France's population structure does NOT mean it's inevitably the case you can't book a TGV on a weekend in April a month ahead of the trip The reason is France's state operator SNCF is starved of cash by the state, and has to relentlessly push to fill trains to the max - ThreadSky

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jonworth.eu • 1 day ago

France's population structure does NOT mean it's inevitably the case you can't book a TGV on a weekend in April a month ahead of the trip

The reason is France's state operator SNCF is starved of cash by the state, and has to relentlessly push to fill trains to the max

Comments

vanbesien.social•1 day ago

That's not the only thing. SNCF is not very efficient. Just look at the staffing levels for an average TGV service. There are often 6-8 persons alone herding passengers on the platforms and checking tickets.

vernonbaseley.bsky.social•1 day ago

Isn't that an option to get a margin of approaching 10% ? SNCF scrapped many TGVs a decade ago to push up average load factors.

jonworth.eu•1 day ago

2/2 But that doesn't end up with a socially useful outcome, as it doesn't maximise rail's modal share in France.

vernonbaseley.bsky.social•1 day ago

1/2 Indeed. During the rail reform debate, there was the option of franchising TGV services but government was persuaded to go down (nominally) Open Access route. This favoured incumbent.

vernonbaseley.bsky.social•1 day ago

2/2 I think politicos thought that SNCF would always act as if it was a PSO, responding to pressures to provide socially-desirable services at behest of Regions. Cakeism really.

jonworth.eu•1 day ago

Sure, I sort of understand why state and SNCF do this, purely financially. Finance ministry wants to keep subsidy for rail down as low as possible, so structures track access charges that land you with as few trains as possible, and SNCF fills them as much as possible 1/2

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