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France is selling super-cheap train tickets this month – here’s how to get one

Several French rail operators are slashing their prices throughout September to ‘extend the summer’

Liv Kelly
Written by
Liv Kelly
Contributing Writer
High-speed AVE train in motion on Valencia high-speed railway. Spanish Railways. RENFE SNCF - Spanish National Rail Network. Talgo 250 Dual train. April 12, 2023, Spain, Valencia region.
Photograph: Shutterstock
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It’s time to admit it guys – summer’s technically over. We’re into September now, the temperature is dropping and the Paralympic closing ceremony (the de facto finale of the Summer of sport) will seal the deal this Sunday September 8. It was good while it lasted. 

But what if we told you there was a chance to extend the summer? Well, if you’re gonna be in France sometime over the next four weeks, there is, and it’s all thanks to the country’s national rail operator SNCF. 

Until September 30, various companies including Intercités, Ouigo, TER and TGV INOUI trains will be offering discounts and sales as part of a ‘Les Jours Traincroyables’ campaign across regional as well as high-speed services according to Euronews – so listen up. 

The first one to note is a sale which has already started. SNCF Voyageurs are having a flash sale of a whopping 200,000 tickets on September 4 and 5, and it includes the operator’s classic and its high-speed trains, with tickets available for no more than €19. 

Next up it’s the Nomad Train Flash Sale, where 30,000 tickets between Normandy and Paris will be on offer for a max of €12 between September 10-13. After some inspo? Here’s our guide to the best things to do in Paris

But as for tickets available throughout the month, it’s especially good news for those of us under 30. Under-26-year-olds can book tickets for travel in Brittany throughout the month for a max of €15, and in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, under-28s can grab tickets for as little as €2. 

Services on TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes trains will be slashed by 40 percent every Saturday throughout the month, so you can go and catch the end of green season in the mountains, and lastly, in the Hauts-de-France region, travellers of all ages have the chance to snag one of the 5,000 daily tickets, also available for just €2. 

That’s a whole load of bargains, right? Well, if budget rail travel is your thing, we’ve got just the ticket. Have a look at our coverage of mega-cheap monthly rail passes announced by France, Germany and Portugal, where you could be entitled to affordable rail travel all year round. 

Did you see that these two dazzling major European cities will soon be connected by train?

Plus: This European city was just named the world’s best destination for solo travel

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