SNCF will launch its low-cost TGV Ouigo in Spain from March 2021. Alain Krakovitch, General Director of Voyages SNCF, explained on Europe 1 on Tuesday the reasons for this unprecedented operation for the French company.

INTERVIEW

SNCF will export its high-speed trains abroad for the first time.

The railway company announced on Tuesday the launch of its low-cost TGV Ouigo in Spain from March 2021. SNCF, which has benefited from the opening of the Spanish market, will offer five round trips per day on the Madrid-Zaragoza link -Tarragona-Barcelona, ​​before operating the Madrid-Valencia and Madrid-Seville connections in the following months.

Alain Krakovitch, General Manager of Voyages SNCF, detailed this operation on Tuesday on Europe 1, in the eco interview with Emmanuel Duteil.

>> Find here all the interviews of Emmanuel Duteil's eco guest

Spain's high-speed network, one of the largest in the world

SNCF took advantage of the opening of the vast Spanish rail market, one of the largest in the world for high-speed trains.

"Spain has a superb high-speed network, in terms of track length it is the second behind China. It was obvious for us to take advantage of this opening of the market," assured Alain Krakovitch.

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We expected that our average prices would be 50% lower than the current prices in Spain

"Adif, the Spanish infrastructure administrator, put out a call for tenders for a 60% increase in rail capacity. It is considerable and therefore it seemed normal to us to come to this market."

A Ouigo similar to the one launched in France, but with a bar

On the model of the French Ouigo, SNCF will use 14 duplex TGV trains in Spain (with two floors).

But the railway company will make adjustments to adapt to the Spanish market, in particular by offering a bar. 

"It will not be exactly the same trainsets, because we have to adapt safety systems to be able to run in Spain. We have also adapted our trains to Spanish demand: for example the Spaniards consider it absolutely essential to have a bar on the train ", detailed the general manager of Voyages SNCF.

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An aggressive pricing strategy

SNCF will bet on a very aggressive pricing strategy to gain market share in Spain.

"We predicted that our average prices would be 50% lower than current prices in Spain. The goal is really popular high speed, accessible to all, but also with a high quality of service. a starter offer at 1 euro is a strong sign that we want to give. People will be able to register as of this week and when sales open in November they will be able to get their tickets ", explained Alain Krakovitch.

"We want to start in Madrid-Barcelona. Then we will go to Valencia and then to Seville. All this will make 15 round trips per day, or 30,000 seats per day. Our ambition is obviously to fill our trains as much as possible", concluded the Managing Director of Voyages SNCF.