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

 

182,600 thoughts on “Railway Industry in France

  1. Interesting and clear business card company.Great blog design. I like to follow your creative ideas in blogging. If you are looking for high-quality text on any topic, will help you at any time of the day quickly and efficiently. Keep delighting us with new posts! I have express a few of the articles on your website now, and I really like your style of blogging. I added it to my favorite’s blog site list and will be checking back soon . Great, i must say and thanks for sharing this informative post.I am really impressed that there is so much information about this subject that have been uncovered and you’ve done your best. 스포츠토토

  2. Post was pretty decent. I recently came upon your blog and wanted to let you know how much I’ve been enjoying reading your writings. In any case, I’ll be signing up for your feed and I look forward to your next post. Many thanks for the helpful information. nythesis.com

  3. Good post. I learn one thing more challenging on different blogs everyday. It’ll always be stimulating to read content from different writers and observe a bit something from their store. I’d choose to make use of some with the content on my weblog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll provide you with a hyperlink on your net blog. Thanks for sharing. xtreme jacket

  4. Many thanks for the very detailed posting. What other sources of information could I possibly find that was presented in such a wonderful way? For a project I am currently working on, I have been looking for such information.
    owenxia.com

  5. Upon reading your article, I wished to know if you had thought about writing an ebook on the subject. Your prose would help sell it quickly. You are a very talented writer. ecrasy.com

  6. I know your aptitude on this. I should say we ought to have an online discourse on this. Composing just remarks will close the talk straight away! What’s more, will confine the advantages from this data.  El mejor podcast de todos

  7. albert einstein frases ✅Provavelmente você conhece Albert Einstein por ser um físico teórico, mas já parou para ler e ouvir as FRASES dele? muitas são de motivação, de reflexão que te fazem pensar.
    Essas frases de Albert Einstein vão abrir a sua mente

  8. Only aspire to mention ones content can be as incredible. This clarity with your post is superb and that i may think you’re a guru for this issue. High-quality along with your concur permit me to to seize your current give to keep modified by using approaching blog post. Thanks a lot hundreds of along with you should go on the pleasurable get the job done. tops under 200

  9. I was very pleased to find this site.I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post. I wish more writers of this sort of substance would take the time you did to explore and compose so well. I am exceptionally awed with your vision and knowledge. I was just browsing through the internet looking for some information and came across your blog. I am impressed by the information that you have on this blog. It shows how well you understand this subject. Bookmarked this page, will come back for more. 스포츠토토

  10. I was very impressed by this post, this site has always been pleasant news Thank you very much for such an interesting post, and I meet them more often then I visited this site. General

  11. Just pure classic stuff from you here. I have never seen such a brilliantly written article in a long time. I am thankful to you that you produced this! Cooking

  12. Welcome to the best online slot site in Korea. ​For you to use with confidence, Slot Moara carefully selects and provides only fully verified companies by reviewing all sites through experts. Don’t miss out on various events and bonuses only available at Slot Moara. 카지노슬롯

  13. Its most exceedingly awful piece was that the item just worked intermittently and the data was not exact. You plainly canot go up against anyone about what you have found if the information isn’t right. usps employee login

  14. Curcumy is a new product on the market that helps fight joint pain in the body. Through its advanced formula, it relieves joint pain, reduces swelling and inflammation, unlocks stiff joints, eliminates numbness and also increases mobility. The Curcumy formula has already been tested and approved and has been used by people who have the symptoms mentioned above Curcumy

  15. magnumbet adalah Agen Slot Online Desopit Dana terbaik di Indonesia. magnumbet, salah satu situs slot yang menawarkan permainan judi online khususnya judi slot online. magnumbet merupakan salah satu situs slot gacor di Indonesia. Dimana kami sudah memiliki reputasi sebagai situs slot gacor winrate tertinggi No.1 dan tentu saja merupakan situs judi slot resmi

    https://heylink.me/magnumbet88/

  16. ได้รวบรวมความสนุกสนานครบวงจรที่สุดมาไว้ในเว็บไซต์ของเรา ท่านสามารถที่จะเลือกสรรความสนุกสนานกันได้อย่างตามใจชอบ ไม่มีข้อจำกัด และไม่มีเงื่อนไขใดๆทั้งสิ้น สามารถที่จะสนุกสนานได้ทุกเกมอย่างแน่นอน pgslot-flirting-scholar ที่สำคัญท่านยังสามารถที่จะเดิมพันได้แบบไม่มีขั้นต่ำ มีทุนน้อยท่านก็สามารถที่จะเล่นได้อย่างสนุกสนานเพลิดเพลิน อีกทั้งยังมีอัตราการจ่ายเงินรางวัลที่สูงที่สุดอีกด้วย มาร่วมสัมผัสกับประสบการณ์ใหม่ในการเล่นเกมเดิมพันออนไลน์ที่ดีที่สุดไปกับเราได้แล้วในวันนี้

  17. pgslot-flirting-scholar เราเป็นอีกหนึ่งผู้ให้บริการเกมเดิมพันออนไลน์ที่ได้รับความนิยมมากที่สุดและเป็นที่ยอดฮิตกันอย่างมากในปัจจุบันนี้ ได้รวบรวมความสนุกสนานครบวงจรที่สุดมาไว้ในเว็บไซต์ของเรา ท่านสามารถที่จะเลือกสรรความสนุกสนานกันได้อย่างตามใจชอบ ไม่มีข้อจำกัด และไม่มีเงื่อนไขใดๆทั้งสิ้น

  18. เว็บล็อตโตทีวีดอทไลฟ์,ผลหวยย้อนหลัง,หวยไทย,หวยลาว,หวยฮานอย,lotto,tv,lottotv,lottotvlive,LottoTv,LottoTv.live,ผลหวย/หวยออมสิน,ผลหวย/ไต้หวัน,ผลหวย/เกาหลี,ผลหวย/ฮานอยเฉพาะกิจ,ผลหวย/ลาวกองทุน,ล๊อตโต้ทีวีดอทไลฟ์,Lottotv.live,LottoTv,Live,Lotto,Logo ผลลาว

  19. After you’re done with the feats of Safari desert Dubai, it’s time to explore the neighboring architecture and other Dubai excursions. Update your travel catalog with these exciting tours and make yourself unforgettable memories.

    https://desertsafaridubai.co/

  20. เว็บล็อตโตทีวีดอทไลฟ์,ผลหวยย้อนหลัง,หวยไทย,หวยลาว,หวยฮานอย,lotto,tv,lottotv,lottotvlive,LottoTv,LottoTv.live,ผลหวย/หวยออมสิน,ผลหวย/ไต้หวัน,ผลหวย/เกาหลี,ผลหวย/ฮานอยเฉพาะกิจ,ผลหวย/ลาวกองทุน,ล๊อตโต้ทีวีดอทไลฟ์,Lottotv.live,LottoTv,Live,Lotto,Logo ผลหวย

Leave a Reply

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