How to not fall foul of SNCF’s luggage rules

SNCF – for all TGV inOui and TER trains – introduced new luggage rules in February 2024, with a transition period up until mid September 2024 for their introduction, although it seems that even at the time of writing (August 2024) some SNCF staff are getting a bit over zealous in their application of these rules. Background about the rule changes here.

Please note that the luggage size requirements explained here do not apply to SNCF OUIGO trains in France – the rules there are even more restrictive.

However the luggage label requirements stipulated later in the blog post apply to all trains in France – including OUIGO, and including international services from neighbouring countries.

Whether these rules make sense, and whether policing them this way is proportionate, will be a topic for some other post sometime. For now this is simply a guide to make sure you do not fall foul of the rules, and protect your own data and safety as well as you can.

First the luggage size and pieces rules: you are allowed to take 3 bags with you onto a SNCF TGV inOui or TER train. 2 large bags (each max 70 x 90 x 50 cm) and 1 small bag (40 x 30 x 15 cm), and each of these bags must be labelled (more about labels below). There is no weight limit, but you must be able to move all of these bags yourself at the same time.

Advice: having travelled a lot on French railways, do not try to argue with staff about these rules. “Yes, but I have 4 very small bags!” Sure, you might have logic on your side, but the rules are not on your side. And if it is logic or the rule, SNCF will always go for the rule. So make sure you have a way – even if it’s a bin liner or something – to make sure you carry maximum 3 bags. Break the rule and you can be fined €50. Were such a bag check to happen before you board, it is not inconceivable that you would be denied boarding.

Then what about luggage labels? “étiquetage” of your bags – labelling your bags – is obligatory. Not only is this in SNCF’s terms of carriage (PDF here), but it is also the law, so it applies to non-SNCF trains on French territory as well (although they might have different rules for the quantity of luggage).

Luggage needs to be visibly labelled with your firstname and surname, and nothing else. Visibly labelled is not defined, so the assumption is that this could be one of SNCF’s own labels, a generic label, or even a name written onto a piece of luggage, but it has to be legible from the outside.

SNCF’s own luggage labels (shown above) have a field for your phone number, but it is not obligatory to fill in this field. If a SNCF employee tells you otherwise, point them to page 35 of the terms of carriage. Not putting a phone number is a good idea for the sake of your own privacy.

There is the phrase in the terms, translated like this: “These provisions do not apply to effects or small objects that the traveler keeps at his immediate disposal.” – so would, for example, a small hand bag under your seat have to have a label? The answer is – to be on the safe side – yes it should, because every item you are allowed to bring on board has to have a label (see above). This part of the rules is a grey area, so again, to be on the safe side and not have to try to reason with SNCF staff, any item of luggage – however small – ought to have your name on it.

SNCF – aware of the privacy concerns with names and telephone numbers on luggage – has tested a QR code based system (more about it on X here, and the web here), but at the moment this does not even work on all of SNCF’s routes, so stick to a standard written label instead for simplicity. Also this system would likely not work on a Renfe, Trenitalia, Eurostar or Transdev train in France.

So, to recap:
– 3 pieces of luggage max., 2 large and 1 small
– your first name and surname visible on the outside of the luggage
If you don’t respect that you might end up in a tedious argument with SNCF staff or, worst of all, could be fined up to €50