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Alert: train tickets for the Christmas holidays are already available!

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The Editor

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Every year, it’s a bit of a gold rush! Everyone tries to get in on the action as early as possible to snag the cheapest tickets and avoid spending a whole month’s salary just to reunite with family or friends for the holidays. And since we’re nice, we’re sharing the date when SNCF tickets go on sale for this year, 2025. Spoiler alert: some are already available!

It’s undoubtedly the most awaited announcement from the SNCF every year. On the day when trains for Christmas go live, it’s not uncommon to see the app crash due to the overwhelming demand for the best prices right off the bat. And for SNCF trips happening between December 14 and January 7, this dreaded day arrives much sooner than expected. Get ready, it’s on… October 1st! But be careful, if you’re traveling with Trenitalia or Eurostar, place your bets, the odds are already open!


When Christmas Breaks the Rules

For many years now, tickets for upcoming trains à venir have been available 4 months prior to the departure date. It’s a fact, everyone knows it. If you

Want to head to Cobrils, in the Hérault (the smallest SNCF station in France) on May 6, 2026? You can start grabbing your tickets from January 6 of the same year. However, there are 4 periods that deviate from this rule, and for good reason! These are the times when the trains of the French rail network are the most popular. Not surprisingly, we’re talking about the school holidays, especially the winter (in February), spring, summer, and, you guessed it, Christmas. For these exceptions, all tickets within the specified dates are released all at once, creating a true digital crowd surge.


3, 2, 1, let’s go!

For the end of the year 2025, the die is cast (or almost), since SNCF has announced that the various tickets for TGV trains, Intercités, and Ouigo high-speed trains between December 14 and January 7 will be on sale starting October 1, which is super soon! Way too soon for our little hearts that are not at all ready to believe that Christmas is already just around the corner.

If you're thinking of spending the holidays in Italy or Northern Europe, we suggest you hurry even more! Because today, Monday, September 15, is the day when Trenitalia and Eurostar are putting their tickets on sale. The Italian company is already offering tickets Paris-Lyon-Milan and Paris-Marseille trips are available from December 14 to March 15. Meanwhile, Eurostar has opened its trains to London, Amsterdam, and Brussels from December 14 to February 8.

Whatever happens, even if you're not sure about your plans, don't hesitate to grab your tickets as soon as possible, and you can always change them later, just to play it safe. Especially since, no matter what, these are, for the French TGVs , 100% refundable up to 7 days before departure. That gives you plenty of time to change your mind, right?