The train is making people travel more and more, despite its price increase of more than 8% in 2023 (Insee). A recent study of the UTP Mobility Observatory shows the return of the French to urban and rail public transport. An observation observed in the ratio of the number of tickets sold. SNCF Connect reveals 190 million tickets sold in 2022 on the platform vs 122 million in 2019 (the platform was then called OUI.SNCF). While nearly 1 in 2 French people count going away soon for a weekend or vacation by opting for the train, (43%, according to SNCF Connect), the editorial staff of Current wife was interested in the preferred routes in 2024 and obtained a list of 10 destinations. Cheaper, less crowded and more easily bookable, here are those offered by Trainline, another rail player based on its data*.
The most popular destinations in 2023
Paris-Lyon, Paris-Bordeaux, Paris-Lille, Rennes-Paris, Paris-London, Lille-Brussels… Have you taken one of these very popular lines in 2023? If so, know that they are all among the most popular, therefore busier and also more expensive on their routes over the past year. In detail, we find:
- In France : Lyon, Brest, Rennes. Cities thatexperienced great success during the long weekends of May 2023 (Lyon +174% vs 2022, Brest +145% and Rennes +104%)“, details Trainline.
- In Europe : Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Brussels. Either “European border capitals for short getaways mainly during long weekends.“For the summer, the key destinations were:”Rome (+112%), Zurich (+584%)“.
Train travel in 2024: which destination to choose in France?
To avoid having to pay the full price and finding yourself, on the day of your trip, in a crowd, and what’s more, annoyed, here is a selection of destinations that should be favored for traveling in 2024, according to the platform’s study Trainline reservations. The selection was made, let us remember, by taking the opposite view from the expensive and popular destinations of 2023.
1. Avignon
For a journey through time in the “City of the Popes”: Marseille – Avignon (the cheapest ticket is 10 euros with Renfe).
2. Carcassonne
Take to the skies in the magnificent fortified medieval city by taking the Marseille – Carcassonne TGV line.
3. Arles
What if you instead went to conquer the largest commune in France? Arles has a TGV station. In the middle of Provence, calm and discreet, it is much less expensive than its neighbor, Nîmes. Use the Lyon-Arles line for a cheaper ticket!
4. The Vosges
Want nature and space? What if you went to breathe the pure air of the Vosges? With the Metz-Épinal line, you discover an area close to home or, if you come from further afield, an entire region!
5. The Haut-Rhin
Do you know where the Haut-Rhin is? We stay in the East of France. If I tell you Mulhouse, Colmar? And why not a bucolic break from Paris to Saverne? You have the choice.
6. Brittany
A timeless classic: Brittany! Instead of heading to the usual areas, play the role of explorer and adventurer by opting for the Nantes-Brest line, by TGV or TER!
7. The Mediterranean
It still makes people dream: the Mediterranean. What if you traveled it… Without a car? The coastline is very well served by the TER, from east to west. You can visit as much as you swim, without a single car journey. To immerse yourself in the magic of the coves, opt for the TER which crisscrosses the seaside reliefs from Marseille to La Cadière via St-Cyr and Les Lecques.
The top 3 for 2024 in Europe
Europe is also easily accessible from France. Strategically placed with many countries nearby and thanks to rich rail networks, you can opt for the train for your next cross-border trips.
8. Zaragoza, Spain
It is called the city of 2,000 years of history. Zaragoza imposes it. Overlooking a river, its almost Andalusian-style architecture is impressive. The Perpignan-Zaragoza line offers regular TGV connections, either by a Renfe train or by a combination of SNCF TER and a Renfe train on the Spanish side.
9. Geneva, Switzerland
It borders Lake Geneva and has much more to offer. It is the most cosmopolitan city in Switzerland. Do you know Geneva? With the Lyon-Geneva line, used by both the TER and the TGV, you have the choice of “slow train” or its faster version.
10. Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Yes, the capital of Luxembourg… It’s Luxembourg. Still very little known, this city has unsuspected architectural treasures. To be discovered from Metz, the imperial, notably by the TGV.
Train travel in 2024: how to go about booking?
Numerous articles published on Femme Actuelle provide you with as much advice as possible to optimize your train reservations and travel.
Show flexibility
If we had to choose just one? It seems that flexibility really is the key, whether on the dates or the destination (at least one of the two). Moreover, if you have a destination in mind, SNCF Connect recommends finding out before booking about the major events taking place there in order to avoid saturation and high prices.
For example, in 2023, the Rugby World Cup brought together crowds, mainly in Marseille and Toulouse. The coronation of the King of England in May in London. Same thing for annual events (Cannes Festival, Lyon Festival of Lights, Oktoberfest in Munich, etc.). Increases in attendance which necessarily imply a significant increase in prices and limited availability of places.
And why not the TER?
Apart from exceptional offers on a case-by-case basis by region, the TER offers fixed prices calculated according to the cost price (i.e. per kilometer traveled) unlike the TGV which practices yield management (calculation according to the filling the train) since the liberalization of the market. Also, a TER trip will always be cheaper than a TGV trip. So why not combine several TER trains or choose to explore the regions around you, in one or several days? In particular, you can discover:
- The pink City : Toulousestarting from Montpellier, Bordeaux…
- A city where heritage combines with local dynamism: Reading (from Bordeaux, Brive-la-Gaillarde, Bayonne, etc.)
- For a green and soothing stay: Amiens and its parks and hortillonnages (from Lille, Paris, Rouen, Reims, etc.)
*Source Trainline, methodology: based on the most booked destinations in 2023, among the cheapest destinations, quickly accessible by TER and/or TGV, in France and Europe,