Eurostar, international TGV INOUI, and Lyria autumn sale: book by 14 September for major savings!

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For six days, 9 to 14 September, Eurostar and SNCF on an international (TGV INOUI and TGV Lyria) are both running sales, but for different travel periods.

Eurostar’s discounted fares are available for travel from 23 September, making them a good option for autumn trips. SNCF's discounted TGV INOUI and TGV Lyria fares are for travel from 3 November to 12 December, covering late autumn and the run-up to the holiday season.

Both can be booked during the same week (this one!). The difference is when you want to travel.

The offer at a glance 

• Eurostar, Standard class only: €39 to London, €25 to Brussels, €32 to the Netherlands and Germany 
• SNCF TRAINDAYS, international TGV INOUI and TGV Lyria routes: fares from €39 in second class and €49 in first class
• Book between 9 and 14 September 2026 
• Eurostar travel: 23 September to 16 December 2026 
• SNCF TGV INOUI and TGV Lyria travel: 3 November to 12 December 2026 
• SNCF promotional tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable. Eurostar Standard fare conditions are shown at booking. Discounted fares are limited and subject to availability.

Both sales run from 9 to 14 September, giving you six days to find discounted fares across a wide range of international routes. The main difference is the travel period: Eurostar’s offer starts in September, while SNCF’s offer covers travel in November and December.

Which Train takes you where 

The two sales cover different routes, so start with where you want to go.

• Eurostar connects London, Paris, Brussels, the Netherlands and Germany. The offer applies to Standard class.
• SNCF's international high-speed services connect France with Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany, including TGV INOUI France–Italy, TGV INOUI France–Spain, TGV Lyria and SNCF–DB services.

Brussels is covered by both sales, with different travel periods.

Why travel this autumn

Milan, with the Alps on the way

The TGV INOUI France Italie leaves Paris Gare de Lyon, towards Turin and Milan, and the journey itself becomes part of the trip.

After Chambéry, the train heads through the Maurienne Valley and crosses the Alps via the Fréjus Rail Tunnel before emerging at Bardonecchia in Italy. In late autumn, you can see snow on the surrounding peaks as the train continues through Piedmont towards Turin and Milan.

It’s a direct way to travel from central Paris to northern Italy, with Alpine scenery along the way.

One thing worth considering when you book: by late November, it gets dark in the late afternoon. If you want to see the Alpine scenery along the way, choose a morning departure.

TGV INOUI France–Italy trains arrive at Milano Porta Garibaldi rather than Milano Centrale. Garibaldi is centrally located and served by metro lines 2 and 5. If you are continuing south by train or heading towards Lake Como, check your connection carefully, as many services leave from Milano Centrale. 

There is also a good reason to visit Milan during the sale’s travel period. On 7 December, the city celebrates Sant’Ambrogio, its patron saint. The traditional Oh Bej! Oh Bej! Christmas market takes place around Castello Sforzesco, while La Scala traditionally opens its opera season on the same day.

With SNCF’s discounted fares available for travel until 12 December, the dates line up well for an early-December trip.

Barcelona after the completion of the Sagrada Família

This autumn is a particularly interesting time to visit Barcelona. The Sagrada Família was completed in 2026, with the Tower of Jesus Christ reaching its final height of 172.5 metres. The basilica was inaugurated on 10 June, marking the centenary of Antoni Gaudí’s death.

Barcelona is also the World Capital of Architecture for 2026, with events and exhibitions taking place across the city throughout the year. That makes autumn a good time to visit, with plenty to see beyond the usual Barcelona highlights.

Timed tickets for the Sagrada Família can sell out, so it is worth booking your entry in advance. If you are in Barcelona on 8 December, the basilica also holds a Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

The train journey from France is scenic too. TGV INOUI France–Spain services travel south through the Rhône Valley. Between Montpellier and Sète, the railway runs along the narrow strip of land between the Étang de Thau and the Mediterranean. After Perpignan, the train crosses into Catalonia through the Perthus Tunnel beneath the Pyrenees.

Trains arrive at Barcelona Sants, which is served by metro lines 3 and 5 and is around 15 minutes by metro from the Gothic Quarter.

Switzerland, for the first snow 

TGV Lyria connects Paris Gare de Lyon with Geneva in about three hours ten, Lausanne in three forty and Zurich in a little over four. Geneva Cornavin sits in the middle of town, ten minutes from the lake on foot.

