Difficult to know when to buy your train tickets to travel without breaking the bank. To see more clearly, here is the SNCF 2025-2026 sales calendar, with all the dates to keep in mind to book at the best price.
Each year, the opening of SNCF ticket sales attracts crowds of travelers, both on the official website and via the mobile application. The stake is simple: to get a seat at the best price. The sooner we reserve, the more attractive the prices. Conversely, waiting for too long, is often to take the risk of seeing prices climb quickly and trains filling up, especially when approaching major departure periods. School holidays, long weekends or bridges: these are the most feared moments by users, because places are rare and fly away in a few hours.
It is for this reason that the SNCF systematically recommends to anticipate its reservations. But you still have to know when the sales are open. The calendar therefore remains an essential tool not to miss its luck. Inoui and intercités TGV tickets generally follow a fixed pace, with an opening about four months before the departure date. In addition, there are exceptions: for the Christmas, winter, spring and summer holidays, specific opening days are scheduled, in order to allow travelers to organize their journeys long in advance. Here are the dates of SNCF ticket sales:
| Travel period | Available tickets |
|---|---|
| Between 11/14/2025 and 07/01/2026 | From October 1, 2025 |
| Between 08/01/2026 and 03/29/2026 | From the November 12, 2025 |
| Between 03/30/2026 and 03/03/2026 | From January 28, 2026 Except for … the south-eastern axis (sale from November 12, 2025) |
| Between 07/04/2026 and 30/08/2026 | From March 11, 2026 |
| Between 08/31/2026 to 12/12/2026 |
From the March 11, 2026 except … intercity tickets (4 months before departure) |
Regarding UAIGO high speed trains, the sale does not always follow the same calendar as the Inoui TGV. For the start of the 2025 school year, a large part of the tickets has already been offered from March 12, 2025, notably covering the journeys in September, October, November and mid-December, until December 13, 2025 precisely. This advance allows the most provident users to block their places very early. For the others, it remains possible to find tickets over the regular openings, but the lowest rates disappear quickly. In summary, retaining the four -month rule remains a good base, while having these exceptional openings in mind. With these landmarks in your pocket, everyone can prepare their reservations calendar and make sure to travel at the best price!
