Electricity contracts must be subject to renegotiation immediately, says the French rail association AFRA. Many rail freight operators in France struggle with the increased electricity bills, which threaten their viability. Infrastructure manager SNCF quadrupled traction prices in early January, and diesel locomotives already substitute electric ones to reduce operational costs.
(Permalink) ARFA Electrification Railfreight SNCF

France: What SNCF terms an 'unprecedented relaunch' of its TER regional passenger services was announced on June 12 as the country starts to open up after the coronavirus pandemic. Branded 'TER de France', the campaign is being led by SNCF in conjunction with regional authorities.
(Permalink) Covid-19 SNCF

French National Railways (SNCF) officially opened two extensions to its TGV Atlantique network on July 1: TGV Ocane from Tours to Bordeaux and TGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire from Le Mans to Rennes.

The first special train departed Paris Montparnasse at 08.41 and arrived in Bordeaux a couple of minutes ahead of the scheduled arrival time of 10.45.

An opening ceremony was staged in Bordeaux attended by politicians including Mr Alain Jupp mayor of Bordeaux, transport minister Mrs Elisabeth Borne, and Mr Nicolas Hulot, secretary of state for ecology, sustainable development and energy, as well as Mr Guillaume Pepy, president of SNCF, who said these are the ninth and tenth high-speed lines to open in France.
(Permalink) SNCF

With just 25 days remaining before the start of commercial operations on the Bretagne-Pays de la Loire and Sud Europ Atlantique high-speed lines, French National Railways (SNCF) carried out parallel high-speed test runs using two TGV sets on June 7.
(Permalink) SNCF

Operators Virgin Trains and Stagecoach have today announced that they will launch a joint bid for the West Coast Partnership (WCP) HS2 franchise alongside state-owned French rail company SNCF.
The franchise will run from 2019 and will include the first few years of operation of HS2, meaning the chosen bidders will be responsible for designing the first high-speed services from 2026. As such, they must demonstrate experience of delivering both conventional and high-speed services.
The three companies have announced that they submitted an expression of interest to HS2 Ltd yesterday and are already working on their tender to run the huge project. The shareholding for the bid is split between 50% for Stagecoach, 30% for SNCF and 20% for Virgin.
(Permalink) Stagecoach SNCF Virgins Trains

France's national railway company SNCF is introducing a new youth card that will allow unlimited travel on high speed TGV trains for just 79 a month.
The pass has been named the 'Happy Card' (yes, in English) and will be available for 16-27-year-olds from January 19th.
Those hoping to nab themselves a card must buy it online and will have to sign up for at least three months, reported Le Parisien newspaper.
Those with a Happy Card, which will work for both high-speed TGV trains and the slower Intercit services, will only be able to reserve a trip up to one month in advance, compared to three months for the rest of us.
SNCF is hoping to encourage younger people to travel more often by rail.
(Permalink) SNCF

French National Railways (SNCF) president Mr Guillaume Pepy confirmed on November 19 that an initial internal investigation into the derailment of a test train on TGV Est Phase 2 on November 14, which killed 11 people, has identified that the accident was caused by excessive speed following a late brake application.
(Permalink) Derailment SNCF TGV

A high-speed TGV train has derailed near the eastern French city of Strasbourg, killing at least seven people, officials say.
The crash happened during a test run in the town of Eckwersheim, on a new Paris-Strasbourg line.
Reports say technicians were on board the train and seven people were injured.
The injured have been taken to hospital by helicopters.
The AFP news agency quotes the Alsace regional prefecture as saying the derailment happened due to 'excessive speed'.
Pictures later showed the locomotive partly submerged in a canal alongside the track. Wreckage was also scattered in a field beside the track.
Rescue teams - including divers - are working at the scene.
(Permalink) Crash Derailment SNCF TGV

France: National railway operator SNCF and infrastructure manager RFF confirmed on July 14 that a loose fishplate was believed to have triggered the derailment of a Paris - Limoges Intercity express at Bretigny-sur-Orge on July 12, which killed six people and injured a further 62.
(Permalink) Bretigny-sur-Orge Derailment SNCF