French TGV fares may rise in rail cash squeeze

The French national train company, SNCF, is reportedly considering fare increases on its high speed TGV trains in a bid to make them more cost-effective.

The TGV Atlantique at Montparnasse station in Paris. SeeSchloss/Wikimedia Commons

A report by France’s national auditors to be published on Thursday is expected to highlight poor financial management of the high speed train network.

None of the high speed links examined in the report has met profit targets, in particular the lines in northern France and the Mediterranean.

The Frcnch website, Economiematin.fr, now cites an internal SNCF document suggesting price increases of between six and ten euros per ticket, most probably on first class fares.

However an SNCF spokesperson insisted that such price increases are in no way decided but simply under discussion.

Such a measure could net between 10 and 15 million euros per year.

Ticket refunds might also be made more difficult and a charge for any refund might be imposed under other ideas being studied.

There would be no bars on train journeys of less than 3 hours, except on the Paris-Lyon trains, under some proposals.