Speed, comfort, productive time, environmental impact, etc. The train has many advantages. Why not switch to trains? Forget the plane and the car, here are 10 reasons to choose the train for your travels in France and Europe!
Book a train ticket
Book a train ticket
A quick and stress-free journey
Isn't that what we all want? To already feel like we're on vacation right from the start of the journey, long before we reach our destination. Not to get stuck in a traffic jam for hours on end, to avoid waiting for 2 hours at the airport, to enjoy a stress-free trip, to quickly get away from it all, and so on. The best way to do this is undoubtedly by train!
By train, you can leave at the same time as everyone else, whether it's a long weekend or the summer vacation, and reach your destination quickly and easily.
Does the journey seem a little longer by train than by plane? Don't forget that if you're flying, you have to arrive early at the airport, which is often out of the way, and that on arrival, you still have to wait to collect your luggage.
In the car, there's the traffic jams of mass departures for vacations, the stress of driving, and the need to take breaks to stretch your legs or rest, to let the kids get some fresh air, etc.
Aboard a train, everyone can continue their activities: relaxing, reading, watching their favorite TV series, playing with the kids, preparing for a weekend with friends or partner, and so on. And if you're still not convinced, here are a few examples: from Bordeaux you can escape to Paris in just 2 hours 4 minutes, and from Paris you can reach Marseille's calanques in 3 hours!
Direct arrival in the city center
By train, the real advantage is that you can travel from city center to city center, as most stations are centrally located. What a pleasure to find yourself right in the heart of La Rochelle, Lille or Strasbourg! You've saved precious time, and your vacation can start as soon as you step off the train!
Comfort and space on board
And you’re off! Settle in on board a TGV INOUI train, in big chairs where you can stretch your legs and take a little nap as you continue your journey.
There's plenty of space to settle in, work if you need to or relax, go for a walk to stretch your legs, take a trip to the car-bar and enjoy the family area, change your baby in the nursery area, and so on.
The train has a lot going for it in terms of comfort. And if you can afford to spend a few extra euros, opt for 1st class, for even greater comfort!
Flexibility
By train, there are a large number of connections in France and Europe, so you can adapt your itinerary and leave at the time that suits you best, for greater travel flexibility.
If you're not yet sure of your day or time, take advantage of the pre-booking option; a good way to fix your ticket price before finalizing your order a few days later.
And if you change your mind, don't panic: all TGV INOUI & INTERCITÉS tickets are exchangeable and refundable free of charge up to 7 days before train departure. For OUIGO, tickets can be changed up to 1 hour 30 minutes before departure for €10.
This gives you great flexibility for your vacations. And if you fancy the adventure of a night train, sleep on board and wake up at your destination! A great way to save a night's hotel accommodation and enjoy the unusual experience of a sleeper train. As a couple, with friends or family, you can even have a compartment to yourselves for the night. So train travel is an integral part of the trip!
Staying connected
Today, most trains offer on-board power outlets and wifi; a great way to stay connected, finish a work email, watch your favorite TV series or plan your trip.
So if you need to work on board the train, it's possible! Some even really like to work on the train, drawing inspiration from the scenery and calm of the journey.
Travel on a budget
By train, you can travel at low cost thanks to a number of tricks:
- Rule number 1: plan ahead and book your tickets as far in advance as possible. For most trains, bookings open 4 months before the date of travel.
- Rule number 2: take advantage of flash sales and current train offers by checking the website's special offers page.
- Rule number 3: use an Avantage card, a Liberté card, subscribe to the MAX Jeune or MAX Senior offer - it all depends on your profile!
- Rule number 4: know and effectively use the different tools like booking alerts, low price alerts, etc. We explain it all here: Low-cost rail travel
Don't forget the OUIGO offer, with more than 50 destinations available for as little as €10 for adults and €8 for children. Travel with OUIGO GRANDE VITESSE and OUIGO TRAIN CLASSIQUE throughout France.
Book several months in advance or up to 10 minutes before departure, via the SNCF Connect app or website.
