Ouigo “slow” to travel cheaper: how these train lines work with even more advantageous prices ?

You probably know Ouigo, the blue and pink train which offers more advantageous prices than the classic TGV. This Friday, April 5, SNCF announces that a new line, "Paris-Rennes" joins its “slow” Ouigo offer, the opportunity to recapitulate the main principles of this offer intended for travelers in no hurry.

A good plan for summer? For those who have time to travel, the classic Ouigo train offer, nicknamed Ouigo "slow" may turn out to be a good plan. The SNCF announced this Friday, April 5, that a new line is being created for this offer, departing from Paris. This is a train which therefore connects the capital to Rennes.

Tested for two years, the Ouigo classic train offer seems to have found its users, since the SNCF boasts of having transported "these two in recent years more than two million travelers on the Paris-Lyon and Paris-Nantes lines.

What is the concept?

Slower journeys, cheaper tickets. This could summarize in a few words the concept of the Ouigo classic train offer from the SNCF, to complete the Ouigo High speed offer. The journeys are made in coral trains, which ran in the 1980s. As the journey is extended, the train, which is not equipped with a bar car, offers "a snack service on street sales". On these trains, however, there is neither Wi-Fi nor electrical outlets.

It is also possible to take your bike with you on a classic Ouigo train by adding "5 € for a bicycle dismantled and stored in its cover, and 10 € for an undisassembled bike". Finally, the "tickets are exchangeable under the same conditions as OUIGO Grande Vitesse", specifies a press release from the SNCF.

Which cities are served ?

Halfway between the TER and the TGV, the Ouigo "slow" serves three major cities to date from Paris: Nantes, Lyon and Rennes since this Friday, April 5. The slowness of the journey is justified by the numerous intermediate stops that the train makes. Thus, the Paris-Nantes route takes place on two routes: Paris Austerlitz, Juvisy, Massy-Palaiseau, Versailles Chantiers, Chartres, Le Mans, Angers Saint-Laud, Nantes. And Paris Austerlitz, Juvisy, Les Aubrais, Blois Chambord, Saint Pierre des Corps, Saumur, Angers Saint-Laud, Nantes.

The Paris-Lyon route, departing from Bercy, passes through Villeneuve SaintGeorges, Melun, Dijon Ville, Chalon-sur-Saône, Mâcon Ville and arrives at Lyon Perrache. Finally, the new line which connects the capital to Rennes starts from Paris Austerlitz and serves Massy-Palaiseau, Versailles Chantiers, Chartres, Le Mans and Laval.

Really slower?

Yes, you need at least double the classic travel time with these lines to complete the route from departure to terminus . France Info recalls for example that it takes around two hours to travel from Paris to Nantes by TGV when it will take 3 hours  57 in taking the classic Ouigo train.

For Paris Lyon, it takes around 5 h, and for Paris-Rennes, it takes "less than 5 hours" according to SNCF. Normal, since the railway company announces for Ouigo Train Classique a maximum speed of 160 km/h when the high-speed Ouigo runs at 300 km/h.

Really cheaper?

Yes, since the tickets are capped at 49 euros. Prices which, on the other hand, have increased since the SNCF guaranteed tickets at 30 euros maximum in 2022 at launch of the offer.

Remains that to use the offer, you must be able to not book months in advance. "In order to guarantee low-priced seats even at the last minute, each sale takes place up to 45 days before the circulation date", recalls the SNCF in a press release.