How to get €35 train tickets to travel around France
French train operator SNCF has announced that it will be selling five million tickets for €35 or less, in an attempt to 'regain confidence' of customers after weeks of strike action.
The French train system has been hit hard by the unlimited strike action that has been running since December 5th in an increasingly bitter dispute over pension reforms.
Although the strikes are not yet over, with several unions still out, enough staff have returned to work so that services are running to nearly a normal level.
READ ALSO Paris breathes a sigh of relief as transport gets back to normal after strikes
This week the high speed TGV and budget Ouigo lines have been running as normal, while 80 percent of services were running on Intercité routes and the suburban Transilien trains.
French workers are not paid during strikes, so during long-running disputes many eventually return to work, unable to take the financial hit any longer.
But as more and more SNCF services have been running in January, many passengers have reported near-empty trains, as people simply assume that nothing is running and make alternative arrangements.
Now SNCF hopes that its massive discounting exercise - one of the biggest giveaways ever for the company - will lure customers back.
"We would like to tell our customers how much we would like them to regain confidence in us," said SNCF's Rachel Picard, speaking on Europe 1 on Monday morning.
"It's really to say to our customers; we are aware of what you've been through, we're making an effort and we would really like to reconnect with you."
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In total almost a quarter of tickets for the long-distance TGV and Ouigo routes will be on sale for €35 or less.
Tickets go on sale on Thursday, January 23rd and the sale lasts until Thursday, January 30th.
It covers TGV trains on both the budget Ouigo and more expensive Inoui services from the current date until mid April - including the February school holidays.
People who hold a season ticket for TGV services can also claim compensation for strike disruption.
The tickets are available now on the SNCF website.
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The French train system has been hit hard by the unlimited strike action that has been running since December 5th in an increasingly bitter dispute over pension reforms.
Although the strikes are not yet over, with several unions still out, enough staff have returned to work so that services are running to nearly a normal level.
READ ALSO Paris breathes a sigh of relief as transport gets back to normal after strikes
This week the high speed TGV and budget Ouigo lines have been running as normal, while 80 percent of services were running on Intercité routes and the suburban Transilien trains.
French workers are not paid during strikes, so during long-running disputes many eventually return to work, unable to take the financial hit any longer.
But as more and more SNCF services have been running in January, many passengers have reported near-empty trains, as people simply assume that nothing is running and make alternative arrangements.
Now SNCF hopes that its massive discounting exercise - one of the biggest giveaways ever for the company - will lure customers back.
- Readers reveal: The best ways to travel around France
- Everything you need to know about taking the train in France
- How France plans to save its rural train services
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