Tips on how to find the best deals on travel include some from French train company SNCF with tickets for the winter ski season now available, and passenger numbers having hit a record high over the summer.
Figures show that a record 25 million passengers travelled on TGV and Intercités trains in July and August 2025, up 2.4% compared to the same time in 2024.
Winter train tickets for journeys from January 8 to March 29, 2026 went on sale on last week, with 50% of seats now expected to have already been booked.
Similarly, train travel demand has increased, while the number of high-speed trains has reduced overall.
“SNCF now operates fewer than 380 trains in France, compared to 482 in 2012,” said François Delétraz, president of the transport user group la Fédération nationale des associations d’usagers des transports (FNAUT) to Merci Pour L’Info.
“The combination of these two factors has had a devastating effect: prices are skyrocketing.”
Amid this increased demand and a rush for tickets, here are seven tips to find the best deals.
1. Be flexible on dates
Like most travel companies, SNCF uses ‘dynamic pricing’ to adjust prices. This means that rates are highest at times of peak demand. If you are able to be flexible about when you travel, and book for less-popular times, you could save considerably.
“The ‘yield management’ (dynamic pricing) policy in force at SNCF aims to generate the highest possible revenue on each train,” said Mr Delétraz.
Yet, an SNCF spokesperson said: “By moving their trip from Friday afternoon to Thursday afternoon, customers can save between 20 and 30%, depending on the train.”
2. Travel at night
Depending on your destination, you may be able to pay less if you travel at night (with the added bonus that you do not need to pay for accommodation for that night either).
Night trains serve cities including Nice, Briançon, Perpignan, Toulouse, Albi, and Bayonne.
Travelling in a sleeper carriage may not be the most budget option, but for those who are happy to travel in a recliner seat, tickets can sometimes be found for less than €30.
3. Consider longer or slower journeys
Trains that stop in other cities on the way to your final destination – as opposed to going direct, or missing out many stations in favour of a faster travel time – may be cheaper. If you have the time, this could offer major savings.
This is often the case for international journeys. For example, the journey from Paris to Mannheim in Germany is cheaper if you change trains at Strasbourg, compared to getting on a train in Paris that will take you all the way.
Similarly, ‘slower’ trains that stop at more stations along the way or travel at lower speeds may cost significantly less.
You may also be able to save if you are happy to travel by train some of the way and then hop on a bus or regional commuter train in the destination country for the final leg of your journey.
4. Consider regional fares
Regional services may offer better deals in some parts of the country than the national SNCF website. You can access some of these via the site, however, by clicking on ‘Offres régionales’ on the SNCF Connect page).
Different regions may have better deals.
For example, in Brittany, children under 12 travel free when travelling with an adult paying full price on BreizhGo trains. In the Pays de la Loire, children aged 4 to 12 can travel free with an adult on Wednesdays.
Some national lines also offer regional pricing in some cases, including the Paris-Caen (Nomad trains) and Paris-Nevers (Remi trains).
5. Get competitive
Increasing numbers of journeys offered by SNCF are now also available to be booked through Italian and Spanish competitor companies Trenitalia and Renfe.
To check their deals, head to their respective websites, or comparison sites that search all providers (such as Trainline or Kombo).
Competition can drive prices down. For instance, the cost of a Paris-Lyon ticket has fallen by 10% in the past four years since Trenitalia began competing with SNCF on the route; and a Paris-Marseille ticket has reduced by as much as 29% since competition began on that route in June, said transport authority l’Autorité de régulation des transports.
“Competition also has the advantage of increasing supply – more trains are running – and pushing companies to improve comfort and service levels,” said Clément Bretagnolle, country manager France of train booking app Trainline.
6. Seek Ouigo tickets (carefully)
SNCF is increasing the number of lower-cost Ouigo trains on its high-speed lines, with tickets sometimes sold at rates as low as €19.
It is still a good idea to compare prices, however, as Ouigo may not offer the best value depending on your needs. For example, between 2018 and 2023, Ouigo prices have increased by 45% on average (according to FNAUT).
Similarly, Ouigo tickets do not have any extras, and do not allow the traveller to cancel, nor change the journey date for free (in contrast to InOui tickets). Similarly, there are extra charges (€5-9) for large suitcases.
7. Use an SNCF Avantage card
Using SNCF’s discount cards can offer 30% off weekend tickets, with the company stating that it normally takes three journeys or fewer for cardholders to ‘pay off’ their card in savings (as long as the travel is on TGV Inoui or Intercités trains).
The adult Avantage card costs €49 per year, with savings even available on high-demand services such as Christmas Eve trains. There are also Youth (under 27) and Senior (over 59) versions.
The Avantage card can also net savings during the week if the cardholder is travelling with a child under 12, or their return journey comes after a weekend night at the destination.
However, the card is not as advantageous as it used to be; previously, it ensured that journeys would be capped at €49, €69, or €89 (depending on the length of the journey), but these prices are now on hold until further notice.
