Because it allows you to get your hands on cheap train tickets (or, at any rate, less expensive), the Avantage Card offered by the SNCF is a must-have for anyone who takes the train a few times a year. The rail company currently offers three types of Avantage card, each tailored to a specific age group: young people aged 12 to 27, adults aged 27 to 59, and seniors aged 60 and over. Overview and review of the SNCF Adult Advantage Card.
The Adult Advantage Card offers a 30% discount on standard fares, and also includes a cap on the price of second-class travel, depending on the length of the journey.
It also entitles holders to a 60% discount on tickets for accompanying children (up to a limit of three children).
It’s important to note that while the Avantage card for 12-27 year olds and the Avantage card for 60+ year olds have no particular restrictions and can be used without constraint, the card for 27-59 year olds does have some limitations.
Discounts are valid for round trips including a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night. It does not apply to weekday one-way tickets, unless you are accompanied by a child aged between 4 and 11 and you have purchased his/her ticket at the same time as yours.
The SNCF Adult Advantage Card also entitles holders to a 15% discount on SNCF services such as :
When it comes to buying a TER ticket, France is divided into two regions: those that accept the Adult Advantage Card, and those that do not. Among those who refuse it are :
In other regions, the SNCF ‘s Adult Advantage Card gives a discount of 25, 30 or 50%, depending on location.
Not only does the Adult Advantage Card entitle you to special discounts on domestic routes, it also allows you to save on certain European routes. It offers a 30% discount on travel :
In our opinion, the SNCF ‘s Adult Advantage Card is particularly attractive, not only because of its affordable price. It is available for 49 euros per year.
When SNCF Adult Advantage Card buy a ticket, they can exchange or cancel a journey up to 7 days before departure. If they modify or cancel a trip 6 days before departure, a deduction of 19 euros per person and per journey will be applied for all travel by TGV Inoui. For Intercités journeys, the discount will be 40% of the ticket price, with a maximum discount of 15 euros.
If you have purchased a round-trip ticket, please note that it is impossible to cancel the return ticket once the outward journey has been completed. However, it is exchangeable.
The SNCF occasionally publishes offers for the Advantage Adult card. To find out about these offers, we recommend consulting the official SNCF website directly. It is important to remain vigilant when using third-party platforms, which could be the source of fraud.
In 2023, a misleading e-mail was circulated, offering a purported discount on the Advantage card; it claimed that it was on sale for 1 euro. Several users were targeted by this scam and their data stolen.
The Avantage card is not the only SNCF pass; the rail company offers a total of seven.
If you only travel on weekends, it’s best to opt for the Avantage Adult pass, which offers a 30% discount for adults and a 60% discount for children on all train tickets.
If you also travel on weekdays, it might be worth taking a look at the Liberté card. It offers savings not only on business trips, but also on family getaways in the evenings and on weekends. Holders of this card can benefit from a 60% discount on their train tickets and those of their family and friends.
MAX cards are suitable for young people and senior citizens, while MAX Actif and MAX Actif+ are suitable for professionals who travel two to three times a week.
Finally, Forfait National weekly or monthly passes are ideal for people who need to travel frequently over a short period.
Lost with the varied offer? Check out our guide to the best SNCF cards according to your profile.
If you only travel at weekends, the Advantage Adult card is a particularly attractive option, offering a 30% discount on train tickets for adults and a 60% discount on train tickets for children, provided that travel is scheduled for the weekend. SNCF justifies these restrictions by explaining that regular weekday travellers aged 27 to 59 are, in the majority of cases, professionals who already have specific season tickets, such as the Liberté Card.
If you also travel on weekdays, it might be worth taking a look at the Liberté Card, which offers a discount of up to 60% for weekday journeys.
Whatever subscription you choose, the SNCF offers solutions to meet a variety of travel needs, allowing you to take advantage of discounts, flexibility and additional benefits to make your journeys more enjoyable. Ultimately, the decision will depend on your needs and travel habits.
The best train pass subscription for you depends on your age and how often you travel. If you travel a lot for work, the SNCF‘s Liberté Card is a great way to avoid the sometimes exorbitant cost of last-minute bookings. If you’re travelling with your family for personal reasons, you may be better off with the Avantage Card, which is more affordable.
The Avantage Adult season ticket, available for 49 euros a month, offers a 30% discount on all train tickets. The Max Actif pass costs between 300 and 600 euros per month. The price is much higher, but Max Actif allows holders to travel free of charge from Monday to Thursday, with the exception of busy periods such as Monday mornings, the eve of major holidays, and long week-ends.
The SNCF Adult Advantage Cardapplies to INOUI TGVs, but not to Ouigo trains. It doesn’t work on all TER trains. Regional transport authorities are responsible for setting TER fares. In the Île-de-France and Région Sud, the Advantage Adult card does not apply. The Bourgogne-Franche Comté region, on the other hand, only accepts Avantage cards for people aged 60 and over.
Savings are here:
