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

 

178,019 thoughts on “Railway Industry in France

  1. Compare and Apply
    for the Best Credit cards
    Credit cards are convenient financial instruments provided by the banks to the customers using which they purchase things without cash.

  2. Your work here on this blog has been top notch from day 1. You’ve been continously providing amazing articles for us all to read and I just hope that you keep it going on in the future as well. Cheers! youtube watch hours

  3. wow, great, I was wondering how to cure acne naturally. and found your site by google, learned a lot, now i’m a bit clear. I’ve bookmark your site and also add rss. keep us updated. 補習社

  4. Nice web!!

    Hello Guys, do you want to have a money?
    = Let’s make extra money with us, side job from home,

    Recruitment here : Working

    Job detail : Only need a phone and work from home guys

  5. You have an extraordinary feeling of composing I should state. Your post has those actualities which are not available from anyplace else. It’s my unassuming solicitation to u please continue composing such exceptional articles 防脫髮洗頭水

  6. In a landscape brimming with online platforms, our commitment to excellence and diversity sets us apart. We understand that each reader is unique, with distinct interests and preferences.
    raksasa123

  7. Florist jakarta

    Istana Florist – Toko bunga online delivery karangan bunga segar, bunga papan, buket bunga, standing flower, kado bunga, dll. Kirim kemana saja Gratis Ongkir.

  8. Our articles cover everything from sustainable living to the psychology behind fashion choices, ensuring that you’re well-equipped to make informed decisions.
    raksasa123

  9. Whether you’re seeking advice on effective study techniques, exploring the future of education technology, or looking for guidance on career choices, raksasa123 is your trusted companion on the journey of learning.
    raksasa123

  10. Health is wealth, and prioritizing well-being is paramount. Raksasa123 delves into the intricacies of health and wellness, providing actionable insights that empower you to lead a healthier life.
    raksasa123

  11. Innovation is the driving force behind progress, and at raksasa123, we celebrate the innovators and trailblazers who are shaping the world. Our profiles and features shed light on individuals and companies that are pushing boundaries and redefining industries.
    raksasa123

  12. Simply unadulterated exemplary stuff from you here. I have never observed such a splendidly composed article in quite a while. I am appreciative to you that you created this! 辦公室搬運

  13. In a world where information is abundant but insights are scarce, raksasa123 rises to the occasion as your source of inspiration. Our goal is not only to provide you with facts but to ignite your curiosity, spark meaningful conversations, and encourage you to explore new horizons. With each article, we strive to deliver a blend of informative content and thought-provoking ideas that leave a lasting impact.
    raksasa123

  14. Tennis balls exhibit distinct characteristics when used indoors versus outdoors due to the presence of holes on their surfaces. Indoor tennis balls typically possess less pronounced or smaller felt-covered holes. This design optimizes their performance on smooth, controlled indoor surfaces, ensuring a consistent bounce and easy maneuverability. Indoor & Outdoor Holes In A Tennis Ball

  15. i was browsing net and luckily got here throughout this web site and determined very thrilling stuff right here. Its in reality fun to examine. I loved lots. thanks for sharing this extraordinary data. esaver watt reviews

  16. You make so many great points here that I read your article a couple of times. Your views are in accordance with my own for the most part. This is great content for your readers. 防脫髮洗頭水

  17. I read an impressive proportion of stuff and I found that the technique for creating to clearifing that absolutely need to state was extraordinary so I am propelled and ilike to return again in future.. 女士 脫髮 維他命

  18. I know your expertise on this. I must say we should have an online discussion on this. Writing only comments will close the discussion straight away! And will restrict the benefits from this information. 補習社

  19. Can I recently say that of a relief to discover someone that actually knows what theyre talking about over the internet. You actually discover how to bring a challenge to light to make it important. The diet have to look at this and fully grasp this side on the story. I cant think youre no more popular since you absolutely possess the gift. sửa máy in quận 6

  20. It turns out that even the hottest port has a few places where you can get off the beaten path. Here are some recommendations that will make you feel like you’re in the know 辦公室搬運

  21. I was surfing net and fortunately came across this site and found very interesting stuff here. Its really fun to read. I enjoyed a lot. Thanks for sharing this wonderful information. 補習社

  22. I was surfing net and fortunately came across this site and found very interesting stuff here. Its really fun to read. I enjoyed a lot. Thanks for sharing this wonderful information 스마일도메인

  23. thanks for taking the time to speak about that, I feel strongly approximately this and so really like gaining knowledge of more in this type of discipline. Do you mind updating your blog put up with additional perception? It need to be in reality useful for all and sundry. neotonics reviews

  24. A debt of gratitude is in order for offering this quality data to us. I truly delighted in perusing. Will without a doubt going to impart this URL to my companions.  辦公室搬運

  25. Nice post. I understand some thing tougher on different blogs everyday. It will always be stimulating to see content from other writers and practice something at their store. I’d prefer to use some with the content in my blog regardless of whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll provide link on your web weblog. Thank you for sharing. UFABETเว็บตรงมั่นคง

  26. Promote Your Business on A dpostman and Reach Global Customers around the World. Free Business PromotionFREE ADD POSTING, Free Classified Ad, Online Advertising. Online Classified Ad. Best classified website for advertising your business online.

  27. It was an awesome post to be sure. I completely delighted in understanding it in my noon. Will without a doubt come and visit this blog all the more frequently. A debt of gratitude is in order for sharing. 防脫髮洗頭水

  28. Hey, I am so thrilled I found your blog, I am here now and could just like to say thank for a tremendous post and all round interesting website. Please do keep up the great work. I cannot be without visiting your blog again and again 스마일토토

  29. There are very a great deal of details this way to take into consideration. That is a excellent denote bring up. I provde the thoughts above as general inspiration but clearly you will find questions such as the one you talk about the location where the most important thing will likely be in honest excellent faith. I don?t know if guidelines have emerged about items like that, but Almost certainly that a job is clearly defined as a good game. Both kids feel the impact of only a moment’s pleasure, for the remainder of their lives. เว็บพนันบอล ไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์

  30. Great comprehend, Useful website, where by done u assembled the important points in this particular inserting? We have received comprehend a few of the particular articles or blog posts along with your website now, as well as I really like seem. Have fun here some type of mil as well as you should support this kind of beneficial perform the job. Guest post service

Leave a Reply

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