The scheme, which applies to all French regions except Ile-de-France, will be available in July and August

The ‘rail pass’, aimed at young people aged between 16 and 27, will enable them to travel free of charge on the TER, night trains and Intercités network. Available from Wednesday, the pass will cost 49 euros a month, Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday 4 June. The scheme will be valid in all French regions except Ile-de-France, and only for the months of July and August.

Holders of this pass will be able to reserve free seats for travel on TER, Intercités or night trains on any ticket sales platform, with the exception of international connections. Travel between stations in the Ile-de-France region is not eligible, but it will be possible to take an Intercités or TER train from Paris to other regions free of charge. The pass will operate on a rolling monthly basis: for example, a pass purchased on 14 July will be valid until 14 August.

An offer accessible to 700,000 young people

Around 700,000 young people will be able to benefit from this new offer, with sales forecast at around 60,000 passes. The measure will cost just under €15 million, 80% of which will be funded by the State and 20% by the regions, which usually organise regional trains.

Clément Beaune, the former Minister for Transport, had initially proposed a universal pass for all ages, valid all year round, inspired by the German model. However, this ambition was scaled back due to the reluctance of the regions to finance such a measure.