Alexandre Bozio / Credits: FIORA GARENZI / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 4:31 p.m., March 8, 2024

In the end everything ends well for Hugues.

This passenger of a TGV traveling on the South-East line received a fine of 270 euros for having exchanged his place in second class for a seat in first to be of service.

The railway company indicated that this fine would be reimbursed following the scale of the affair.

On March 6, Hugues, a regular passenger on the TGV Sud-Est line, had the unpleasant surprise of being fined 270 euros by the controllers of the train in which he was sitting.

In fact, the latter had agreed, to do a favor to a father who wanted to sit alongside his son, to exchange his place in second class for a seat in first.

Despite attempts at explanations and negotiations with the captain, his fine was maintained.

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A tweet that triggers reimbursement

But Hugues, holder of a Max Jeune subscription, doesn't stop there.

He publishes his misadventures on X, formerly Twitter, and his tweet exceeds 10 million views.

“No one has been wronged in the story, all the seats have been paid for, but because of two cowboys who think they are in the wild west, the SNCF is being hated even more,” he laments.

Ah, @SNCFVoyageurs and its controllers who have the gift of making you hate the train :)



I exchanged my place (which I paid for, in 2nd) with a gentleman's place (which he paid for, in 1st) because he wanted to be next to his son who was in 2nd.

pic.twitter.com/xD48aZopVg

— Hugues ‍ (@huguesdelamure) March 4, 2024

Faced with the "bad buzz" triggered by this publication, the SNCF quickly reacted and Benjamin Huteau, director of the TGV South-East axis, directly called the young man on X to offer his help.

The railway company then assured that the fine in question would be canceled.

Note that the high amount of the fine corresponded to an offense for lack of ticket and not a fare adjustment.

In fact, Hugues' subscription offers a reduced price by name, and only in second class.