© Nicolas Sandanassamy/Capital
– According to the Transport Regulatory Authority, the average price of TGVs increased by 7% in 2023.
A battle of numbers is underway. Faced with soaring inflation, the SNCF announced in 2023 an average increase of 5% prices of its TGVs. However, according to calculations by the Transport Regulatory Authority (ART), the average increase was higher than the figure given, reports BFM TV, this Friday, June 28. “The average price of high-speed trains has increased by 7% in 2023, i.e. higher than inflation (4.9% according to INSEE, Editor’s note)”the regulator wrote in a note published Thursday.
Furthermore, according to the ART, “prices have increased for all fare classes and distances traveled, but more sharply for low-cost services Ouigo up by almost an annual increase 10%compared to 5% for other services”However, this increase in Ouigo tickets is a surprise since the railway company had assured when announcing the overall 5% increase in November 2022 that the prices of certain Ouigo TGVs would not increase.
The train, a mode of transport “too expensive and not flexible enough” according to the Users’ Federation
Figures contested by the SNCF
Questioned by our colleagues, the SNCF affirms that “This change (of +7%, Editor’s note) is based on the 2019 index” and maintains that “Between 2019 and 2023, the consumer price index increased by 12.7% while the average prices of the SNCF Voyageurs TGV offer increased by only 5%». According to the SNCF, «adjusted for inflation and Omicron effectthe average price of high-speed trains stabilizes in 2023 compared to 2022, in accordance with the commitment on the tariff shield”. Regarding Ouigo services, the company disputes the “nearly 10%” average increase put forward by the ART, specifying that the price list «didn’t move. The maximum price of Ouigo Grande Vitesse is always 99 euros».
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During a press conference on June 14, SNCF affirmed its desire to strengthen its low-cost offer. By 2027, fifteen additional stations should thus be served by Ouigo. The railway company also plans to increase its number of trainsets, to accommodate up to 8 million travelers more per year.
