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

 

163,985 thoughts on “Railway Industry in France

  1. ball for Richarlison, who sent the ball into the bottom of the net, but unfortunately it was offside. Six minutes later the visitors took a 1-0 lead when they took a free-kick and opened it into the box, Richarlison’s header for Townsend, who managed a full push but was แทงบอล-ผ่านเว็บ intercepted around the line. door Before the ball rebounded to Matt Targett’s own goal, however, in the 38th minute, “Salikadong” disciples cheered when the team got a corner kick, Jamal Lascelles crashed

  2. blocked it in time for Everton. Have a chance to score again in the 12th minute, when Fabian Schar allows Richarlison to have space to score, but the Brazilian national team striker. Went out to the post a few yards away, only disciples “Thun Army” almost hail in St James’ Park when they got a แทงบอล-UFABET free-kick in the 16th minute. Kieran Trippier opened the ball into the boundary box. The penalty went to Gordon

  3. Our ukdenim products are the perfect way to show your British pride! Made from the highest-quality materials,
    our jeans, shirts, and other clothing items are sure to impress. Whether you’re looking for a new outfit for a special occasion or just
    some everyday clothes that represent your heritage, we’ve got you covered. Plus, our prices are unbeatable! So come on over to Denim Jacket and shop today!

  4. I would like to say thank you for this special website. Keep writing these types of informative and interesting blogs. how to get Turkey visa? Now you can easily get your visa on your updated email id in 3 or 4 working days. but, simply you have applied with the correct information

  5. No doubt this is an excellent post I got a lot of knowledge after reading good luck. Theme of blog is excellent there is almost everything to read, Brilliant post. igamble247

  6. Current popular sports for sports considered a competition That has been popular since the past. So it’s not surprising. That people คาสิโนออนไลน์ nowadays will like to watch sports, cheer for sports, play that kind of sport because of today’s sports. The more you look, the more fun The more you look, the more exciting considered an activity that helps relieve stress And it is considered a form of family activity.

  7. Hello readers i found this blog and it is really very amazing blog. I am realy very inspired by this blog. Thanks for sharing with us such an informational blog. Massey 1035

  8. which when the sport is popular will make a lot of people from various เกมคาสิโน ages There have been more sports. which when playing sports, of course, will definitely have a positive effect good effect on the body and mental health greatly and sports It is considered a form of exercise. which most sports that people play will be a sports group That has been popular among the top of the world because of these sports. Suitable for playing for a lot of fun. not too hard to play and has high security suitable for many ages

  9. This particular is usually apparently essential and moreover outstanding truth along with for sure fair-minded and moreover admittedly useful My business is looking to find in advance designed for this specific useful stuffs… okhatrimaza

  10. Thank you for some other informative blog. Where else could I get that type of information written in such an ideal means? I have a mission that I’m just now working on, and I have been at the look out for such information. 먹튀검증 It helped me a lot. If you have time, I hope you come to my site and share your opinions. Have a nice day.

Leave a Reply

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