The sale dates also cover the start of Switzerland’s Christmas market season. Montreux Noël runs from 20 November to 24 December, giving you several weeks to visit within the discounted travel period.

From Lausanne, the train to Montreux takes around 20 minutes and follows the shore of Lake Geneva through the Lavaux vineyards, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In late November, the vineyards are in their autumn colours, with views across the lake and towards the Alps.

Château de Chillon is a short journey further along the lake from Montreux. For a different view of the area, take the cogwheel train from Montreux up to Rochers-de-Naye, where Santa’s House opens for the Christmas season.

Late November is an interesting time to visit this part of Switzerland. The Christmas markets have started, while the main ski season is still ahead, making it a good window for a winter trip focused on the towns, lakes and rail journeys rather than the slopes.

Amsterdam and Brussels, the short version 

Not every trip needs to be a week. Brussels has the lowest starting fare in these sales, at €25 with Eurostar, and is the only destination covered by both offers.

Winter Wonders, Brussels’ annual Christmas event, runs from 27 November to 3 January, filling the Grand-Place and city centre with markets, lights and seasonal events. Eurostar’s discounted travel period runs until 16 December, covering the first few weeks of the event. Or travel earlier in the autumn, with discounted fares available from 23 September.

Brussels also has plenty to do indoors if the weather turns. The 19th-century Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert is a covered arcade in the city centre, home to cafés, shops and Belgian chocolatiers. If you visit around 6 December, you will also see Saint Nicholas traditions across Belgium.

Amsterdam Centraal is just over three hours from Paris by Eurostar, with fares in the sale starting from €32 for travel to the Netherlands.

A trip the sale makes possible  

If you want to use both offers in one trip, travel between 3 November and 12 December, when the two travel periods overlap. For example: 

• Day 1: Paris to Brussels by Eurostar, one hour twenty. An afternoon and evening in the city. 
• Day 2: Brussels to Amsterdam Centraal, about two hours. Stay the night. 
• Day 3: Amsterdam back to Paris, direct, a little over three hours. 
• Day 4: Paris to Milan on the TGV INOUI France Italie, through the Fréjus tunnel and down into Piedmont. 
• Days 5 and 6: Milan, with a day out to Lake Como — trains from Centrale, so allow the metro hop from Garibaldi. 
• Then home the way you came, or on to Florence or Rome from Milano Centrale. 

What we would tell a friend before they book 

A few practical details can make planning these journeys easier. 

• Your ticket is for a specific train. Seat reservations are included with TGV and Eurostar tickets, so you need to travel on the departure shown on your ticket.
• Check which class you are booking. Eurostar fares in this sale are for Standard class. On SNCF’s international TGV INOUI and TGV Lyria routes, fares start at €39 in second class and €49 in first class.
• Allow extra time when travelling to or from London. Eurostar journeys involve security and border checks before boarding, so arrive at the station with enough time to complete them. For other routes in the sale, there is generally no airport-style check-in process.
• Check which Paris station you need. Trains to Italy, Spain and Switzerland leave from Gare de Lyon, while Eurostar uses Gare du Nord and services to Luxembourg leave from Gare de l’Est. If you need to change stations in Paris, allow extra time for the transfer.
• Your ticket can be kept on your phone. There is usually no need to print or collect it at the station. Check the instructions on your ticket before travelling.

Before you book  

• SNCF promotional fares are non-exchangeable and non-refundable. Eurostar Standard fare conditions may differ, so check the conditions shown before you book, particularly if your plans could change.
• Discounted fares are limited and subject to availability. Popular routes and travel dates may sell out at the lowest fares.
• You do not need a promo code. The discounted fare is applied automatically and will appear in your search results.
• Book between 9 and 14 September 2026. The promotional fares are only available during this period.
• Travel dates vary by route. Check the dates and fare conditions for your specific journey before booking.
• Sale fares cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts.

The short version

Both sales are available to book from 9 to 14 September, but they cover different travel periods.

Eurostar’s discounted fares are available for travel from 23 September to 16 December. SNCF’s discounted international TGV INOUI and TGV Lyria fares cover travel from 3 November to 12 December.

That means you could find a €39 fare from Paris to Barcelona, for example, and travel by TGV INOUI through southern France and across the Pyrenees into Spain.

Decide when and where you want to travel, check which offer applies to your route, and search for available fares.

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