time, and party.
According to The Shift Project, 79% of festivals’ carbon footprint is linked to transportation and logistics. So we’ve teamed up with Pioche! Magazine—the new media outlet for stories about ecology—to create a map of festivals you can get to without a car!
This is just a first version. We hope to add many more: https://www.hourrail.voyage/fr/festival
The Chaîne des Puys is a range of dormant volcanoes offering exceptional scenery. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2018 and is the perfect destination for nature walks!
With the Rail Pass, you can travel to Clermont-Ferrand with the Paris Intercités line-Clermont via Moulins, Nevers, and Vichy. Or from Lyon, Saint-Étienne and throughout the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region via TER.
You can make your first stop to explore the city. And then, it’s off to nature! A bus from the Clermont-Ferrand train station will take you to the start of the hiking trails or to the base of the Puy de Dôme and its rack-and-pinion train in about 40 minutes.
It's also a great spot for paragliding.
Contrary to popular belief, the Rail Pass does allow you to travel to Paris using the Intercités network and TER trains from other regions that terminate in Paris. From Bayonne, Toulouse, Brive, Limoges, Clermont-Ferrand, Châteauroux, Blois, Orléans, Amiens, Troyes, Belfort … all roads lead to the capital!
However, once you’re there, the Rail Pass does not allow you to ride the RER trains in the Île-de-France region during this first year. But there’s already plenty to do in Paris alone!
We've put together a guide for you on Must-See Attractions in Paris, The Best Vegetarian Restaurants and eco-friendly accommodations.
Another great tip? National museums are free for people under 26 with valid ID. It’s the perfect opportunity to go see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre or the Starry Night at the Musée d’Orsay!
We promised a top 5 list, so we’ll stop here. But we could also have talked about the Loire Valley castles or literally all of France, since the TER network lets you go almost anywhere. We hope we’ve inspired you to travel and enjoy the summer while having as little impact on the environment as possible. When school starts again, the government will evaluate the Pass’s success, and we can only call for it to be extended year-round and made available to everyone, as is the case in Germany. Here’s to making train travel truly accessible to all!
