2023-06-21 09:17:49
SNCF is expanding its offer to meet demand
SNCF began selling train tickets for the summer season on March 8, 2023. Faced with growing demand, it put on sale 450,000 additional places compared to the summer of 2022, which corresponds to 900 additional trains. This increase in supply is a direct response to the 10% increase in ticket sales for the July-August period compared to 2022.
Several lines have benefited from these additions, such as Paris-Bordeaux, on which 20,000 additional places were opened per week. In addition, a new line between Bordeaux and Frankfurt will be in service from July 8, 2023 to August 26, 2023. This new line is a response to the growing demand for connections between these two cities during the summer period.
The most popular destinations for summer 2023
The most popular destinations for summer 2023 are the South-West, the PACA region, Brittany, Languedoc and Pays de la Loire. For these destinations, SNCF has enhanced its offer with the opening of three Ouigo high-speed lines : Paris – La Rochelle, Paris – Brest and Paris – Perpignan. These new routes will provide travelers with easier access to these popular destinations.
Despite the increase in supply, it is important to note that for the most popular destinations, such as the Côte d’Azur, Brittany or Languedoc, 50% of tickets are still available. This means that travelers who have not yet booked their tickets still have the opportunity to do so.
Trains already full for certain dates
Despite the increased supply, some trains are already full for the most popular days, in particular the weekend of July 8, 2023, the bridge of July 14, 2023 and the crossover weekend between July and August. This shows that despite the increase in supply, demand remains very strong for certain dates.
SNCF also noted a 20% increase in reservations for the 2023 summer season compared to 2022. This is due to an increase in French people’s appetite for the train, which has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Travel restrictions and health concerns have led many French people to favor the train for their journeys, which has led to an increase in demand.
The challenges for the SNCF
Despite the increase in supply, SNCF faces several challenges. One of them is the late delivery of new train sets ordered from the industrialist Alstom. SNCF currently has 364 TGV trains and has ordered 150 more from Alstom. However, these new trains are slow to arrive, which limits SNCF’s ability to meet growing demand.
Moreover, train ticket prices tend to increase due to the law of supply and demand. For the rare last places left, prices can soar. This may make train travel less affordable for some travellers, despite the availability of tickets.
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