Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
Rail fare types and flexibility compared
Rail fare types are the ticket tiers a train operator sells for the same journey, each carrying its own conditions for changes, refunds and reservations — for example SNCF Connect's TGV INOUI, INTERCITÉS and OUIGO tickets, Renfe's Prémium and Avlo products, and Trenitalia's Base, Economy and Super Economy fares. [3] [4] [5] The flexibility you buy depends on the tier: SNCF Connect describes OUIGO tickets as non-refundable, while its TGV INOUI and INTERCITÉS tickets for the Christmas 2026 sale can be exchanged or refunded free of charge up to seven days before departure. [3]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Fare families are operator-specific products, and their names carry no shared conditions: OUIGO, TGV INOUI and INTERCITÉS are SNCF Voyageurs products [3], Prémium and Avlo are Renfe products [4], and Base, Economy and Super Economy are Trenitalia fare levels [5].
- SNCF Connect's OUIGO tickets are non-refundable and exchangeable subject to conditions [3], while its TGV INOUI and INTERCITÉS tickets for travel from 13 December 2026 can be changed or refunded free of charge up to seven days before departure [3].
- Renfe says its Prémium ticket includes seat selection, changes and cancellations, and in-seat food service in the ticket price [4].
- Trenitalia lists Base, Economy and Super Economy tickets plus a separate tiRimborso (ticket refund) option, and sells passenger-based offers such as Bimbi gratis and Me&You [5].
How do SNCF Connect fare families compare on changes and refunds?
SNCF Connect sells TGV INOUI, INTERCITÉS, OUIGO, Eurostar, TGV Lyria and TER tickets through the same site. [3] The conditions published for those products are not the same. [3]
| Product | Change or refund | Other conditions stated |
|---|---|---|
| OUIGO | Tickets are non-refundable and exchangeable subject to conditions [3] | Reservation required no later than 10 minutes before train departure [3] |
| TGV INOUI | Free exchange or refund up to 7 days before departure; from 6 days before departure an exchange or refund fee of €19 applies [3] | From 30 minutes before departure only one exchange is permitted, and no refund is possible after the exchange [3] |
| INTERCITÉS requiring a reservation | Free exchange or refund up to 7 days before departure; from 6 days before departure a fee of 40% applies, up to a maximum of €15 [3] | The percentage fee applies to INTERCITÉS services that require a reservation [3] |
Those conditions accompany the Christmas 2026 ticket sale, which opened on 30 September 2026 for direct TGV INOUI and INTERCITÉS journeys from 13 December 2026. [3] SNCF Connect also published a temporary notice stating that until 1 November inclusive, all TGV INOUI tickets are 100% refundable and 100% exchangeable free of charge before departure, whatever their fare conditions, with any fare difference between the original and the new ticket still payable by the traveller. [3] Separately, the site offers a hold option that secures a seat and fare for a limited time with no immediate payment. [3]
What does a Renfe fare family include?
Renfe presents Prémium as a high-level ticket that comes with an XL Confort seat and add-ons included in the price: seat selection, changes and cancellations, and in-seat food service. [4] Alongside it, Renfe sells Avlo as a low-cost product advertised with no booking fees. [4] The site keeps ticket servicing in a dedicated "Manage your ticket" area, with separate pages to change a ticket and to cancel a ticket. [4] Renfe also lists discounted passes for Cercanías (commuter), Media Distancia (mid-distance) and Alta Velocidad (high-speed) trains that are declared a Public Service Obligation. [4] Members who join the Más Renfe loyalty programme receive a 10% discount on their next ticket. [4]
Which Trenitalia fares and offers change the price you pay?
