SNCF, senior discount rail card

I have found on their website now much I can save on my rail journeys once we live in France but unless I'm stupid ( possible ) I cannot find on their site now much the card will actually cost me. Has anyone got one, any pros or cons?

I considered it last year but quickly went off the idea when I saw the rail prices - it is sadly, still a lot cheaper to use the car in my particular circumstances though I enjoy rail travel. The pocket has to overrule the heart unfortunately...

Up to €60! Oh no, less useful then. I would need to do six return trips to Bordeaux in a year for it to come out quits. In fact, paying for fuel, parking and tram tickets when I drive normally, still saves me money and can be quicker and more convenient given how few trains we have locally (to get anywhere).

Yes John what you describe is a card which only discounts on the TER/bus in the PACA (Provence Alpes Cotes d'Azur). The main SNCF card for "seniors" is called Senior+ applies to all rail services including TGV throughout France and as Peter Bird says here costs 60euros.

I do the same David. On my couple of trips the fact the website already 'knows' I am over 60 gives me a cheaper ticket anyway. For my couple of train journeys anywhere and bearing in mind what it is NOT valid for (take a proper look at the terms and conditions, I think they are available in English) it takes a fair bit of use to use up the €45, including taking people on your booking.

The card is €60 unless it's changed recently. Pros & cons ? - depends on how much you propose to use it.

I just had a look and it's the Carte Zou. I bought it a year ago for 30 euros and it lasts for a year. It gives me 50% discount and the same for up to three people travelling with me. So four in total. I use to get the train from Les Arcs to Nice airport and it paid for itself in a couple of trips.

John, just to clarify is it the seniors discount card you can take four people with you?

Yes but I you can take up to four people with you on the same fare so you can make back the investment pretty quickly.

Unlesss you are going to do lots of journeys having a card seems poor value. If we want to do a trip into Bordeaux for example we simply ask for a "billet découverte seniors" as long as we travel during off peak "periode bleue" we get a good discount. Maybe we look very old but nobody at the guichet has asked to see proof of age.

you pay I think 45 euros for the card that is valid for one year. you need proof of age and you buy at your local SNCF station. then you receive a discount of up to 50 percent on any trip during the year of its validity. you dont need to be a french resident for it to be valid. you need to be over 60 with proof of that. its similar to the under 25 rail pass.

Someone posted that ‘in late Nov’ the card is reduced. Indeed, SNCF has got in on Black Fri and the Seniors’ card was/is reduced to €49. I seem to recall it was €69 a few weeks back.

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I got ours in September when they were reduced to €25. We’ve already booked two city breaks in the next 4 months and saved almost the total cost of the card on the first trip. In September, the full cost of the card was €50.

For the first time in many years no Carte Avantage or senior card offer from SNCF in Black Friday period this year. They put out a very few limp offers of limited interest to a few people instead.

No idea when they will offer next now as I missed September as not expecting it then - too early for me to renew anyway.

The standard offer has been 25 euros instead of 49 or 50 for quite a few times now.

Trainline.fr briefly did 1/3rd off, am sure they’ll do again. But I don’t travel in enough months of the year on routes a Carte Avantage would make a difference on, to buy the card on spec with only that discount. I’ll keep an eye out between now and when my current card expires, or will pay full price for it just before a known journey. Happy to donate to SNCF at the 25 euro rate even though I didn’t use it past two years, but not more.

When you buy the ticket, it doesn’t have to start at that point. You can set the start date anywhere up to six months in the future I think. I bought mine in September, but it doesn’t start until the day we go to Avignon in mid December.

@KarenLot I can confirm that this is the case.

I bin robbed! :slightly_frowning_face:

I bought them in September because someone posted on here that they were reduced to €25at that time. Think it may have been @_Brian but not sure.

I don’t think it was me…

Ah. In was @Gareth