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| How Passes Work Plan Your Rail Trip Compare Ticket Costs Using Your Pass Choose and Order |
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Approximate point-to-point one-way 2nd class rail fares in $US. Add up fares for your itinerary to see whether a railpass will save you money. For 1st class rail fares, add 50%. Source: www.tgv.com.
The France Flexipass is a good value for three or more days of train travel. For just 15% more than the second class price, the first class pass is affordable and gives you more options on busy trains. The pass is cheaper than roundtrip Paris–Avignon tickets at full fare. But if you only need a couple of trips and are ready to lock in travel times, France's advance purchase discounts for point-to-point tickets (below) can save you more. Where reservations are not required (such as between Paris and Normandy, or on other regional trains), passholders can just hop on and find an open seat.
TGV high-speed trains serve most main lines and require seat reservations. It's wise to book TGV or international trains as soon as you can commit to a date and time. Reservations can be made starting 90 days in advance of travel. The number of places for passholders is more limited than for travelers with full-fare, point-to-point tickets.
Travelers with a France Pass now qualify for two reservation rates on TGV within France (or other domestic trains that may require reservations, such as Corail and Teoz). Any pass that covers France (including multi-country, Eurail-branded passes) qualifies you to reserve a seat for about €3-5 or $11-15 in 1st or 2nd class, but seats at this price can sell out quickly, especially in 2nd class. Once those are sold out, travelers with a France Pass (but not a pass for two or more countries) can choose the new France Easy Access seat reservation for $18-36 in 1st or 2nd class. You're paying more to get a seat on a busy train, but no extra services are included and availability is still limited. Multi-country passholders boarding with the Easy Access reservation can be fined the cost of a full-fare ticket on their route. International trains have different reservation price ranges.
On French domestic night trains (such as Paris to/from Nice, Hendaye, or Cerbere), four-passenger couchette compartments require a first-class ticket or pass, six-passenger couchettes accept second-class passes, and there are no private sleepers. Doubles on most international routes accept second-class passes.
Any pass that covers France allows you a discounted ticket price on the Eurostar "Chunnel" train to and from London.
Two-country passes (below) work for those traveling between France and one neighbor: Benelux, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, or Spain (but not Britain).
| France Pass | |||||||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Individual | 1st Class Senior | 1st Class Saver | 1st Class Youth | 2nd Class Individual | 2nd Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth | ||
| 3 days in 1 month | $315 | $288 | $268 | $233 | $269 | $231 | $200 | ||
| Extra rail days (max 6) | $48 | $43 | $42 | $35 | $40 | $34 | $31 | ||
| Saverpass prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Senior passes are for travelers 60 and up; youth passes are for those under 26. Kids 4-11 pay half of adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Prices subject to change. | |||||||||
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Unlike most countries, France discounts point-to-point ticket prices in non-peak times (our map reflects peak-time fares). For instance, a direct Paris–Nice second-class ticket costs about $160 at "peak" fare or $135 at "normal" fare. The trip will cost more if you break it with stops along the way. Paris–Lyon costs $110 peak/$90 normal; Lyon–Avignon $60 peak/$45 normal; and Avignon–Nice $75 peak/$65 normal; which can add up to $245 for a leisurely Paris–Nice route. Kids, youths, seniors, couples, roundtrip travelers, and those able to purchase at least 8 or 30 days ahead can save more. The best deals have limited seat availability, sell out early, and have refund or exchange restrictions. See www.tgv.com for details or to order. Print tickets at home (a few fares) or pick up in the station.
The handy Paris Museum Pass is 25% cheaper in Paris (at most museums or major Metro stops) than if you buy it in the U.S. The overpriced Paris Visite transport card (several versions available) is 20% less at any Metro station in Paris, but we still would not buy one. For only $16, a carnet of 10 Metro tickets is your best local subway + bus value. The Passe Navigo Decouverte for $31 (plus $7 set up fee for the new electronic card) is good for a week of Metro and bus, valid Monday–Sunday. The few regional RER side trips you're likely to take are cheap and easy to purchase separately: Versailles $9 roundtrip, Disneyland or Charles de Gaulle Airport about $24 roundtrip, $12 each way.
