the essential
Three SNCF unions are sounding the alarm about the malfunctions and hygiene of Ouigo trains. These trains run much longer than traditional TGVs and transported 25 million customers last year. SNCF responds that passenger safety is its priority.
Not safe and dirty enough, Ouigos? Three SNCF unions are sending out a worrying signal. The CGT Cheminots, Unsa-Ferroviaire and Sud Rail denounce the lack of reliability and hygiene of part of the 38 trains of the TGV Ouigo, the low-cost offer from the SNCF. “It has been more than 2 years since the condition of our Ouigo trains has deteriorated significantly […] there is an urgent need to act,” write the unions.
Ouigo trains, older than the TGV Inouï, are in high demand with more rotations and less maintenance time to be profitable. The CGT does not hesitate to speak of a “deplorable state” of the trains and affirms that incidents have been more numerous in the last three months than in the last two years. The union cites the example of the 765 train “with axles in poor condition” and affirms that the technical team had to “remove the bolts by hand instead of the machine provided for this purpose”. The CGT assures that “the train’s movement was dangerous and the risk of derailment was high”. The train ultimately did not leave the next day.
The warning signal from the unions also concerns hygiene on board Ouigo trains: infections from cockroaches, bedbugs or blocked toilets. The high point was reached in November with seven trains remaining at the platform, again according to the unions, and thousands of travelers forced to stay at the platform.
“No risk was ever taken,” says management
SNCF management rejects these accusations. SNCF Voyageurs affirms that “the safety of travelers and agents is an absolute priority at Ouigo as for SNCF Voyageurs trains”. And he added to BFMTV that “no risk has ever been taken or is taken in this matter”. The SNCF does not provide details on the poor condition of the axles denounced by the unions.
Target 33 million passengers per year in 2030
Ouigo trains carried 25 million passengers in 2024. Between 2013 and 2023, 110 million travelers boarded. 12 new trains, aged 15 to 20 years, will soon join the Ouigo offer. Ouigo trains now represent 30% of SNCF high-speed traffic. The railway company is targeting 33 million customers per year by 2030.
