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

 

182,548 thoughts on “Railway Industry in France

  1. Finding balance in life can be challenging, but with NLP Impact Life Coach, a premier Balancing Life Coach in UAE you’re guided towards harmony and fulfillment. Their expertise in UAE ensures tailored strategies to empower you on your journey to personal and professional equilibrium

  2. 24kbetcasinogames stands out as a premier online betting platform, offering an extensive range of sports betting and games tailored for high-stakes enthusiasts seeking top-tier entertainment.

  3. WELCOME TO THE WHISKYROW STORE. BUY WHISKY ONLINE
    Glenfiddich/ macallan/ Veuve Clicquot/ Laurent Perrier Champagne/ moet & chandon nectar imperial/ Dom Perignon/ buy whisky online

    site: https://whiskyrow.net/

  4. Here you can find a variety of very complete lottery pairs, this may be able to help or make it easier for you if you want to play lottery online, hopefully it helps, for further information, just visit this website https://ouyicn.vc/

  5. There are many fascinating time limits on this page however I don’t determine if these people center to heart. You can find some validity however I am going to take hold opinion until I consider it further. Good article , thanks and that we want extra! Included in FeedBurner as properly anime head structure

  6. I without a doubt experience this subject matter youve were given happening in your web site. What is the name of the layout through the manner? I changed into considering using this style for the blog I Star Wars: Eclipse

  7. Many thank you for creating the attempt to talk about this, I experience strongly about this and love learning a exquisite deal more on this difficulty. If viable, as you advantage expertise, would you mind updating your website with a high-quality deal extra facts? It’s extraordinarily useful for me. Star Wars fan fiction

  8. Heya this is a good submit. I’ll email this type of with the intention to my very own near buddies. My associate and i stumbled in this while looking upon google I may be sure to come lower back. Thanks for revealing. Star Wars gaming podcasts

  9. Aw, it become a very proper post. In concept I would like to install writing similar to this additionally – spending time and actual attempt to have a genuinely suitable article… however what matters can I say… I procrastinate alot and also in no way manage to head completed. SWTOR updates

  10. I have loved perusing your internet site and going thru various articles. – Gulvafslibning nicely written article approximately a very fascinating issue. I cannot watch for your deliberate updates. Star Wars gaming events

  11. Oh my goodness! An superb article dude. Thank you Nonetheless I am experiencing hassle with ur rss . Don’t recognize why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there everybody getting an same rss downside? Anyone who’s aware of kindly respond. Thnkx Star Wars gaming events

  12. Hey! Someone in my Myspace institution shared this website with us so I came to appearance it over. I’m truly loving the statistics. I’m ebook-marking and may be tweeting this to my fans! Wonderful blog and wonderful design and style. Star Wars Outlaws

  13. Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your weblog and in accession capital to assert that I acquire actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently quickly. knights of the old republic

  14. There are a handful of fascinating points on time in this post but I do not determine if them all center to heart. There’s some validity but I am going to take hold opinion until I look into it further. Good article , thanks therefore we want far more! Added onto FeedBurner too anime head step by step

  15. This is my first time i visit here. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment here keep up the good work bakers

  16. This sort of considering develop change in an individual’s llife, building our Chicago Pounds reduction going on a diet model are a wide actions toward making the fact goal in mind. lose weight Healthy Meal Plans

  17. This is a proper weblog for anyone who would like to be familiar with this topic. You are aware of a great deal its almost tough to argue along with you (not too I actually would want…HaHa). You certainly put a fresh spin over a topic thats been revealed for many years. Excellent stuff, just excellent! Indiaas visum voor zakenreizen

  18. Hello, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog site in Opera, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, superb blog! 토토사이트

  19. I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back later on. All the best Miss Herbal Vitamins 고토토

Leave a Reply

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