Travel and transport: What's new in France in 2026
From mini-bus trains to flight operator changes
Changes this year include new ferry routes, Nice airport expansion, a 'mini-bus train' and new air links to the UKDavid Peter Robinson / EQRoy / JeanLucIchard / Mummert-und-Ibold / Shutterstock
The TGV-M series, the fifth generation of TGV trains produced for French rail operator SNCF by manufacturer Alstom, are set to begin carrying passengers early this year. Initially they will be used on the Paris-Lyon-Marseille corridor before being phased in across the rest of the network. Interiors will have a sleek ‘retro-futuristic’ look.
North-east France: works to disrupt cross-border trains
Major works around Metz, Thionville and the Luxembourg border are set to continue until well into the year, affecting evening and late-night services.
Repairs to bridges and tracks, plus the extension of centralised signalling, mean some trains will be cut between 21:30 and 5:30 in July and August. Luxembourg’s operator will also run weekend and evening works.
TGV Atlantique to add more seats
SNCF will increase capacity on the TGV Atlantique line by deploying more double-decker Océane trains. The operator has plans for an extra 600,000 seats in 2026, after 300,000 were added in 2025.
The upgrade aims to ease overcrowding on routes serving Nantes, La Baule, Saint-Nazaire (all in Loire-Atlantique) and Les Sables-d’Olonne (Vendée). New fencing between Le Mans (Sarthe) and Nantes is also planned to improve punctuality.
Paris-Berlin night train returns in March
Belgian-Dutch operator European Sleeper will relaunch the Paris-Berlin night train from March 26, operating three times weekly.
Trains are expected to stop in Aulnoye or Douai (Nord), then Brussels and Hamburg.
New hybrid mini-bus train
New mini-bus train to ride on track as well as roadSNCF
Trials of a new mini-bus-sized train that can run on roads as well as rails are expected to start in Brittany and, if successful, could be used by 2027.
New seat-numbering system for TGVs
SNCF is rolling out a new three-digit seat-numbering system across TGV inOui and Lyria services, with the aim of reducing confusion and speeding up boarding.
The first digit indicates the coach; the next two the seat. Ouigo and the upcoming TGV-M already use the system. Internal signage is also being redesigned to be clearer.
The launch is targeted for 2029 if funding is secured. Other operators, including Evolyn, are also exploring cross-Channel services. Getlink has simplified Tunnel rules and offers a €50m subsidy to encourage competition.
Eurostar, meanwhile, says that this year it will ‘review’ the possibility of reopening its Kent stations at Ashford and Ebbsfleet, closed since 2020.
Ouigo to expand network
SNCF’s low-cost brand Ouigo plans new routes to Lille and aims to strengthen services around Lyon, Strasbourg and Occitanie. A third daily Paris-Rennes return is under consideration.
By 2027, Ouigo intends to serve 75 destinations, with more trains, more seats (653 per train) and upgraded interiors, including extra luggage space, power sockets and a family/relaxation area.
Boost to trains in Brittany
The south of Brittany will have 21 more trains running by the start of 2026 thanks to an express service agreement to link Quimper (Finistère) in the south-east and Vannes (Morbihan) in the south-west.
International rail competition rising
Two operators have confirmed their intentions to launch new international rail lines this year, though timetables are not yet published. Evolyn plans Paris-London and Paris-Brussels routes; Iryo (Spain) is preparing for various France-Spain routes by the end of the year.
Flights
Increased long-haul capacity at Paris-Orly from 2026
Air France has confirmed it will deploy additional long-haul aircraft at Paris-Orly from this summer as part of its network restructuring. Destinations are expected to include North America and the Caribbean, but final route announcements have not yet been made.
Air passenger disputes
EU legislators are expected this year to finally agree a revamp of EU compensation rules for delayed and cancelled flights and other air-travel rules. Among the aims are increased compensation for delays and a ban on extra fees for cabin bags.
