How to save money on your train ticket?
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Published on 6/27/23, modified on 10/1/26
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Inspiration and great deals for your next low-carbon trips
Train ticket deals often sell out in just a few hours. Flash sales, the start of vacation booking, and discounts on travel passes—if you don’t find out about them until three days later, it’s usually too late. The good news is that all you have to do is subscribe to the right channels to get notified in time. We’ve done the legwork for you: newsletters from the companies, accounts that actually share deals, and alert tools that do the work for you.
You came here from our book Travel by train with HOURRAIL! ? Welcome aboard! And for all our tips on how to get cheaper train tickets, we highly recommend this article.
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How to save money on your train ticket?
This might sound a little presumptuous and slightly subjective, but we stand by it! Our entire team of enthusiasts works hard to stay on top of the latest news so we can share daily deals, great finds, and tips to help you save on your train tickets. And sometimes, our status as a leading media source on the topic even lets us share exclusive information before other media outlets get the scoop. To make sure you don’t miss a thing, we recommend subscribing to our various channels (it’s free!).
Every other Thursday, La Locomissive sends you the best current deals, must-see sales events, and inspiration for your next low-carbon trip—all for free. It's the most comprehensive way to make sure you don't miss out on any great deals.
Our best train deals, straight to your inbox
For flash sales—which sometimes sell out in just a few hours—social media is more responsive than a newsletter. We post our “BON PLAN” and “FLASH RAIL” updates on Instagram (@hourrail), our main network for great deals.
You can also find some great deals on TikTok (@hourrail) ; YouTube (@HOURRAIL), and LinkedIn (mainly for news about the rail industry).
You can also follow Tolt (Benjamin Martinie), the founder of HOORAY!, on his account Instagram (@globetolter).
The application HOORAY! helps you find all your train and ferry routes in Europe. The Premium version, available only to members of the HOURRAIL Club!, she'll soon send you alerts about new sales and promotions.
The Club also offers discounts negotiated with our partners: night trains (European Sleeper, Caledonian Sleeper, etc.), day trains (Eurostar, Trenitalia, etc.), sailboat crossings (Sailcoop, etc.), and accommodations. These benefits change as our partnerships evolve: some are available for a limited time, but we offer new ones throughout the year.
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The HOURRAIL Club: the community for low-carbon travel and slow travel
This is the #1 source for deals: rail companies often reserve their best offers—and sometimes exclusive promo codes—for their newsletter subscribers. You don't need to sign up for all of them: just subscribe to the ones for the trains you actually take.
Tip: For many companies, signing up is done through your customer account. Be sure to check the "Receive offers" option in your preferences and enable app notifications, if available.
| Company | What You'll Find There | Where to Subscribe |
|---|---|---|
| SNCF Connect / TGV INOUI | TGV INOUI and Intercités Promotions and Avantage Cards: When Tickets Go on Sale | SNCF Connect Account Settings; Instagram @sncfconnect and @tgvinoui |
| Eurostar | Early access to offers, promo codes for subscribers only, and sales launches during peak periods | Eurostar Newsletter + app notifications |
| Trenitalia France | Special Offers on Paris-Lyon, Paris-Marseille, and Paris-Milan | Instagram @trenitalia.france |
| European Sleeper | Special discounts on night trains, travel inspiration | European Sleeper Newsletter (at the bottom of the home page) |
| ÖBB Nightjet | Austrian Night Trains Departing from Western Europe | ÖBB Newsletter from your ÖBB account or the ÖBB app |
And don't forget the TER trains: each region has its own special offers (introductory fares, seasonal promotions, etc.), which are posted on your region's TER website and social media channels.
These accounts don't post deals every day, but they help you find trains and routes you wouldn't have thought of otherwise. And a smart route is often a cheaper one!
Behind the scenes YouTube: Simply Railway, there's Thibault Constant, a former engineer at SNCF Voyageurs and Alstom, who has tested every night train in Europe. His trip reports (in English) take a close look at the amenities, comfort, and onboard experience. It's the perfect channel to help you get a feel for it before booking. He is also the author of Night Trains: 30 Unforgettable Journeys in Europe (Gallimard) and the co-founder of Nox, a new night train company.
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He tested all the night trains in Europe: from worst to best
On her Instagram account, Eveline shares her experiences traveling alone by train, offering plenty of practical tips for women on how to travel comfortably by night train. She’s a real source of inspiration if you’re still hesitating to take the plunge.
Behind this media outlet—whose name leaves no doubt as to its focus—are Gwenaëlle and Victor, two enthusiasts we know well who do a remarkable job of unearthing great train travel deals. They travel regularly as a family, with their two young daughters (proving that it’s entirely possible!), and are therefore an especially inspiring source for young parents who want to reduce their family’s carbon footprint. Gwenaëlle had actually told us about her family’s train trip around Europe here:
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Family rail travel: a 4-month tour of Europe
Do you already have a destination in mind? Instead of checking prices every morning, let the price alerts do the work for you.
SNCF Connect offers three free alerts, which you can find in your account under the "Alerts for Available Tickets" section:
For members of the HOURRAIL Club!, the Premium version of the app will soon send alerts about sales and promotions from all companies.
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We are launching our app: the ultimate low-carbon travel app
If you don't have time to keep an eye out for notifications, Full Train monitors available seats and reserves them for you. Let's be honest: it's a paid service designed to ensure you get a seat rather than to save money.
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Train Listed as Full: Our Solutions for Finding a Ticket
With all that, you shouldn't miss a single deal. So, where are you going?
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.
