TGVs among 300,000 low-cost train tickets to go on sale soon in France

Another round of cheaper train tickets has been announced by France’s state-run rail operator SNCF.

After criticism over rising ticket prices for train travel, SNCF responded by providing 200,000 train tickets on Intercités routes for €19 (with the difference financed by the state) earlier this month.

The new measure, however, will see 300,000 cut-price tickets on France’s high-speed (TGV) and Intercités routes on sale on July 31 and August 1.

The tickets will cover trips in August on some of the country’s most sought-after summer routes.

Another element of the scheme is the opportunity to upgrade tickets to first class for only €1 more – these cabins are usually left empty on summer trains due to the high price of a seat in their compartments.

Over a quarter of a million tickets are to be made available

The tickets will roll out at first in three price bands of €29, €39, and €49, depending on the travel distance.

“The vast majority will be priced at €29 and €39. We want to enable last-minute bookers to travel by train,” said Alain Krakovitch, managing director of SNCF Voyages.

“We know that not everyone can plan their vacations several months in advance and benefit from the best prices when sales open,” he added.

The tickets will follow the similar ‘first-come, first-served’ approach of normal SNCF travel, however, with prices increasing as more and more of the tickets are sold, encouraging people to book their tickets as soon as possible on July 31.

The tickets will be available to purchase on the official SNCF Connect website.

On top of this, younger travellers with a Carte Avantage Jeune will receive a €10 voucher for a ticket purchased between July 17 and September 30 for any TGV or Intercités train (provided it runs before December 9).

They will also receive up to 30% off selected products from TGV train bars, until September 30.

Intercités ticket discount extended

This is not the first scheme used to entice people onto trains for this year’s summer holiday season.

Earlier this month, Transport Minister Clément Beaune announced the state would fund 200,000 discounted tickets on Intercités routes, capping their cost at €19.

The scheme was originally meant to end on July 15 but has been extended up to August 31 – the final date for applicable journeys – to help more people take advantage of the sale.

The minister claimed 100,000 of these tickets have already been sold, and called the scheme “a great success.”

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