OuiTGV: it's easy to get lost, it's inOui

This summer, the health pass was introduced to better manage the health crisis and the spread of the virus.

It has therefore been mandatory on Oui TGV trains since August 9th.

Following the vaccination difficulties travellers faced this summer, SNCF had put in place exceptional refund and exchange measures.

These ended on Sunday, September 12th.

The usual conditions now apply, regardless of whether the ticket change is related to the health pass or not.

Don't forget that to travel, you must have your train ticket, a health pass, and a mask.

To improve comfort for business travellers on their trips or transits, SNCF is refurbishing 28 TGV Atlantique trainsets between July 2021 and February 2022.

With trains dating from the 90s, SNCF wants a style more in line with the times: onboard, dimmed lighting, new upholstery, new colours....

What's more, Oui TGV Wi-Fi has been installed on board the 28 Oui TGV trainsets.

News that shouldn't surprise many travellers, since it's now a standard offered across all types of train journeys with SNCF.

The TGV makeover comes alongside the opening of a new service for pre-10am journeys from La Rochelle station.

This addition will take place in December 2021.

Useful news for travellers who regularly work remotely.

OuiTGV (or inOui trains) are very spacious and are fully equipped to accommodate you if you're a wheelchair user.

You'll find more information on this website, or by calling the Centre Accès Plus on 0890 640 650 (€0.12/min + cost of a call).

OuiTGV, or inOui to its friends, aims to be a high-end service, so you can be sure security is well handled, notably with the installation of access gates at the platform (in certain stations only).

Comfort-wise you're also spoiled: the seats are wide and comfortable, a power outlet and two USB ports are available, Wi-Fi is free and you can even pre-order from the bar car on your smartphone and avoid a dreadful queue! Everything is there so you can work or unwind during your trip!

We've all wondered what kind of OuiTGV (oh, sorry, inOui) tickets SNCF would offer! Well, today we see it's not so different from the previous TGV offer.

So we still find first and second class tickets as usual with the TGV! The offer will keep expanding through to 2020, but you'll always have the option to choose an exchangeable, non-exchangeable, or conditionally exchangeable ticket depending on your budget and subject to availability!

This isn't new: it's best to arrive early when you have a train to catch! As the saying goes: better early than late... This is all the more necessary since electronic gates have now been installed in every Parisian station and in some provincial stations such as Nantes or Bordeaux for access to the OuiTGV (well, TGV inOui) platform!

The ideal is therefore to arrive about 30 minutes early to board the train with peace of mind, since the platform is displayed at least 20 minutes before departure! If you're one of those people who always arrive exactly on time, beware: boarding is refused two minutes before departure, even if the train is still at the platform!

Want to buy a OuiTGV ticket?

So, one more time, OuiTGV doesn't exist, the official name is inOui!

But don't worry about booking! These are still the same trains, the changes are mainly about the brand name for now.

To book your SNCF Oui TGV ticket, simply head to Tictactrip (which is much better), to the OUI.sncf website, or directly at an SNCF ticket office!

As for luggage allowed on OuiTGV (or TGV inOui) trains, it all depends on the type of ticket you chose. However, unlike Ouigo, there's no strict limit: as long as your bags don't block the aisle or bother other passengers, there's generally no problem!

On the other hand, and here I'll put on my SNCF announcer voice: "Attention please! For your safety, luggage tagging is mandatory." Yes indeed, we're still under the Vigipirate security plan, so take two minutes to write your name and phone number on your suitcase! It would be a shame for it to go up in smoke... And if you lose it, you'll have a much better chance of getting it back! 😊

Still haven't found an answer to your question? Darn! Time to play our last card: the SNCF forum! If you don't find what you're looking for there, we're out of ideas!

Also think about their social media, especially Twitter where they're very active: just tag them @ouisncf!

For now, no word on a loyalty program exclusive to OuiTGV (sorry, we meant inOui).

That said, there's no shortage of ways to save if you travel a lot by train! First, there's SNCF's free loyalty program, which lets you enjoy discounts and perk codes through the Carte Voyageur. If you're interested, it's right here.

If you're a real frequent traveler, it might be worth investing in a carte Avantage, for example. It costs €49 but pays for itself very quickly. It lets you travel a lot more often!

To learn more about all the discount cards, click here!

For travellers between 4 and 14 years old who have to travel alone, the Junior&Cie service is there to look after them. It's a paid service, but it can be very reassuring for you as a parent! Especially in the event of a delay or even a cancellation, this support can be valuable for the child. However, no rule prevents a minor under 14 from traveling alone aboard a OuiTGV (sorry, inOui). Still, they remain under the responsibility of their legal guardians...

Minors over 14 can travel freely! They don't even need parental authorization, except perhaps if they plan to take the Eurostar to practice their English in London.

Seat selection is pretty cool! On a OuiTGV (or inOui, you choose), you have the classic choices like a window or aisle seat (the second option chosen by 0.1% of passengers), but also the possibility of being seated facing the direction of travel, upstairs or downstairs (if the OuiTGV is a double-decker) or choosing seats side by side as a "duo"!

If there are two of you, the duo is the perfect solution and saves you from ending up in a four-seat booth. Those seats are generally given to families, and you know it's best to stay far from them, for the sake of your ears (especially if there are young children).

One last very cool option: being able to choose your exact seat (car and seat numbers)! Imagine your friend has already booked a ticket to Bordeaux and you decide to join them. Well, you can still end up sitting next to each other even if you buy your tickets at different times, isn't that great? You could even say it's downright inOui (incredible), don't you think? 😋

Once again, the cancellation or refund policy for OuiTGV, sorry, inOui tickets, depends on the type of ticket you chose!

Of course, for "non-exchangeable and non-refundable" tickets, you won't get anything back, even if you beg the ticket agent (we advise against it, especially with a long queue behind you). On the other hand, if you opted for a "conditionally exchangeable" ticket, you can exchange it for free up to 30 days before departure, for €5 between 30 days and the day before departure, and €15 one hour before departure! Plan ahead...

On the plus side, even when buying a non-exchangeable TGV ticket, you can take out cancellation insurance that refunds you 100% in case of the unexpected, and for just a few euros!

In case of delay, SNCF applies the G30 guarantee on all its OuiTGV and TGV inOui routes. In other words, for a delay of 30 minutes or more, you can request financial compensation from the company. Head here to learn more!

Good news! Your dog will finally be able to travel with you on holiday! There are still a few conditions for bringing them on a OuiTGV, we meant inOui of course, without a hitch.

Just like you, your pet needs a ticket to travel, and the price depends on their weight: €7 for companions under 6kg and 50% of the price of a second-class ticket if they exceed that limit.

If your pet falls into the second category, you'll also need to muzzle them, for safety reasons. To make sure your trip goes smoothly, take all precautions by checking this website.

For guide dogs, there's no question: they're essential to you, so they can board for free to accompany you. 😊