Railway Industry in France

TGV 1

1. Industry Overview:

In France, one of the most popular transport modes is train.  SNCF is France’s national railway, providing high speed, overnight and local services in France and beyond into Spain, Switzerland and Italy.

>> http://www.tgv-europe.com/en

Types of Train in France:

01-TGV

02-Lunea

03-Teoz

04-TER

06-Intercites

Railway industry is quite similar to airline industry, as it sells seats for a transport from an origin to a destination. The price depends on journey, class, and date of booking. Thus, railway industry can be placed in Quadrant 2, where its service has variable prices for a predictable duration. This industry also has the appropriate characteristics to apply revenue management strategies. Those characteristics are:

– Inflexible capacity: the number of seats on a train is fixed

– Variable and uncertain demand: the demand is different depending on the time of day, day of week, origin-destination pairs, and purpose of travel

– Perishable inventory: the unoccupied seat cannot be inventoried, and the revenue of that seat is missed

– Low marginal cost and high production cost

– Product can be sold in advance

– Heterogeneous customers with different segments, varying by age, purpose of travel, independent or group, etc.

However, there are some differences that make the revenue management of railway industry is little bit different than that of airline industry.

More difficult to forecast demand and to have the accurate number of travelers on a service: no check-in procedure, open tickets (rail pass) generally allow passengers to travel on any rail service, walk up tickets are very common (a large number of passengers purchase their tickets on the day from the station)

Less difficult to deal with overbooking: passengers are often allowed to stand during train journeys hence increasing capacity beyond the number of seats

———

 2. Space

Railway industry defines space implicitly.

Normally, a train has two classes: Economy (2nd Class) and Comfort (1st Class). The seating options and services are different for each class. The price is same for different seating options in a class.

 Economy Class:
01-Class2
 Comfort Class:

01-Class 1

Trains, especially TGV has “TGV bar”, which provides a wide selection of meals and sweet snacks available for purchase. Additionally, the TGV bar offers films on DVD, magazines, games for children, Paris Metro tickets, even USB sticks for purchase. There is also a rolling snack cart that comes to the customers’ seats.

01-TGV Bar

For additional revenue, TGV offers Premium service includes 1st Class seat, meal service, and access to the TGV lounge at the train stations.

Personally, I would charge difference fares for different seating options in each class. A group will want to pay more to have a Club 4 seat. A couple will want the Duo seat or Club 2 seat. And an individual traveler will want a solo seat. As the number of seat are fixed, we can charge for each option, rather than a “first comes first served” policy.

I’m also thinking about a mini-cinema on train, especially overnight train. Normally, the overnight train have load factor less than 80%, so the train can use one car to transform into a mini-cinema with a projector and a screen. When the train is busy, the car will be transformed in normal guest car again.

——

3. Time

Railway industry defines time implicitly.

Although the duration of a journey is determined, the railway industry sells a journey rather than specifically selling time. In addition, there may be issues that cause the increase/decrease in duration of the journey.

However, the railway industry also tries to sell time explicitly with the Rail pass. With Rail pass, customers can have unlimited travel on the national rail network of France for a fixed number of days. The choices are 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9-day pass within a one-month period. Travel days may be used consecutively or non-consecutively.  Thus, the fare becomes rate-per-day, not anymore rate-per-trip.

>> http://www.raileurope.com/rail-tickets-passes/france-pass/index.html

The industry can sell time explicitly by providing Rail pass with weekly or monthly unit. However, I think it will not be effective as it makes the demand forecasting much more complicated.  Half-day unit won’t make sense as a trip is normally more than 3 hours.

——–

4. Price

Tickets can be purchased 60 to 120 days in advance depending on the route.

Ticket discounts are based on advance purchase, availability, and certain restrictions. Everyone is eligible to receive discounted fares by purchasing an Economy or Comfort class ticket in advance. Youth and seniors can enjoy specific discounts as well. Discounted tickets are available for youth (under 26 of age), seniors (age 60 and over) and children (generally ages 4-11) but should be verified with each product.

Price at 1 week before departure
01-Price-1st class-10AM-1wk

Price at 2 weeks before departure

01-Price-1st class-10AM-2wk

Price at 3 weeks before departure

01-Price-1st class-10AM-3wk

Price at 4 weeks before departure

01-Price-1st class-10AM-4wk

Normally, prices are reduced for 1or 2 week-advanced purchase, slightly reduced for 3-week-advanced purchased, and stay same for more-than-4-week-advanced purchase.

The physical rate fences are the classes:
01-Booking-Class

 

The non-physical rate fences are age, season ticket, and loyalty

01-Booking-Rate Fences-1

01-Booking-Rate Fences-2

01-Booking-Rate Fences-3

01-Booking-Rate Fences-4

As the rate fences are now already too sophisticated, I would rather consolidate these fences than create new fences to confuse customers.

