transportation
SNCF opens TGV bookings for travel up to July 2027
Expanded window covers high-speed trains in France as well as several international destinations
Tickets for rail journeys for the first half of 2027 are now available to book in France, as state rail operator SNCF opens up ticket sales for the season today (November 12).
The announcement sees a change of strategy by the SNCF, which has allowed for ticket purchases further into the future than usual on high-speed routes.
Tickets are available on high-speed TGV lines from January 7, 2027, up to July 2, 2027. Tickets for December 2026 are already available.
Today’s launch includes both domestic routes and international TGV lines to countries including Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, and Italy.
Eurostar tickets are released via a separate schedule and not tied to the SNCF announcement, and tickets are already available for journeys up to September 2027.
For Intercités trains (domestic lower speed routes connecting cities and often stopping at smaller stations along the way), tickets are available for journeys up to March 31, 2027.
Some tickets for high-speed, low-cost ‘OuiGo’ trains have been available since September 30.
A list of tickets available following the launch can be found on the SNCF website.
Note that tickets for regional trains (TER services) run on their own schedules, and tickets for journeys not run by the SNCF – for example, Trenitalia trains between Paris and Lyon/Marseille – are not included.
Additional Alpine trains
As part of the ticket launch, the SNCF also announced extra trains heading to Alpine areas for winter skiers to use.
This includes an additional 15,000 seats to Chambéry (Savoie), Annecy (Haute-Savoie), and the Alpine valleys, bringing the total capacity on TGV InOui services to the mountain range to 570,000 seats.
Additional services on Fridays and Sundays to the Tarentaise Valley are available for the second year running, increasing capacity on lines heading to the resorts.
Buy tickets early to save on price
Travellers are urged to buy tickets as soon as possible to benefit from the best prices.
The SNCF uses a yield management system for tickets, which sees prices increase as fewer seats become available.
It means those purchasing tickets sooner generally benefit from the best deals, as well as having better chances of booking seats together if travelling in a larger group, etc.
Tickets for in-demand journeys (popular routes, long weekends, school holidays, etc) can quickly see prices rise, whereas those on less popular days remain cheaper.
Therefore, if you are certain of travel plans you are advised to book your seats as soon as possible.
Savings can be significant, particularly for larger groups.
“Price differences between booking as soon as sales open and booking during the week of departure can reach nearly 50% on certain routes,” said ticket seller Trainline as part of a previous study.
“For a family of four, this represents a difference of €184 on a one-way trip from Paris to Annecy,” it added.
Testing the website this morning, a Connexion staff member saw tickets for travel from Paris to Nice starting at €85 one-way between April 9 - 11 (school holidays for the Paris area), dropping to €35 for a train just two weeks later (April 23 - 25).
Similarly, a one-way ticket from Bordeaux to Paris would cost a minimum of €45 if travelling this Friday (November 13), dropping to €29 for a ticket purchased on a Friday in March 2027.
Purchase tickets through the official SNCF website (in English) here. Not all tickets were available during searches this morning by Connexion staff.
