(Editor’s note: This list of travel discounts for Europe will be updated regularly as we get new notifications about rail, air and bus deals. Dispatches covers travel because expats get to see the world. )
It’s fall. It’s cooler. It’s perfect travel weather, and you were smart enough to save enough of your holiday time for train trip. Smooth move, because there are train fare deals popping up all the time.
2027 free pass for 18-year-olds
The European Union just announced the application period for DiscoverEU, the 2027 travel passes for young people – specifically 18-year-olds – to explore the EU. Applications are now open. In fact, you need to apply before 15 October 2026 at midday Brussels time. You can travel with your posse (up to four people) if you want to apply together, according to a media release.
This is specifically tailored to rail, but other forms of travel such as ferries on islands and, of course, buses are covered. You will also receive a DiscoverEU discount card for discounts on accommodations, culture, sports, local transport or other services, according to the release.
As with everything the EU does, there are lots of rules and hoops to jump through. There’s even a tutorial, so that tells you how complicated this is.
BUT you can qualify for seven days per month in travel over a designated time period next year.
To be eligible, you need to:
• be born between 1 January 2008 (included) and 31 December 2008 (included)
• complete the identity card (ID), passport or residence permit number in the online application form
• be a citizen or resident of one of the Member States of the European Union including its outermost regions
If you qualify, you can travel free for up to seven days in one month in the travel period from 1 March 2027 to 31 May 2028.
Brussels to Paris (and other destinations) at Christmas time
Brussels is full of expats and it’s really, really close to Paris. If you’re itching to go to the City of Lights at Christmas time, now is the time to book your TGV INOUI and OUIGO tickets for travel from 13 December, according to the media release we got from SNCB, the Belgian national train company.
First an explainer:
• TGV INOUI is the French high-speed train service that operates across France and neighboring countries. TGV, which stands for “train à grand vitesse,” runs trains from France to Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain, and of course back again.
• OUIGO (get it? “Oui go”) is a discount train service with both conventional and high-speed trains run by SNCF in France and Belgium in cooperation with the Belgian national train company.
Let’s look at the TGV INOUI deals first from Brussels to Paris.
We plugged in a random week that includes Christmas, and fares started at 35 euros one way for 2nd Class and went up to 129 euros for first class. That’s less than what we paid last year for our tickets from Rotterdam to Paris.
The least expensive fare is 17 euros for Brussels to Lille. If you’re into sun and sea, Brussels to Marseilles is 49 euros.
TGV INOUI tickets are now available from 13 December 2026 up to and including 6 January 2027.
Now, let’s look at the OUIGO deals.
This is a much longer deal. You can book OUIGO tickets now from 10 euros for travel up to and including 2 July 2027. OUIGO runs daily trains on slower-speed tracks between Belgium (Brussels and Mons) Paris-Nord (and vice versa) in less than three hours and three trains on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 13 December 2026. For the Christmas season, OUIGO will run a fourth train between Brussels and Paris on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Basic fares start at 10 euros for adults with a maximum price of nine euros per ticket. Prices vary according to the occupancy of the train, and the earlier you book, the higher the odds of enjoying the lowest fares. Children under 12 travel for as little as eight euros while children under four travel for free on an adult’s lap.
You can purchase OUIGO Full Pack for 16 euros more for flexibility, more comfort and an additional luggage item.
You can get your OUIGO tickets here.
We’ll have more discounts as we move into winter when the always popular snow trains start running from Paris and other cities.
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Read more about travel in Europe here in Dispatches’ archives.
Co-CEO of Dispatches Europe. A former military reporter, I'm a serial expat who has lived in France, Turkey, Germany and the Netherlands.
