The new SNCF experiment, however, started from a good intention. Wednesday November 12 marked the start of ticket reservations for the next winter holidays (until March 29, 2026). But this year, the launch of these sales was accompanied by a little subtlety. For the first time, users of the main lines of the South-East axis (Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice…) can also make reservations until July 6, 2026. This test aims to offer greater flexibility to consumers but not everything goes as planned. The SNCF has not worked well enough on its concept and finds itself penalizing advantage card holders.
The problem lies in the discounted booking arrangements. To finalize the purchase of a discounted ticket, users must provide an advantage card number valid for the selected date. What if trips can now be organized up to 7 and a half months in advance, discount cards can only be purchased 5 months in advance. This is how reservations become a real headache.
The consumer loses in all cases
Here is why this lack of consistency in the modalities poses a real problem. Let’s imagine that a user holding an advantage card is looking to make an advance reservation in November 2025 for July 6, 2026. If the customer’s card in question expires in May, a renewal is necessary. But since these loyalty packages can only be purchased 5 months in advance, you must establish a new subscription for the month of April and spend 1 month with two active cards at the same time.
The travelers are therefore forced to make one of these sacrifices: pay for a full Price trip, wait before renewing at the risk of ticket prices increasing, or combine two advantage cards (and therefore shorten the validity period of the new subscription).
“The lead time for purchasing Advantage cards remains set at a maximum of five months” explains SNCF Voyageurs following requests from Figaro. The railway company recommends the option of combining two cards by choosing the latest activation date possible, and therefore only half recognizes the problem. The SNCF nevertheless specifies that “this subject is currently under study.” But in the meantime: we will have to go to the checkout.
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