Holidays in Belgium

Train in Belgium Timetables

The summer train timetable for 2017 is due to launch on Sunday 11 June. This article contains dates for when each rail operator will start selling tickets beyond that date. We update this article with new information as we receive it.

When will booking open?

The European train timetable usually changes on the second Sunday in June and the second Sunday in December. For several months before the change, while the timetable is revised and compiled, the booking horizon, which determines how far in advance you can book, is reduced.

This year's timetable amendment is scheduled on Sunday .

If you search for trains on or after 11 June and don't get results, you will be invited to set a booking alert so that you are notified once booking opens. See Setting up or managing booking alerts for more information.

SNCF (France)

Domestic SNCF train tickets in France are usually available to book 3 months (3 calendar months) in advance. For international services from France, see the individual operator information below.

• Sales for popular TGV destinations in the south of France opened on Thursday 2 February for travel from 30 June - 27 August. Our blog post contains more information.
• International TGVs from France to Spain/Italy and Switzerland came on sale on Thursday 2 March for travel
• The TGV L'Océane and TGV Ouest high-speed services to destinations such as Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Nantes, Rennes St Malo, Qiumper, Biarritz and Toulouse opened on Wednesday 15 March for travel 30 June - 27 August 2017. The fully operational high-speed line is available for travel from
  Paris Montparnasse, Massy TGV, Vendome Villiers, St Pierre des Corps, Chatelleraut, Poitiers, Angouleme, Libourne, Bordeaux
• Paris Arcachon
  Paris Montparnasse, Poitiers, Angouleme, Libourne, Bordeaux, Facture Biganos, La Teste, Arcachon
• Ile-de-France / Paris Poitiers
  Paris Montparnasse, Massy TGV, Vendome Villiers, St Pierre Des Corps, Tours, Chatelleraut, Futuroscope, Poitiers
• Paris Toulouse
  Paris Montparnasse, Bordeaux, Agen, Montauban, Toulouse Matabiau
• Paris Hendaye / Tarbes
  Paris Montparnasse, Bordeaux, Dax, Orthez, Pau, Lourdes, Tarbes, Bayonne, Biarritz, St-Jean de Luz, Hendaye, Irun

The routes that are open:

Brittany: Le Mans, Laval, Vitré, Rennes, Dol-de-Bretagne, St-Malo, Lamballe, St-Brieuc, Guingamp, Plouaret-Trégor, Lannion, Morlaix, Landermeau, Brest, Redon, Vannes, Auray, Lorient, Quimperlé, Rosporden, Quimper.

Atlantic Coast: Vendôme-Villiers-sur-Loir TGV, Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, Tours, Saumur, Angers, Sablé-sur-Sarthe, Ancenis, Nantes, Savenay, Saint-Nazaire, Pornichet, La Baule-Escoublac, Le Pouliguen, Le Croisic, La Roche-sur-Yon, Les Sables d’Olonne, Châtellerault, Futuroscope, Poitiers, St-Maixent-l’École, Niort, Surgères, La Rochelle.

Bordeaux and the South-West: Ruffec, Angoulême, Libourne, Bordeaux, Facture, La Teste, Arcachon, Morcenx, Dax, Bayonne, Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye, Irun, Agen, Montauban, Toulouse.

• All other destinations on France's high-speed network and French night trains will open for sale on Thursday 30 March for travel from 30 June - 27 August.
• Regional services in France (TER) are not typically affected by the timetable change and can often be booked up to 6 months in advance.

TGV Lyria (France-Switzerland)

International services from France to Switzerland are usually available to book 4 months (119 days) in advance.

TGV Lyria from France to Switzerland are expected to come on sale on Thursday 2 March for travel

TGV Alleo (France-Germany)

International services from France to Germany are usually available to book 4 months (119 days) in advance.

TBC

TGV France-Italy

International TGV services from France to Italy are usually available to book 4 months (119 days) in advance.

TGV France-Italy are expected to come on sale on Thursday 2 March for travel Services in August are currently closed for sale due to engineering works.

Thello (France-Italy)

International trains between France and Italy operated by Thello are usually available to book 4 months (120 days) in advance.

TBC

Renfe-SNCF (France-Spain)

International trains between France and Spain (Renfe-SNCF) are usually available to book 4 months (119 days) in advance.

Renfe-SNCF from France-Spain are expected to come on sale on Thursday 2 March for travel

Deutsche Bahn (Germany)

Deutsche Bahn tickets, including international Sparpreis tickets are usually available to book 180 days in advance.

• The timetable change usually has relatively little impact on booking German trains.

Eurostar (UK-France, Belgium)

Eurostar tickets are usually available to book 6 months (180 days) in advance. This includes inter-capital routes, London-Paris/Brussels and Lille and direct services such as London-Lyon/Avignon.

• Eurostar are not affected by the summer timetable change. Tickets can be booked as normal.
• Eurostar's "French Connection" through-fares that combine Eurostar and TGV will open at the same time as SNCF high-speed network - Thursday 2 February for destinations in the south of France and Thursday 3 March for all other destinations of France's high-speed network.

Renfe (Spain)

Renfe is largely unpredictable, with the booking window almost impossible to pin down.

• Booking is often delayed around timetable changes and it's likely that some services will open earlier than others.

Thalys (France-Belgium-Netherlands)

Thalys tickets are usually available to book 3 - 4 months in advance for its everyday services between France, Belgium and the Netherlands.