Voyage SNCF: This Little-Known Secret to Book Your Tickets for Up to 70% Less 🚆💸

You are surely paying too much for your SNCF tickets (and here’s why)!

Every time you book a train ticket, you have that uncomfortable feeling: “Could I have paid less?”
The truth is that many travelers miss out on a little-known tip that can save up to 70% on the price of SNCF tickets.

And the worst part? SNCF doesn’t really promote it.

In this article, I will reveal to you how to pay a lot less for your tickets, by using strategies that few travelers know. 🚀

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1. Tip No. 1: Avoid the most expensive times and days 📆

Have you noticed that prices vary greatly depending on the hour and day of departure? It’s not a coincidence. SNCF applies dynamic pricing, which skyrockets prices during peak hours.

✈️ Absolutely to avoid:

❌ Friday evening and Sunday evening
❌ Departures between 4 PM and 7 PM
❌ School holiday periods

✅ The magic slots to pay less:

✔ Tuesday and Wednesday: the cheapest days
✔ Very early in the morning (before 7 AM) or late in the evening (after 9 PM)
✔ Book 3 to 4 months in advance for TGVs

📌 Pro Tip: You can use comparison sites like Trainline to see when prices are lowest on your route.

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2. Take advantage of SNCF tickets at cut prices (and unknown) 💎

SNCF offers low-cost tickets, but they don’t always highlight them. Here are the 3 best options:

🎯 OUIGO: The cheap TGV

• Prices starting from €10 if you plan ahead.
• Departures from major train stations (Paris Montparnasse, Lyon Part-Dieu…).
• Tip: Tickets are available 6 months in advance! The earlier you book, the cheaper it is.

🟢 OUIGO Classic Train: The even cheaper option!

• Prices starting from €5.
• Slower trains but ideal for small budgets.

🎟 “Prem’s SNCF”: Mini-price tickets

• Rates starting from €19.
• Available 3 months before departure.
• NON-exchangeable and non-refundable, so choose your dates wisely!

🚀 Good to know: These offers disappear quickly, activate alerts on SNCF Connect to be the first to know.

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3. The SNCF Advantage Card: A (nearly) well-kept secret 🎫

If you travel at least 2 times a year, then this card is a game changer.

🔹 Price: €49/year
🔹 Guaranteed 30% discount on all TGVs and Intercités
🔹 Price cap on certain tickets:

• Max €39 for short trips
• Max €59 for medium distances
• Max €79 for long trips

💡 Good to know: The card comes in Young, Senior, Adult, Family versions, so tailor it to your profile!

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4. SNCF private sales and hidden offers 🎉

SNCF sometimes organizes private sales with huge discounts (up to -60%). But they are not announced everywhere.

📩 How to find them?
✔ Sign up for the SNCF newsletter to be alerted before everyone else.
✔ Follow SNCF Connect on social media.
✔ Check Trainline which gathers all promo offers.

🎁 BONUS: Sometimes, SNCF launches “First Reserved” offers, where the first 500 tickets are sold at rock-bottom prices.

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5. Ultimate hack: Split a trip to pay less 🧠💡

This is a little-known trick, but it works wonders.

💡 Rather than booking a direct ticket, split your trip into several segments.

Example:
🔹 Paris → Marseille (direct): €80
🔹 Paris → Lyon + Lyon → Marseille: €55

📌 Why does it work? Because some internal trips cost less due to regional offers and price variations.

👀 Where to try this? On sites like Trainline and Kombo which allow you to compare split routes.

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Do you want to pay 70% less for your SNCF ticket? Apply these tips right now! 🚄🔥

✔ Book 3 to 4 months in advance for TGVs.
✔ Travel on weekdays and outside peak hours.
✔ Take advantage of OUIGO, Prem’s tickets, and discount cards.
✔ Activate promo alerts to never miss a SNCF offer.
✔ Use the split trip technique to find the lowest price.

Did you already know these tips? Tell me in the comments which one surprised you the most! 👇👇