Will we have trains for Christmas?
While uncertainty hangs over the holiday season, SNCF sent a reassuring message on Tuesday, declaring that it would be ready to transport travelers if the health situation continues to improve.
Asked about Europe 1, the CEO of the group, Jean-Pierre Farandou, explained that his teams were on the bridge to best prepare the return of travelers in the trains.
“
SNCF is ready, of course.
We already have plans to be able to raise the level of TGV supply
, ”said the boss of the company.
Read also: The boss of the SNCF in permanent crisis management
The rail group stands ready in particular to "
raise the level of TGV supply
", which currently tops out at 30% of normal.
This level can be revised upwards "
to ensure that each French has his train to leave for family celebrations,
" said the boss of the SNCF.
"
On some lines, we are ready to go up to 100%,
" he said, adding that his teams would "be
delighted to welcome all [their] customers
" on board the trains.
"
SNCF is fully mobilized,
" assured the group representative.
The company will in particular be able to draw on its experience of the first confinement to plan the coming weeks.
However, the firm must first obtain the “
health go
” from the government.
"
The government must be able to tell us 10 to 15 days before: you can go
."
We are waiting for this decision, which should take place at the end of November or the very beginning of December, ”hoped Jean-Pierre Farandou.
SNCF indeed needs several days to prepare its teams and rolling stock for the return of travelers.
“
We must ensure that each TGV train that will be mobilized for departures is impeccable.
We have about 500 trainsets, they all have to be picked up in the workshops to make sure they are ready.
[…] We want zero breakdowns
”, explained the boss of the railway group.
The day before, the Minister for Transport, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, declared for his part to have "
asked the SNCF to be ready.
If the health situation allows, there will be trains for the Christmas holidays from mid-December,
”he said on Twitter.
The French must "
dare
" to book their tickets now
In addition, the group's representative called on travelers to take their tickets as soon as possible, recalling that they would in any case be exchangeable and refundable in the event of the inability to travel.
"
Many places are open today for reservations
", but few French people have taken the plunge.
“
They wait a bit until the last moment to get their tickets.
They must dare to do it
”, urged Jean-Pierre Farandou.
Booking now will allow travelers to take advantage of the company's low prices in particular, at a time when prices are generally higher than average.
"
When you wait until the last moment, the low prices have disappeared,
" warned the boss of the group.
For the moment, and while awaiting arbitration by the executive, uncertainty hangs over the end of year celebrations.
Thursday, Jean Castex had explained that the restrictions in force were to make it possible to reduce the epidemic sufficiently to allow "
further relief at the time of the Christmas holidays, so that the French can spend the end of the year holidays with their families
".
But it is "
a little early
" to take your train tickets, he qualified.
And, even if relief is in fact granted, it would not be "
reasonable
" to plan "
big parties for several dozen people
".
Something to arouse the distrust of travelers, so far reluctant to buy their tickets: in mid-November, according to Europe 1, SNCF reservations for this end-of-year period were down 55% compared to a normal period .
