The Trainline is doing 20% off on Cartes Avantages from Tuesday 26/11
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Thanks John.
20% does not move the needle. Nor did SNCF’s last 2 rounds of Carte Advantage discounts which took off only about 30%.
Different if you use SNCF regularly, or if you have a specific trip coming up. As the one useful feature that still remains on these Carte Advantage offers is that you can buy now snd nominate start date up to 5 months ahead.
For many years I routinely took the 50% duscount that used to pop up 2 or 3 times a year. And in many years was happy to pay that even though I wasn’t sure I would end up using trains at all and didn’t in some years. i was happy to routinely support SNCF and just have the card ready in case.
At 20% off not worth hurrying as you only have to not need it for the next 2 and a half months or so, not to be worth buying it now. Though for a train ride that if certain in spring, you could buy it now and post date it if you don’t want to wait and see if the/ a better option pops up between now and your journey.
So I now buy only when a specific trip is needed and if I am sure other trips within the 12 month validity will pay off the cost. The fact that the TER service in our bit of Occitanie has become absolutely terrible, and did not refund when requested for trains they had cancelled, also means SNCF is something I will only spend on at a time needed and I no longer have a Carte Avantage routinely as i used to.
I am sure 20% will be enough for some though.
I’ll be taking the train to Paris from Poitiers next week and your post gave me pause to double check. Turns out it’s not actually that expensive and it’s only one way. So I might actually be better to wait until I’m doing a significant trip and but it then. I envisage quite a bit of train travel next year, once retired.
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We bought a couple a year ago and never used them.
It appears the under 60 years old card necessitates some travel at the weekend whereas the senior pass does not. Bit awkward if a couple falls into both camps. Think I will wait six months when we will both be oldies.
I’ve got the under 60 carte Avantage, it is actually super handy, you just need to include a Friday Saturday or Sunday in your journey. I did Bergerac to Freiburg via Paris most recently and at the last minute and I was very happy to get my tickets half price.
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