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

 

202,843 thoughts on “Railway Industry in France

  1. https://www.dramacool.vip/ is a free entertainment platform where you can stream the latest and past Asian shows such as Korean, Taiwanese and Japanese dramas and movies with English subtitles and in high quality. Watch Asian TV series and movies online. No problem, no delay, fast and legal. Watch TV series from different Asian countries like Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Thailand and many more!

  2. Efficiently written information. It will be profitable to anybody who utilizes it, counting me. Keep up the good work. For certain I will review out more posts day in and day out. gut vita reviews

  3. Cridder Ridder is one of Kansas City's longest-standing animal removal and pest control companies. As a family owned and operated small business in Kansas City, our customers are why we exist. We take your problem seriously, responding quickly to evaluate the situation and remove wildlife or pest invasions from your home or business. With more than 20 years of experience serving the Kansas City Metro, we are committed to helping our neighbors. We proudly offer wildlife control and animal removal in Kansas City, Overland Park, Lenexa, Shawnee, Olathe, Leawood, Prairie Village, Blue Springs, Independence, Lee's Summit, MO and the entire KC metro area!

  4. Hello I am so delighted I located your blog, I really located you by mistake, while I was watching on google for something else, Anyways I am here now and could just like to say thank for a tremendous post and a all round entertaining website. Please do keep up the great work.

  5. Hello I am so delighted I located your blog, I really located you by mistake, while I was watching on google for something else, Anyways I am here now and could just like to say thank for a tremendous post and a all round entertaining website. Please do keep up the great work. arabic chat

  6. Gynecomastia surgery Mumbai

    Looking for a solution to your gynecomastia? Look no further than our expert plastic surgeon! We specialize in providing safe, effective, and transformative gynecomastia surgery to help you achieve the masculine chest you’ve been dreaming of.

    Are you struggling with gynecomastia and feeling self-conscious about your chest? Our board-certified plastic surgeon can help you achieve the masculine chest you desire through gynecomastia surgery. With years of experience and state-of-the-art techniques, we can create a tailored treatment plan to suit your individual needs and goals. Say goodbye to embarrassment and hello to confidence with gynecomastia surgery. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

    https://www.gynecomastiasurgeries.in

  7. I’m going to read this. I’ll be sure to come back. thanks for sharing. and also This article gives the light in which we can observe the reality. this is very nice one and gives indepth information. thanks for this nice article… mcqs english

  8. Awesome and interesting article. Great things you’ve always shared with us. Thanks. Just continue composing this kind of post. dark web

  9. A debt of gratitude is in order for imparting this intriguing web journal to us.My delight to being here on your blog..I wanna come beck here for new post from your website. patente b

  10. Whether you’re moving home around the corner, or need a full business relocation across the other side of the country, our movers trucks are fitted with the latest special lifting and handling equipment to ensure safe removal, transport and unpacking of your possessions Hoppers Crossing removalist

  11. This is actually what I was searching for. Much obliged for sharing this extraordinary article! That is fascinating Smile I cherish perusing and I am continually scanning for educational data like this! comprare patente

  12. I cherish essentially your own post! I see all post is extraordinary. I found your own substance utilizing bing search. Find my website page is an extraordinary one as you.I work to make a few substance this post. Yet again you can thank you and keep it make! Appreciate! Patente pela macchina

  13. จีคลับ888 คาสิโนออนไลน์เจ้าเก่าเปิดมากว่า 20 ปี บาคาร่า เกมสล็อต ออนไลน์ใหม่ปี 2023 ที่ดีที่สุดคนเล่นเยอะ ต้องค่ายเกม gclub คืนยอดเสีย 10% ทุกจันทร์

  14. Sarkari Media इस पेज पर आपको सभी सरकारी योजनाओं की जानकारी हिंदी में, हमारे द्वारा बहुत सारी सरकारी योजनाओं की जानकारी दी गई है Sarkari Media

  15. I’m pretty pleased to find this website. I want to to thank you for your time due to this wonderful read!! I definitely really liked every part of it and i also have you book marked to look at new stuff in your site. My Site: okbet sportsbook

  16. I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
    스포츠토토

  17. I wanted to thank you for this excellent read!! I definitely loved every little bit of it. I have you bookmarked your site to check out the new stuff you post.

Leave a Reply

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