It is impossible to miss the information given the communication effort that has been deployed by the SNCF. Since Wednesday, it has been possible to reserve TGV tickets for the end-of-year holiday period. Should we rush to the site and the station as soon as sales open? How to get the best prices? Isn’t the SNCF trying to scam us?
To answer all these questions, Patricia Perennes, economist specializing in rail transport, and François Delétraz, president of the National Federation of Transport User Associations (Fnaut) shared their expertise at 20 Minutes.
Is the SNCF trying to scam us with the prices of its TGV tickets?
“For its TGVs, the SNCF therefore acts like any commercial company because it does not have state aid,” explains Patricia Perennes. It therefore acts like a private company. And on the other hand, the State asks the SNCF to reinvest the money it earns in infrastructure and line maintenance. » The State has, however, set maximum fares in second class. For example, for a Paris-Marseille, the price ceiling is 131 euros.
What strategy did the SNCF adopt to set the prices of TGV tickets?
SNCF uses the yield management system, like hotels or airlines: the price varies depending on the day of departure, its time and how full the train is. “The SNCF has a quota of places by fare,” explains François Delétraz. There are a certain number of them for 20 euros, then, once everything is gone, we move on to other, more expensive places, etc. »
The president of Fnaut adds: “The difficulty for users is that the airlines and railway companies have a history and they know that on December 24, they will not have trouble filling their machines. They then play with this criterion to obtain their best turnover. »
Should we rush for tickets on the opening day of sales?
With this yield management technique, connecting everyone at the same time necessarily increases prices. If all the 30 euro places are purchased, only the 45 euro places remain, and so on. “When you see that there are only two seats left at this price, that does not mean that there are only two seats left on the train, but that you will soon no longer be able to have it at that price,” recalls François Delétraz.
And contrary to what may happen for airlines, prices will no longer drop afterwards, specialists assure. “In rail, there is this rule which says that the earlier you book, the less expensive it is,” indicates Patricia Perennes. And if you book at the last minute, there will be no new promotions, apart from very very rare exceptions. » The economist specifies that she had already made this observation during her thesis, in the early 2010s.
So, for the two experts interviewed, the answer is clear: YES. “If you want to leave, you don’t have to wait, unfortunately,” points out the president of Fnaut. There are already many destinations where the trains are full. And the SNCF does not have enough TGVs to add more. »
Why does it seem like all the trains are always full?
Since the end of confinements, train attendance has only increased. Which creates another problem: the shortage of trains. “Before, the “peak” periods [la période la plus populaire] corresponded to school holidays and long weekends, relates the researcher. Now it’s on peak all the time. Every Friday of the year, sometimes even Thursdays. For Bordeaux, it’s every day. »
And faced with this shortage of tickets, the SNCF and users are getting organized. “Now there is huge communication about when tickets will go on sale. And the people who have been cheated once, give themselves a reminder to be sure of having a place on the train they want,” she explains.
So, how can you get the best price for your TGV ticket?
“If you want to buy cheap tickets, you have to be flexible on the date. It’s certain that if you want to leave at the same time as everyone else, on Friday evening or on the day of the Christmas holidays, it’s going to be expensive,” says the expert. According to her, the main characteristics of “cheap” tickets are hidden in tickets that can be reserved in advance, non-exchangeable, non-refundable, or in the reservation of return trips which are not on the same day.
François Delétraz adds that having an “Advantages” card allows the customer to have capped prices, which also allows them to “quickly make their purchase profitable”, he emphasizes.
Our file on the SNCF
To summarize, SNCF is “sincere” in its advance booking advice. And if you wait to get your ticket, in the best case, it will be very expensive, and in the worst case, the train will be full. So, to avoid frustration, don’t delay.