Guardian reports that the TGV network is "running out of steam"

[nickswift99]

The article states that the French equivalent of the NAO is recommending reducing the number of stations and getting rid of Buffet cars.

France’s high-speed TGV trains ‘running out of steam’ – official report

Many of France’s high-speed TGV trains, long hailed as the standard bearer of the nation’s rail revolution, are travelling in the slow lane, an official report has revealed.

The Cour des Comptes (Audit Office) blamed local authorities for pressuring the state to allow the TGV to pass through their towns, creating an “incoherent” network. As a result, there are now a total 230 TGV stations across France, many on lines which are loss-making for the state-run SNCF company.

The Audit Office recommended a gradual reduction in the number of TGV stops, better planning and more transparency in passenger statistics....

The full article can be found at http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...v-trains-running-out-of-steam-official-report

 

[duesselmartin]

and unlike Germany, France has a designated HS Network. Here in Germany, few ICE lines are much faster than the paralell intercity train.
As to the Buffet, catering here is also an expense that the railway would rather do without. Many of the weekend only intercity trains dont have a catering car, the new Twindexx IC trains are build without one.

 

[radamfi]

I am personally not interested in train catering. I would rather have the space used for extra passenger seating.

The Dutch have a novel way of providing catering without taking up much space on the train. They have people walking up and down the train with hot water in a specially designed ruck sack with a tap and paper cups of coffee at the front.

 

[W-on-Sea]

It does strike me that TGVs are now used on quite a number of routes that really have no need for such capacious, reservations-only trains and on lines at which they have no chance of even coming close to their speed capabilities..... you could call it "brand dilution" if you wanted, or simply inadequate allocation of resources....so, no, I am not greatly surprised by this

 

[Olaf]

It was clear that the French TGV system was a unicorn from the outset, but to be fair a lot of it's recent problems have arisen from the way the French economy has been managed as well.

 

[dutchflyer]

seems this is just another makeover of what has been published in France in about any newspaper. It is of course a matter of local prestige to have some direct TGV to the main capital where your friends in your govmt. sit.
THere have been studies as how to change the tides on the TGV-probably nothing new for anyone keeping up with HS-railways. Last issue of Todays Railways-Europe had a summary-its main editor lives in France, Douai. Its also not straightforward to compare with DE, as FR is clearly very much Paris-only directed and DE is multi-focus with some 10 major urban areas to interconnect, with the actual new capital Berlin among the least important among them.
The main ground is that all new lines-also those in construction, will not pay off, other as the profit bringing first new HS-lines. Thus one has to look without disturbing the ever mighty labour unions at ways to cut expense and raise income.
A big scale revolution like opening up for competition is just out of the marks.

 

[30907]

It does strike me that TGVs are now used on quite a number of routes that really have no need for such capacious, reservations-only trains and on lines at which they have no chance of even coming close to their speed capabilities..... you could call it "brand dilution" if you wanted, or simply inadequate allocation of resources....so, no, I am not greatly surprised by this

But I can't think of any TGVs that run wholly on classic routes, and could therefore be replaced by something with lower top speed.

 

[MK Tom]

It does strike me that TGVs are now used on quite a number of routes that really have no need for such capacious, reservations-only trains and on lines at which they have no chance of even coming close to their speed capabilities..... you could call it "brand dilution" if you wanted, or simply inadequate allocation of resources....so, no, I am not greatly surprised by this

Reservation only? I've traveled on TGVs over classic and high speed lines with tickets bought at the station on the day before now. No seat reservation or anything. Just walked into Lille Europe and bought a single for that particular journey to Bolougne.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Reservation only? I've traveled on TGVs over classic and high speed lines with tickets bought at the station on the day before now. No seat reservation or anything. Just walked into Lille Europe and bought a single for that particular journey to Bolougne.

Reservation only means you get an allocated seat, not that you have to book the day before. Sometimes they overbook and so you don't and have to take an (unmarked) spare seat, but there's still a field for it.

You'll have had a seat marked on the ticket, even if you ignored it. Or if you travelled on a TGV with a non-TGV ticket, you just got away with it.

Example: http://www.slowtrav.com/photos/data/664/medium/tgv00_ticket.jpg

Neil

 

[MK Tom]

No it's a standard ticket, but the arrival and departure times are explicitly stated. I believe it's a TER service operated with TGV stock, which I suppose is ''diluting the brand image'' as well. It ran on the high speed line, then reversed at Calais.

 

[stut]

The TERGV service from Lille to the coastal towns and Arras is reservationless, and more akin to the Southeastern Hispeed service. I think it's unique in the country, though.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
IIRC, the main problem with the TGV network is the number of "gares des betteraves" ("beetroot station", originally coined for TGV Haute Picardie which sits amid beetroot fields, and little else). These are poorly used parkway-style stations, sited to appease cities who missed out on a TGV link (in this case, Amiens, who fought a bitter campaign to have it - at one point selling plots of land along the LGV Nord route to individuals in the UK to try and make the compulsory purchase process as difficult as possible).

Few of these parkway stations are well used - generally only the ones immediately adjacent to a city like Avignon TGV are.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No it's a standard ticket, but the arrival and departure times are explicitly stated. I believe it's a TER service operated with TGV stock, which I suppose is ''diluting the brand image'' as well. It ran on the high speed line, then reversed at Calais.

Yeah, that's a TER that happens to be operated using high-speed stock. A little like the HS1 domestics, perhaps.

Neil

 

[185]

Currently on an Italian AGV, (NTV)... good God it's fast! More worryingly, there's another one (FS) following at same speed just 5 mins behind all the way from Rome to Venice.... 3 hours nose to tail! I think the Italians have got the right balance of stops enroute, not too many.

 

[Abpj17]

I am personally not interested in train catering. I would rather have the space used for extra passenger seating.

The Dutch have a novel way of providing catering without taking up much space on the train. They have people walking up and down the train with hot water in a specially designed ruck sack with a tap and paper cups of coffee at the front.

The Netherlands is a small country - it's the equivalent of short haul flights that where catering is a nice-to-have. France is the trans-atlantic equivalent - the distances/times can be much great = catering.