You can only take high speed trains from Paris to Rennes, but both the regular TGV InOui services and low-cost, but more basic, Ouigo services share the route.
It's particularly worthwhile to click on the Train Guides below so that you can compare the two train services.
However, if you need to arrive at a specific time you will often have to take one train service or the other.
The Ouigo services can plug gaps between the TGV InOui departures.
Note that these trains to Rennes depart from the Gare-Montparnasse in Paris.
When making a train journey from central Paris to Rennes, you now have a choice of travelling by:
(1) These InOui services
(2) Or by the cheaper, but more basic Ouigo services.
Final Destination: Rennes or Brest or Quimper or St Malo
Some trains also call at: Le Mans*
The fastest trains are non-stop between Paris and Rennes - and they're faster than ever before, thanks to to the opening of the LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire high speed line extension
*The slower trains divert off of this new direct route in order to call at Le Mans.
Paris to Mont-St-Michel:
For more info on making the connection on to Mont-St-Michel when making the day trip from Paris by train, click on the Rennes station information guide.
Mon -Thurs = 17 x trains per day
Friday 21 x trains
Saturday = 12 x trains
Sunday = 14 x trains
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but bookings can open sooner when SNCF is running a promotion.
When booking 2nd class tickets only one type of ticket will be available per departure, discounted 'Prems' tickets or 'Seconde' tickets; though the price of Seconde tickets are also typically cheaper when they are first placed on sale.
When booking 1st class tickets there will be a choice of Premiere tickets and Business Premiere tickets.
The two key T&Cs of booking Prems, Seconde, or Premiere tickets are:
Though if you book Business Premiere tickets, the key T&Cs are that tickets can be exchanged and refunded free of charge up to 30 minutes after departure, so if you get to the station just too late to miss the train you were originally booked on to, you won't lose out financially.
Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for this journey, but rail pass users will need to be pay a reservation fee prior to boarding these TGV trains.
The price is dictated by demand per departure, so book ahead and try and be flexible re: your departure and arrival times, as trains leaving earlier or later can be cheaper.
Though if you are happy to put up with a more basic on-board experience, you can also save money by taking one of the two daily Ouigo services from Paris to Rennes.
SNCF Connect will indicate the cheapest price available per day.
To Mont St Michel:
Oui.SNCF sells tickets for the end-to-end journey between Paris and Mont-St-Michel, the ticket will cover the bus + train journeys.
Simply enter Mont-Saint-Michel as the destination.
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
SNCF Connect | from €30 | |
Trainline | from €30 | |
Download the SNCF Connect App | from €30 | |
Save A Train | from €30 | |
Happy rail | from €30 | |
Rail Europe | from €30 |
A mix of the new TGV Oceane and the older TGV Atlantique trains are used for these Paris to Rennes high speed services, so here's a guide to how you can confirm which type of TGV train you will be travelling by.
Final Destination: Rennes
When making a train journey from central Paris to Rennes, you now have a choice of travelling by:
(1) A TGV InOui train
(2) These Ouigo services
They are usually scheduled to depart from Paris at 08:10 and 15:15.
So you can now opt to save money, but have a much more basic on board experience, and travel on a Ouigo.
2 x trains per day
Online bookings usually open: up to 9 months ahead of the travel date
Tickets for the alternative service of TGV InOui trains are usually made available 4 months ahead, so if you look up this journey more than 4 months ahead on SNCF Connect, you may only see these Ouigo services, but they are not the only option on this route.
What is particularly worth being aware of when booking tickets for journeys by Ouigo train services, is that:
Though these factors, and more, are why you can make big savings by opting to travel by these Ouigo trains and not on the standard TGV InOui trains.
Eurail and InterRail Pass Users:
Rail passes cannot be used on Ouigo trains, but if you will be travelling with a 2nd class pass, our guide to using rail passes in France, explains why taking a Ouigo train can be worth considering
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
SNCF Connect | from €10 | |
Ouigo | from €10 | |
Trainline | from €10 |
If you do opt to travel from Paris to Rennes by these Ouigo trains, you should aim to be at the Gare Montparnasse 30 mins before the train is due to depart.
And that's because you need to pass through 'reception' before boarding a Ouigo train, staff need to verify that all passengers are abiding by the 'rules' of travelling on a Ouigo train, no additional un-booked luggage, no bikes etc.
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