SNCF will strengthen its service to support deconfinement from May 3, and offer an almost normal service at Ascension and Pentecost, SNCF Voyageurs CEO Christophe Fanichet said on Monday.
“
Today, you have about four TGVs out of ten running, reduced mobility obliges, (...) one Intercités in two and then eight TER in ten.
From May 3, we are reassembling this transport offer so that the French can travel,
”he explained on Europe 1.
Read also: Traffic restrictions: SNCF is still removing TGVs
The SNCF will run more trains during weekends, eight (TGV) out of ten on May 7 and “
practically all
” during the May, Ascension and Pentecost bridges, he added.
Reservations are already open, as well as for the summer holidays in July and August, said Christophe Fanichet.
The SNCF must also unveil a new more readable pricing, "
with offers more than canon and with low prices
" on June 1, he said.
At the same time, it will give up overbooking and extend low-cost TGV services to Ouigo, particularly in Brittany.
Offers for teleworkers
Management will also offer offers to teleworkers, he said.
"
The French want to move,
" summed up the CEO of SNCF Voyageurs, noting that the pace of reservations was "
gradually
"
resuming
.
"
We will support this desire for the train,
" he stressed.
The company launched an advertising campaign on Monday before deconfinement, with for the moment 10-second spots broadcast on social networks calling for the simple pleasures of the holidays, on the theme "
As soon as we can
".
This is the first campaign launched by SNCF Voyageurs - the company which has been operating the trains since early 2020 - which combines all of the company's activities, from the TER to the TGV.