Is the SNCF slowing down its TGV? For several days, the topics have been linked for the railway company, including the cleanliness and maintenance of its Ouigos, which have been called into question by the group’s unions. On Wednesday, prices for TGV inOui and Ouigo increased by 1.5% on average for high-speed and long-distance lines. An increase, which corresponds to less than one euro and supposed to be “limited to inflation in 2025”, according to the SNCF, but which makes users cringe.
The same day this increase was implemented, the National Federation of Transport User Associations (Fnaut) issued a press release to denounce the railway group’s announcement. François Delétraz, its president joined by 20 Minutesexplains: “An increase of 1.5% on average means nothing since the price evolution is very different from one line to another. On some major lines, prices have even fallen a little but for others, it will be an increase of 20%. So the so-called limitation depends on where you start and where you go. »
But more than the increase in prices, it is the entire strategy of the SNCF which is called into question. Indeed, in addition to seeing prices rise, Fnaut deplores the drop… in the number of trains. Less 23% of TGV inOui since 2015 according to the federation.
Yes, yes but…
“The SNCF tells us that this drop was compensated by Ouigo, a so-called low cost offer. They simply removed trains from inOui to repaint them and put them under the Ouigo brand. The fact remains that in terms of number, there are fewer high-speed trains today,” regrets the president of Fnaut.
To be clear about it, 20 Minutes contacted the Transport Regulatory Authority (ART) which confirmed the trend. According to her, a drop in the number of inOui trains was noted from 2015. The authority even confirms a drop of 17% between 2017 and 2023. To support its statement, Fnaut puts forward another figure: that of the number of oars. From 472 high-speed trainsets in service in France in 2012, in 2024 only 376 would remain.
A model without financing
A decline which is partly explained by Alstom’s delays in supplying its orders to the SNCF according to François Delétraz, but above all by a political decision dating from 2012. “At the time, the SNCF and the State had chosen to scrap 100 TGV trains precisely to reduce supply and increase prices. »
“One fine day, and in anticipation of the opening of transport to competition, we decided that the SNCF had to become profitable. So we removed trains so that the remaining ones were fuller and the fares were higher,” explains the transport specialist. A decision which goes against sustainable mobility advocated by all but which was originally supposed to be financially compensated in the long term by the ecotax on heavy goods vehicles, abandoned in the face of the anger of the “Red Hats”.
“But the transformation of the rail network continued, without funding,” explains François Delétraz, who also deplores the fact that 14 trainsets were sent to Spain to ensure the Ouigo connection between Barcelona and Madrid.
Services becoming more and more complicated and less and less universal
At the same time, Fnaut noted a deterioration of the service with the arrival of Ouigo, the establishment of different reservation and transport services and sites, managed by different entities “and which do not communicate”, explains the president of the federation. “Look at the user who has an Advantage or Senior card, if he takes a one-way trip on an inOui, he cannot take the return trip on an Ouigo and vice versa. And that’s it for all areas now. » Grievances to which we can now add additional paid baggage, seat reallocations, etc.
A deterioration of service which is not even accompanied by the appropriate price: “Initially, Ouigo offered attractive prices to attract. But as they cannot make it profitable, they increased by 24% between 2019 and 2023, until reaching those of inOui, with the difference that we do not have the same exchange and reimbursement facilities as on the latter…”
A means of transport soon reserved for CSP+
At the same time, the SNCF offered the “Small speed Ouigo”, at low prices, but whose journey time increases as the price drops… for the moment. Worse, the growing enthusiasm for the train would not encourage the SNCF to reverse the trend according to Fnaut. “The trains are full, so they have no interest in lowering prices today. On the contrary, we do everything to keep them high. Except that this transforms rail into mobility reserved for CSP +, less and less accessible to people with modest incomes or families, breathes François Delétraz, we should not be surprised to see people turning to the car. »
A distortion of competition which will undoubtedly not improve with the development of… competition, still nascent: “If Renfe or Trenitalia have a fee to pay to use French routes, they do not have to give the millions of profits that the SNCF must return to the State. So this will not encourage her to make efforts if she wants to resist on the market. »
For François Delétraz, at the time of the allocation of the lines, it would have been necessary to “force Trenitalia to open a Paris-Grenoble or a Paris-Besançon, less profitable, in return for a Paris-Lyon”. Like a public service would do for example.
Contacted by 20 Minutesthe SNCF has, for the moment, not responded to our requests.