SNCF Dec - Jan trans go on sale 2nd October

On Wednesday 2nd October, French rail operator SNCF puts tickets on sale for journeys between 15th December 2024 and 8th January 2025.

This is for French trains such as TGVs, Intercites de Nuit, TER to destinations in France (and to some in Switzerland and Germany too).  

SNCF opens bookings at around 6am French time (5am UK time). SNCF says that this isn't a precise time because the loading time for tickets onto their reservation systems is a bit unpredictable. Eurostar trains (eg London to Paris) are already on sale for those dates. 

For train travel between 9th January and 30th March 2025, SNCF will put tickets on sale on Wednesday 13th November, also at around 6am French time.

Meanwhile, ordinary Eurostar trains (eg from London to Paris) are likely to go on sale on Thursday 3rd October for the period of 9th February onwards (a little birdie told me). 

For travel from 31st March 2025 onwards, SNCF has not yet announced the date that trains will be on sale. 

As many of you will be aware, booking rail travel isn't as straightforward or obvious as it should be. 

SnowCarbon exists to help more people travel to ski resorts this way, and although we don't book trains for people we do try to offer the best advice we can. 

With this in mind, co-writer Robert Thorne and myself have been working on various guides on the site. 

We've updated the advice on our Train-travel booking guide and How to book the lowest fares guide. 

There's also a new blog about the SNCF Carte Advantage railcard.  I feel about the world in general that discount schemes are often just a tool for companies to try to get your attention and lock you into something that wastes your time while you give them marketing permission and data for little in return. Howver the Carte Advantage railcard does seem to offer some really good savings without stupid catches. 

Meanwhile, Eurostar's website has been causing some confusion to travellers because it doesn't distinguish between a train not yet being on sale, and being sold out. We've written a blog about that too:
Eurostar's website is confusing

Eurostar's new 6-8 month vague booking horizon makes life difficult for would-be travellers in a different way too, so we've written about it here: 
Eurostar booking-window bonkersness

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