One of the most popular periods of train travel is without doubt the winter period encompassing Christmas, the New Year, and the start of the ski season.

As these are such popular times to travel, early booking is strongly recommended, so make sure to put the date in your diary to avoid disappointment.

On the 16th October 2014 at 5am, seats on French trains for travel from 14th December 2014, for the popular Christmas and New Year periods will be released for purchase. Voyages-sncf.com's UK based call centre will be open to callers from 5am and the London Travel Centre will be open from 8am, where a mini-breakfast will be provided for early morning customers.

The advantages of rail travel such as and shorter check-in times and generous luggage allowances are of benefit to all travellers. And for skiers in particular, no additional charges for ski carriage and being able to travel right into the very heart of the mountains, meaning maximum time on the slopes, is a bonus.  Rail travel is also the more environmentally friendly choice to make.

The winter months are also a great time to travel around France even if winter sports are not top of your list.  City breaks are more fun as queues for the most popular sites, monuments and places of interest are much shorter.  It is easier to move around and prices are not necessarily at a premium in hotels and restaurants.  Even seaside holidays are still possible late in the year if you are popping down to the French Riviera or the Languedoc coast where winter sun continues to shine.

The winter timetable features increased services on routes popular with skiers, such as the Paris to Bourg St Maurice overnight service, which usually runs every night throughout the winter ski season.

As well as domestic French trains, a range of international routes will be available, including Paris to Geneva, Zurich, Milan, Luxembourg and Freiburg, and Brussels to selected French destinations.

For further information or to book, go to www.Voyages-sncf.com, call 0844 848 5 848 or visit the Voyages-sncf Travel Centre at 193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU.

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Note to Editors:

• Voyages-sncf.com was created in 2000, as the travel agent and ticket distribution outlet of SNCF (French National Railways).
• In 2013, the group sold 75 million tickets with an annual sales revenue of €4 billion, across more than 30 countries.
• The group has over 1,000 employees of whom around one third are dedicated to European operations outside of France.
• Follow us on Facebook - @VoyagesSncf.uk and on Twitter @VoyagesSncf_UK

About Voyages-sncf.com:  Voyages-sncf.com is a subsidiary of the French National Railway Company SNCF and an expert in railway travel to Europe and French destinations. It is a key player in the European tourism industry employing over 1,000 people across its European business. In 2013, the group sold 75 million tickets with annual sales revenue of €4 billion, across more than 30 countries. Voyages-sncf.com has taken a comprehensive approach to its customers that includes 14 web and mobile sites, 5 travel centres and an integrated call centre service. 

For more information: http://corporate.voyages-sncf.com/

About SNCF:  Present in 120 countries, SNCF is a world leader in mobility and logistics. Its total workforce of 250,000 generated revenue of €32.2 billion in 2013, with over 25% of sales from markets outside France. A public sector group dedicated to public service, SNCF builds on its foundations in rail to offer a broad range of services, delivering seamless door-to-door mobility for transport and logistics operators, passengers and the regional and local governments that are its organizing authorities. www.sncf.com