Our premium high-speed brands in EuropeSNCF Lyria operates high-speed trains between France and Switzerland, serving Geneva, Basel and Zurich in particular. It carries 4-6 million passengers a year.
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TGV is SNCF's high-speed rail service. Carrying passengers across France on trains exceeding 300kmh, TGV train has become one of the most popular modes of transport for travelling around the country.
Trenitalia's Paris to Milan route was first introduced in December 2021, serviced by Hitachi Rail's ETR1000. This super high speed train travels at 300km/h - with the ability to go400km/h if not limited by track regulations - making it the fastest train in Europe.
How fast do our trains go? Well, they're not called high-speed trains for nothing. They can reach a top speed of 300 kilometres per hour (that's 186 miles per hour) on high-speed lines in the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands.
The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (French pronunciation: [s?sjete n?sj?nal de ?(?)m?~ d(?) f?? f??~s?]; abbreviated as SNCF [?s??n se ?f]; French for National Society of the French Railways) is France's national state-owned railway company.
SNCF operates almost all of France's railway traffic, including the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse, meaning high-speed train). In the 1970s, the SNCF began the TGV high-speed train program with the intention of creating the world's fastest railway network.
OUIGO is a low-cost rail service company established in 2013 as part of the SNCF group. Unlike the TGV INOUI service, OUIGO trains only have one class, which is equivalent to second-class travel. This is why OUIGO tickets are so cheap - from €10 for adults (depending on the destination) and €5 for children.
SNCF Group now comprises five public limited companies, all wholly owned by the French government. Of these, SNCF Réseau and its SNCF Gares & Connexions subsidiary are responsible for all track and station infrastructure.
SNCF is the only company offering national rail transportation because it enjoys a legal monopoly. There are two types of trains: HS trains (TGV) and “normal speed” trains (Intercités or IC). TGV can use both HS and normal tracks, when IC can only use normal tracks.
Reduced traffic: During the nighttime, there is generally less road traffic and fewer other trains on the tracks. This allows trains to move more efficiently and with fewer delays, as they encounter fewer obstacles and can maintain a consistent speed.
But then, why has the Eurostar train company decided to stop the famous service, coveted by many British people? The company points out financial issues caused by the covid-19 pandemic and new logistics related to Brexit.
It depends which trains and what times you are looking at - Eurostar is very expensive in times of high demand because the cheap tickets get snapped up but can be relatively affordable if you choose less popular times.