These passes allow you to combine travel in France with travel in Benelux, Germany, Italy, Spain, or Switzerland over a two-month period. Cost per day for a 4-day, 2-country pass is slightly more than for the single-country passes, but goes down as you add days. With separate single-country passes, you use a day of each pass when crossing a border, versus only one day when your pass covers the whole route of your trip.
| Benelux - France Pass | |||||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Individual | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Individual | 2nd Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth | ||
| 4 days in 2 months | $400 | $340 | $348 | $295 | $259 | ||
| 5 days in 2 months | $436 | $371 | $386 | $328 | $292 | ||
| 6 days in 2 months | $478 | $407 | $424 | $360 | $324 | ||
| 8 days in 2 months | $557 | $474 | $505 | $429 | $387 | ||
| 10 days in 2 months | $635 | $541 | $586 | $500 | $451 | ||
| Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under age 26 only. Kids 4–11 pay half of adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Prices subject to change. | |||||||
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For a France-focused trip with a one-way hop to Brussels, this pass is cheaper than a France-only pass plus an extra ticket on Thalys.
| France-Germany Pass | |||||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Individual | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Individual | 2nd Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth | ||
| 4 days in 2 months | $447 | $404 | $404 | $364 | $313 | ||
| 5 days in 2 months | $494 | $445 | $445 | $402 | $346 | ||
| 6 days in 2 months | $541 | $487 | $487 | $434 | $380 | ||
| 8 days in 2 months | $635 | $572 | $572 | $498 | $445 | ||
| 10 days in 2 months | $729 | $657 | $657 | $572 | $516 | ||
| Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under age 26 only. Kids 4–11 pay half of adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Prices subject to change. | |||||||
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Before choosing a France-Germany pass, compare the three-country Selectpass at similar prices.
| France-Italy Pass | |||||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Individual | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Individual | 2nd Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth | ||
| 4 days in 2 months | $406 | $355 | $355 | $313 | $268 | ||
| Extra rail days (max 6) | $47 | $40 | $40 | $35 | $31 | ||
| Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under age 26 only. Kids 4–11 pay half of adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Extra day prices approximate. Prices subject to change. | |||||||
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If your trip is focused on Italy, you may save money by buying point-to-point tickets in Europe. For instance, an open-jaws trip on the route Paris–Milan–Venice–Florence–Rome costs about $325 for reserved second-class daytime tickets. Passholders pay extra seat reservation fees of $10 - 30 on each of these legs. Returning from Rome to Paris adds another $150 and makes the France-Italy pass worthwhile.
Be aware of your route. Many daytime connections from Paris to Italy pass through Switzerland (e.g., connecting in Basel, Geneve, or Lausanne) which costs an additional $60 or more in second class if Switzerland is not covered by your pass. Direct Paris-Italy day or night trains are covered by the pass, regardless of their route. Routes via Nice, Torino, or Modane will bypass Switzerland (consult a good timetable for details).
| France-Spain Pass | |||||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Individual | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Individual | 2nd Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth | ||
| 4 days in 2 months | $406 | $355 | $355 | $313 | $268 | ||
| Extra rail days (max 6) | $47 | $40 | $40 | $35 | $31 | ||
| Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under age 26 only. Kids 4–11 pay half of adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Prices subject to change. | |||||||
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If you're only dipping into a bit of Spain, you may not need the France-Spain pass. For instance, a ticket from the French border at Cerbere to Barcelona costs only $30. From the border at Hendaye to Madrid costs $75, but if you cover this ground via the fancy Paris–Madrid "Elipsos" night train, the same passholder fares ($70 and up) apply whether your pass covers one or both countries.
| France-Switzerland Pass | |||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Individual | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth | ||
| 4 days in 2 months | $434 | $369 | $306 | ||
| Extra rail days (max 6) | $49 | $42 | $34 | ||
| See our Switzerland page for an outline of bonuses. Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under 26 only. Kids 4–11 pay half of adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Covers many Swiss boats as well as trains. Prices subject to change. | |||||
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