The changes coincide with a French decree set to come into force relating to procedures for passenger-airline disputes.
From February 7, mediation via the Médiateur Tourisme et Voyage will be compulsory before taking a case to court. Claims must then be made by assignation (a summons issued to the airline, eg. by a huissier), with joint filings allowed for family groups.
EasyJet adds three France-UK routes
EasyJet will launch three new seasonal links in spring/summer: Paris CDG-London Stansted (from March 5), Montpellier-Manchester (March 30) and Nice-Birmingham (May 1).
All operate twice weekly, mostly Mondays and Fridays, until October. The Paris-Stansted and Montpellier-Manchester routes are exclusive. Fares start at around €40-€100 one-way.
The airline has also announced plans to “consolidate” its presence in Bordeaux in the summer, following the 2024 closure of the Toulouse hub. Details are yet to be confirmed.
The winter 2025-2026 season sees a steep 14.9% drop in Ryanair seat capacity on French routes compared with last winter, one of the largest reductions among the airline’s major markets. Paris Beauvais alone loses around 147,000 seats. Cuts are attributed to higher French airline taxes.
Ryanair will further scale back its French network in summer 2026 due to higher ticket taxes, especially at regional airports. Some airports will lose routes entirely; others will see reduced frequency.
The airline says France is becoming “less relevant” to its strategy and confirms none of its planned 300 new aircraft (2027-2033) are earmarked for France under current tax conditions.
Jet2 and Ryanair confirm return to Bergerac
Jet2 will restore its Leeds-Bergerac service for summer 2026, with weekly Saturday flights from late May to September. Routes from Manchester and Birmingham will begin in 2027. Fares vary widely, from €42 to over €250 one-way.
Chalair will open Brive-Strasbourg and Brive-Geneva services in July-August 2026, using ATR72 aircraft. Schedules and ticket sales will follow. Ryanair has not yet confirmed whether its previous Brive-Stansted service will return for the summer.
Nice airport expansion
Renovations to Nice airport’s Terminal 2 – including a new check-in area and boarding lounges – are set to be completed in 2026, and will increase the annual capacity of France’s third-busiest airport to 18 million.
Béziers: UK routes return
Ryanair will operate summer services linking Béziers to London Luton, London Stansted, Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh between April and October. Most routes fly three times a week, with Edinburgh twice weekly. Returns to London start at around €100.
Nice-Newcastle route added for summer 2026
EasyJet has opened ticket sales for a new Nice-Newcastle service running from March to September 2026.
The route operates twice weekly on Tuesdays and Sundays, with a third Thursday flight in August and September.
Delta to launch year-round Boston-Nice service in May 2026
Delta Air Lines will open a new Boston-Nice route from May 17, 2026, with three flights a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
It becomes the Riviera’s fifth direct US link, alongside New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Atlanta, plus Montréal in Canada.
Ferries
Plymouth-Saint-Malo to run again
Brittany Ferries will restart its new Plymouth-Saint-Malo route in February and March, following initial crossings in December 2025.
Poole-Cherbourg: winter service lasts until March
Brittany Ferries’ Poole-Cherbourg route will continue daily through winter for the first time in over a decade, operating uninterrupted until March 29.
Portsmouth-Le Havre to restart on March 30
Brittany Ferries’ Portsmouth-Le Havre route, which previously ran year-round, is not in operation this winter but will start again from March 30.
More regular Rosslare-Cherbourg trips
Brittany Ferries’ Rosslare (Republic of Ireland)-Cherbourg overnight ferry is becoming a daily service, as opposed to five times per week.
Canals
Canal due Midi closed until March
The Canal du Midi will remain closed to boats until March 2026. While it typically shuts for the first two months of the year, it closed two months earlier, in November, due to low water levels.
Annual maintenance to repair gates along the 65 locks and cut down infected plane trees will begin on January 5.
Canal des Deux Mers path upgrades continue
Major resurfacing and safety improvements along the towpath between Toulouse and Sète are set to last until summer.