A mode of transport that is respectful of the planet
It's possible to change air while preserving it! Did you know? When you travel by long-distance train in France, you reduce your CO2* emissions by an average of 95% compared to by car or plane. That’s right. It's possible to change air while preserving it!
Choosing to travel by train is an everyday eco-gesture, just like turning off the water or consuming locally. To efficiently calculate the CO2e emissions of your future journeys and much more, visit our mobility comparison tool. You can easily compare a selection of destinations according to 3 criteria: the environmental criterion, the journey time criterion and the productive time criterion.
An easy way to reach your destination
With its extensive rail network, including 3,000 stations in France, the train offers perfect coverage of the country. Would you like to visit Versailles and Disneyland® Paris before heading to Paris? It’s possible by train!
You can also reach more remote areas or arrive directly and easily at a major site such as Mont Saint-Michel for example. From Paris, in the summer, you take a train + shuttle that takes you directly to the foot of Mont Saint-Michel in around 3 hours total. A beautiful Normandy day trip.
A travel experience in its own right
Another advantage of train travel is that you can watch the scenery go by from your window. As you travel, from hill to forest, from field of wheat to bed of lavender, from hillside vineyards to a snow-covered mountain, you slowly discover the landscape of our future destination.
Some holidaymakers even choose to make the train the main attraction of their trip! To do so, they choose a tourist train that offers an original experience.
Spectacular views of the sea and coves aboard the Côte Bleue train in Marseille, a trip to the Catalan heights on the famous Yellow train in Pyrénées-Orientales, grandiose landscapes and unspoilt nature in a panoramic Mont-Blanc Express carriage, departing from Chamonix, etc. The possibilities are endless. Your journey begins on the train!
You can also treat yourself to a bike + TER experience: go by bike and return by train, taking your bike on board (free on TER trains). Many regions offer this type of tour, such as the Canal du Midi.
Good deals with your train ticket
Your train ticket entitles you to benefits such as:
- up to 15% discount on the Ma Location Avis service, which enables you to reserve your car at the station and collect the keys at any time, even late at night when the branch is closed.
- discounts on admission to monuments such as the Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, simply by showing your INTERCITÉS train ticket (partnership with the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, covering around a hundred monuments in France).
Legal notice
Legal notice:
* Emission factors for long-, medium- and short-distance transporters are derived from vehicle use, manufacture and maintenance.
For long-distance trains: Trip distance in kilometers x CO2e emission factor of a passenger traveling one kilometer. Emission factors for long-, medium- and short-distance transporters are derived from vehicle use, manufacture and maintenance, i.e. on average:
3.5 gCO2e/km/passenger for TGV INOUI and OUIGO trains operating in France;
7.5 gCO2e/km/passenger for INTERCITES trains;
30.4 gCO2e/km/passenger for TER trains.
For international trains: Trip distance in kilometers x CO2e emission factor of a passenger traveling one kilometer. Emissions factors for international transporters are derived from vehicle use, manufacture and maintenance.
For long-distance coaches: Trip distance in kilometers x CO2e emission factor of a passenger traveling one kilometer. The emission factor for long-distance coaches is linked to the use, manufacture and maintenance of the vehicle derived from the base carbone database, i.e. on average 30 gCO2e/km/passenger for circulation in France.
For electric cars: Trip distance in kilometers x CO2e emission factor of a passenger traveling one kilometer. The emission factor for electric cars is linked to the use, manufacture and maintenance of the vehicle and is based on occupancy of 2.2 passengers; i.e. on average 47 gCO2e/km/passenger for circulation in France.
For internal combustion cars: Trip distance in kilometers x CO2e emission factor of a passenger traveling one kilometer. The emission factor for internal combustion cars is linked to the use, manufacture and maintenance of the vehicle and is based on occupancy of 2.2 passengers; i.e. on average 108 gCO2e/km/passenger for circulation in France.
For planes: Data from the Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile's greenhouse gas emissions calculator, this quantity is expressed in (kg CO2e/passenger equivalent). The effects of contrails are taken into account. The CO2 emissions factor for planes is linked to the use, manufacture and maintenance of the vehicle derived from the base carbone database, i.e. on average 260 gCO2e/km/passenger.