Trenitalia groups its prices as Base, Economy and Super Economy tickets, and lists tiRimborso (ticket refund) as a separate item under the same menu. [5] Some fares are built around who is travelling rather than around the train: Bimbi gratis lets children under 15 travel free while accompanying adults get a 40% discount on the Base price on Intercity trains [5], and Me&You gives two travellers up to 50% off on Intercity and Intercity Night trains [5]. A flat-price offer, Italia in Tour, covers unlimited travel for 3 consecutive days at €35 or 5 days at €59. [5] Age rules are tiered by service: on national trains children aged 4 to under 15 get 50% off the Base offer, whereas on regional trains the 50% discount runs from 4 to under 12 and passengers over 12 pay full price. [5] Trenitalia issues tickets in several formats, including a digital regional ticket, a regional ticket with Tap&Tap, ticketless and Postoclick. [5]
Do booking horizons and reservation rules differ between operators?
SNCF Connect's sale windows vary by destination: tickets for TGV INOUI services to Luxembourg, Freiburg im Breisgau and Brussels opened on 30 September 2026 for travel from 13 December 2026 up to and including 6 January 2027, while TGV INOUI services to Spain and Italy and TGV Lyria services to Switzerland are sold for travel up to and including 31 March 2027. [3] TGV INOUI and ICE trains run by DB–SNCF Voyageurs in cooperation to Germany can be booked up to 6 months in advance. [3] One SNCF Connect offer on selected TGV services is available from 90 days before departure up to the time of train departure and is sold in e-ticket format only. [3] Eurostar fares are advertised from €29 for travel up to 5 September 2027. [3]
Exceptions and limits
- The TGV INOUI and INTERCITÉS change and refund terms above belong to the Christmas 2026 sale, whose tickets went on sale on 30 September 2026 for travel from 13 December 2026, on selected days and trains and subject to availability. [3]
- The temporary free change and refund notice for TGV INOUI applies only until 1 November inclusive, and any fare difference between the original and the new ticket remains payable. [3]
- SNCF Connect's offer on selected TGV services excludes OUIGO, is sold as an e-ticket only, and cannot be combined with other promotions, advantage codes or SNCF discounted fares, with the exception of Carte Avantage. [3]
- Trenitalia's 50% child discount on regional trains is valid on all regional trains except within Campania, Abruzzo, Sardinia and Puglia and in the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano, which set their own age rules; in Lombardy, for example, children under 4 travel free without their own seat, children aged 4 to under 14 get 50% off, and passengers over 14 pay full price. [5]
- Product names are trademarks or brand labels of their operators: TGV INOUI and INTERCITÉS are registered trademarks of SNCF Voyageurs [3], Prémium and Avlo are Renfe products [4], and Base, Economy and Super Economy are Trenitalia fare names [5]. A condition attached to one operator's tier does not describe another operator's tier. [3] [4] [5]
Frequently asked questions
Can you get a refund on an OUIGO ticket?
SNCF Connect describes OUIGO tickets as non-refundable and exchangeable subject to conditions, with a reservation required no later than 10 minutes before train departure. [3]
How much does it cost to change a TGV INOUI ticket close to departure?
For the tickets in SNCF Connect's Christmas 2026 sale, an exchange or refund fee of €19 applies from 6 days before departure, and from 30 minutes before departure only one exchange is permitted with no refund possible after that exchange. [3]
What is included in a Renfe Prémium ticket?
Renfe lists an XL Confort seat, seat selection, changes and cancellations, and in-seat food service as included in the Prémium ticket price. [4]
Do children get the same discount on Trenitalia national and regional trains?
No: on national trains children aged 4 to under 15 get 50% off the Base offer, while on regional trains the 50% discount applies from 4 to under 12 and several regions apply their own rules instead. [5]
How far ahead can you book a TGV INOUI ticket?
Sale windows depend on the route: Christmas 2026 tickets for French domestic journeys and selected European destinations went on sale on 30 September 2026 for travel from 13 December 2026, while TGV INOUI and ICE trains run with DB to Germany can be booked up to 6 months in advance. [3]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It compares the fare information published by SNCF Connect, Renfe and Trenitalia; other rail operators are not covered here.
- SNCF Connect booking site and ticket sales notices, checked 18 October 2026
- Renfe ticket and customer information site, checked 18 October 2026
- Trenitalia fares, offers and ticket information, checked 18 October 2026