 

(-Thao Ly)

——–

References:

http://www.raileurope.com

http://www.tgv-europe.com

http://www.sncf.co.uk/

Amstrong and Messneir, 2010. Railway revenue management: Overview and Methods

Schroeder, Braun, and Schnieder. Revenue management in the railway industry

 

207,059 thoughts on “Railway Industry in France

  1. 389SPORTS sebagai bandar SBOBET88 dan situs judi bola online terpecaya, selalu memberikan Kepercayaan dan kenyamanan bagi para member. Baik member baru maupun member yang sudah lama bergabung, Dengan dukungan tim pengembang dan Customer Service professional, Situs judi bola sbobet mobile & link sbobet88 login hadir, tidak hanya dengan komitmen namun juga kepercayaan serta pelayanan sepenuh hati. Sebagai Situs judi bola SBOBET mobile resmi dan terpercaya tentu saja 389SPORTS memiliki koleksi permainan atau games terlengkap, maka dari itu anda tidak perlu khawatir untuk bermain game judi bola sbobet88 online di 389SPORTS. Karena 389SPORTS juga menyediakan permainan SBOBET Mobile dan judi bola online yang bisa dimainkan langsung cukup dengan mendaftar di link login sbobet yang sudah tersedia. Hanya dengan 1 id saja anda dapat menikmati ragam permainan yang tersedia di link sbobet88 resmi 389SPORTS
    situs judi bola

  2. Hello, I have browsed most of your posts. This post is probably where I got the most useful information for my research. Thanks for posting, maybe we can see more on this. Are you aware of any other websites on this subject. wilkinson laundry chute parts

  3. Your Work On the Blog Is Amazing Thank You And Keep it up, I Visited Everyday On Your Website. Appreciation for sharing! My friend is investigating this subject, so your blog helps him a ton. You are working really here. I trust I will see additional posts from now on. Good luck!! fanoos price in lahore

  4. Great work It’s actually a cool and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharingSeriale Turcesti

  5. This informative article will be pleasurable as well as imaginative. Graphic choosing some type of institutional move and also this furthermore boasts dished up every person possessing one aspect. http://ufa8betting.com/

  6. Hey guys, thanks for sharing this beautiful blog. You are such a great person. if you think about traveling in Azerbaijan. And you are a citizen of the United States. Then need to know the Azerbaijan visa for US citizens. The visa process is so simple that you can apply for it yourself.

  7. My own enterprise is normally doing a search online designed for storys which could offer every person. There could be absolutely some type of several to discover using this. My partner and i locate me personally folks made many salubrious information together with Features furthermore. Detain topsy-turvy, outstanding vocation! site link

  8. Exodus wallet enjoys a good reputation within the crypto community. With such a wallet, users enjoy an excellent experience and can take advantage of a variety of services and attributes. By offering a wide range of products and services, Binance significantly impacts the crypto landscape. The Exodus platform requires you to learn how to Transfer Crypto From Binance To Exodus.

  9. Gardner Industrial Controls is the best Electrical Industrial particularize in controls system integrators, GDU/ HMI Programming, Process & Safety PLC, and Design, Onsite Systems Commissioning & Startup Support systems for other industrial facilities. On line income opposition There are each a success humans and screw ups everywhere. But if requested what’s the approach of promoting on line, Mr. Paul Waratphon stated that the primary aspect is that the product have to have best and make a difference. bolatangkas online

  10. The exceptional issue to do earlier than buying dietary supplements is to test and study through the label preliminary so as to make certain of which it’s far viable to get the proper dosage. brain supplements

  11. Positive site, where did u come up with the information on this posting?I have read a few of the articles on your website now, and I really like your style. Thanks a million and please keep up the effective work. 에볼루션카지노

  12. เป็นเว็บที่สมบูรณ์แบบที่สุดแล้วในตอนนี้ สล็อต pg เว็บตรง ไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์ฝากถอนไม่มีขั้นต่ํา ฝากถอนอัตโนมัติ ปลอดภัย มั่นใจได้ และยังเพียบพร้อมไปด้วยหลากหลายชนิดเกมให้ท่านเลือก และแอดมินที่คอยบริการ ต้องที่นี่เลย

  13. منصة اكاديمية اللغة الإنجليزية | يعدّ تعلم الإنجليزية واحدة من اهم المهارات التي يمكن للفرد اكتسابها في يومنا هذا. اطّلع الآن على العديد من المقالات المميزة التي تساعدك على ;”>تعلم الانجليزية من الصفر</a، لم يعد تعلم اللغة الانجليزية أمرًا صعبًا بعد الآن، فقد أصبح في وسعك تعلّم أي لغة تريدها وباللغة العربية أيضًا.

  14. daftar 10 situs bandar togel terpercaya dan terbaik yaitu Gaduntoto menyediakan minimal deposit 10000 saja untuk para bettor yang bermain. buruan main sekarang juga dan rasakan sensasi bermain togel online terbaik di sini jackpot terus setiap hari tembus togel 4D dibayar 100%

  15. “NuGrowHair™ is a Exosomes Hair Loss treatment clinic located in Orlando, Florida. They offer Exosomes Hair Restoration for men and women who are looking for a quick, safe hair restoration solution.

  16. Thanks for the great blog. It was quite helpful for me. I am content I discovered this blog site. Thanks for sharing with us,I as well always understand a thing new out of your publish.สล็อต 999

  17. Nice to be visiting your blog again, it has been months for me. Well this article that i’ve been waited for so long. I need this article to complete my assignment in the college, and it has same topic with your article. Thanks, great share. 1990s old school rap

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *