"The SNCF will be at the rendezvous of the French holidays". In an interview with JDD this Sunday, SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou wanted to send a clear message when summer bookings are "far below usual levels", more than a month after their opening. Affected by a loss of turnover "close to four billion euros" because of the Covid-19, the SNCF puts all the odds on its side to attract new customers, and get back on track.
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No more TGV, important communication on hygiene ...
With this in mind, the first thing to do is to re-run as many trains as possible. This will be done at the end of June since "not far from 100% of TGVs will run". The successor of Guillaume Pepy to the agitated presidency (social movement, pension reform, coronavirus) also wishes to reassure on the now worrying subject of hygiene. "We pay a lot of attention to disinfect our trains and to help manage flows in stations. We communicate to reassure travelers by being very careful to respect the wearing of masks upon arrival at a station and then on trains . "
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... and an effort on prices
To raise the average of 20% of reservations in July, and 8% in August, the SNCF will also "make commercial efforts". "We have just launched a big promotional campaign offering three million tickets for less than 49 euros, and we are doubling, from 15% to 30%, our offer of low prices compared to what we did last year at the same time, "says Jean-Pierre Farandou.
An effort not limited to the main lines, since the TER also have the right to their offer to encourage the French to take the rail: "In July and August, an annual subscriber of a region will be able to travel for free in all the others . " As for young people, they are not forgotten either because a "young TER pass at a very attractive price" will soon be announced.