LThe alarm rang earlier for many French people this Wednesday morning: the SNCF put tickets on sale for the end-of-year holiday period from 6 a.m. and had promised attractive prices to the first to arrive, reports La Voices from the North.
But many were disillusioned, sending the first prices up and people expressed their disappointment, even their anger, on social networks: “Do we have the right to talk about SNCF prices for Christmas? Even with a reduction card: no train costs less than 99 euros, we’re among the losers,” says an Internet user on X (ex-Twitter).
False promise?
Others compare with last year and affirm that prices have increased significantly compared to 2023: “A shame SNCF! We get up at 6 a.m. to take advantage of the ‘discounts’ on Christmas tickets. What a nice surprise when I see that I’m paying twice as much as usual. 151 euros! Whereas the previous year it was a total of 85 euros! »
At 1 p.m. on TF1 this Wednesday, a single mother in front of her cell phone at 6 a.m. sharp tried to buy a Bayonne-Lille round trip at the best price but all the trips with times that suit her exceed 100 euros. “It’s not all attractive prices as the SNCF promised,” she is disillusioned. She finally resigns herself to taking a round trip for €253.
If it’s any consolation: a journalist tried to get the same tickets 5 hours later and got them for €296. Proof that prices increased throughout the morning.
The reason for high prices
Contacted by Le Parisien, the SNCF mentions an increase at the start of 2024 in TGV Inoui fares to explain this year’s fares but denies having applied a new increase specifically for these end-of-year holiday tickets. “This year they were revalued for inflation + 2.6% in February. Tickets are on sale this morning at the same prices as the rest of the year,” she assures the daily.
