Night trains in France – the Intercités de Nuit

Fall asleep in the metropolis of Paris, wake up in the wild Pyrenees in the morning. The Intercités de Nuit make it possible.

France has a long night train tradition, but for years, the service was systematically reduced. Now, with growing interest in climate-friendly travel, the night train is also making a comeback in La Grande Nation. The route network is (still) manageable and mainly serves the regions south of Paris. But among them are exciting destinations like Toulouse, Dax, Marseille, or Nice. Traveling by night train is also an experience in France; you save time and, depending on your choice and budget, travel very comfortably.

The return of night trains in France

Just a few years ago, the night train had almost disappeared in France. Many routes were discontinued, the remaining connections were operated with outdated trains, and the timetables were unattractive. The turning point came in 2021, when the state specifically invested in expanding night train services again – with the aim of expanding the rail network beyond the TGV main lines and thus also strengthening less well-connected regions.

Currently, the French state railway SNCF operates several lines of the so-called Intercités de Nuit, which connect Paris overnight with the southern and southwestern regions of France. They all depart from the centrally located Paris Austerlitz station. With the night trains, you can reach Provence, L'Occitanie, or destinations in the Rhône-Alpes region while you sleep. By the way, further new connections are being planned.

View from the night train into the Pyrenees. — Shortly after Toulouse, a night train to *Latour-de-Carol* reaches the Pyrenees.

Current connections (as of 2026)

The Intercités de Nuit of the SNCF operate on the following lines:

The network of the *Intercités de Nuit*. Quickly accessible from Switzerland, Germany, the Benelux countries, and London.

Paris Austerlitz – Briançon (and back): Ideal for trips to the Alps.
Paris Austerlitz – Rodez (and back) / Albi (and back): Two destinations that can be reached by night train from the south.
Paris Austerlitz – Latour-de-Carol (and back) / Cerbère (and back): Connection to the eastern Pyrenees, including a connection to Catalan local trains and thus to Barcelona. The train also runs via Toulouse (and back)
Paris Austerlitz – Lourdes (and back) / Tarbes (and back): Practical for pilgrimages or holidays in the western Pyrenees.
Paris Austerlitz – Nice (and back): Off to the south and the sun.
Paris Austerlitz – Aurillac (and back): Perfect for a hiking holiday in the Auvergne.

To be honest, we are still a bit confused by the French timetable design (and haven't found a definitive overview anywhere). Depending on the season, the trains sometimes run on all weekdays, then not, then only on weekends, and so on. Thanks to the useful calendar overview on nightride.com, you can immediately see when a train is running (and when it's cheapest – more on that below).

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The Austerlitz station is centrally located and easy to reach directly from the other Paris train stations by Métro. From Gare de Lyon, the destination station for TGV connections from Switzerland, it's even within walking distance (about a 10-minute walk).

A view into the Gare d'Austerlitz at night. — All *Intercités de Nuit* depart from Paris *Austerlitz* station.

Comfort and amenities

The night trains of the state railway SNCF offer different comfort levels:

Seating car: inexpensive, but rather uncomfortable in the long run.
Couchette cars (Couchettes): with 4- or 6-berth compartments – functional, but cramped.

For several years now, sleeping cars have no longer been offered in France; instead, the SNCF sells couchettes in a first and second class. In first class, a maximum of four beds are occupied, while in second class, it's up to six beds. The first-class compartments are also slightly larger and the beds are wider than in second class. The first-class compartments can be booked privately as a whole (1-4 people, Interrail excluded). Additionally, free Wi-Fi is offered on the trains. The concept is appealing mainly due to its simplicity.

There are no showers on board; the toilets are located at the ends of each car. Additionally, there are washbasins for brushing teeth in small, lockable niches.

Overall, the comfort is significantly simpler than on the ÖBB Nightjets, for example, and there is no catering service on board. The renovated cars are clean, functional, and there is enough storage space in the compartments, along with night lights and sufficient power outlets. Additionally, a small bag with the most necessary items (sleep mask, earplugs, and refreshing wipes) is ready on each bed.

View into a brightly lit corridor of a night train in France. — The functional and bright atmosphere in the *Intercités de Nuit*.

Just a stone's throw from the UK

Paris can be reached quickly, directly, and comfortably from the United Kingdom by Eurostar – and connections to the night trains are often guaranteed without long waiting times.

At the final destinations, there are also attractive options for onward travel to destinations in southern France. Those who want to travel further to Spain by train can also cross France perfectly overnight with the Intercités de Nuit. The route from Paris via Toulouse to Latour-de-Carol is particularly scenic. From there, there is a connection on a very beautiful scenic route to Barcelona - without having to change trains.

View from the window of the suburban train from Latour-de-Carol to Barcelona. — View of the wild Pyrenees from the window of the regional train to Barcelona. From *Latour-de-Carol* , Barcelona can be reached by a suburban train without changing.

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Our recommendation: Admittedly, this tip from the authors is one for railway nerds – but not only for them: The Latour-de-Carol Enveitg station is unique in Europe in terms of railway technology: this rather inconspicuous mountain station has three track gauges – the European standard gauge (1435mm), the Spanish broad gauge (1668mm), and narrow/metre gauge (1000mm). On the latter, you can travel with the Petit Train Jaune (the little yellow train) to Villefranche-de-Conflent. From there, in turn, there is the option to continue to Perpignan. On this narrow-gauge line, the little yellow train travels through the wild and beautiful landscapes of the Pyrenees, which is why nature fans will also get their money's worth here. The two authors, who otherwise tend to travel by night train in the wild landscapes of the North, therefore warmly recommend the night train to the Pyrenees to Latour-de-Carol.

Two yellow trains of the Petit Train Jaune. — From *Latour-de-Carol*, the *Petit Train Jaune* runs to *Villefranche-de-Conflent* through the wild Pyrenees.

Booking tips

You can find your connections directly here on Night Ride. For booking, you will then be redirected via us to www.sncf-connect.com. This is the site of the French state railway SNCF, where you can buy tickets and reservations.

The prices on the Intercités de Nuit are highly dynamic. Sometimes there are berths available for under 50 euros – that's really cheap. With the right filters on nightride.com (e.g., only with bed, or private), you'll quickly find a good offer:

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If you are traveling with an Interrail or Eurail Pass, you can also make your purchases for tickets and reservations directly at www.interrail.eu. It's best to buy your Interrail or Eurail Pass directly here at Night Ride:

Travel through Europe with the Interrail Pass

We wish you a lot of fun on your next night train journey in France – bon voyage et dormez bien!