Cannes railway station
With prices starting at €25, the OuiGo trains will doubtless be a popular way to travel Paris-Cannes in TGV. Two trains a day run in each direction, bringing a maximum of 1,268 passengers at a time. The run time is just over 5 hours, which is competitive with the full amount of time one spends travelling by air.
The times for the trains are:
- 2 departures from Cannes to Paris at 6:31 and 15:32.
- 2 departures from Paris to Cannes 08:18 and 15:59.
This might be of interest to people that are making plans to attend the Cannes Film festival 2023 in May. But I recommend booking well in advance for a chance to get a cheap seat.
TGV cheaper than flying
Although millions of people travel by high-speed trains in France, they are often criticized as they are more expensive than flying for mid-haul flights under 6 hours. The SNCF is placing itself in a very competitive position with these prices. In general, people prefer trains to the hassle and expense of reaching airports outside towns (the trains are generally city centre to city centre – and this is certainly the case in Cannes). So one can expect the lower prices to sell out quickly.
On a random price check for December, however, I was offered prices of €60 for Paris-Cannes.
The prices come… at a price. As these are low-cost journeys, passengers pay extra for large suitcases, access to electric plugs and quiet zones. The trains will have neither first-class seats nor bars for drinks and snacks.
Other destinations from Paris will be offered soon, with Toulouse slated first.
Details and bookings at OuiGO.fr
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