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

 

163,991 thoughts on “Railway Industry in France

  1. MEGA GAME พบกับอีกหนึ่งเกมสล็อตจากค่ายดัง MEGA GAME ที่เหล่านักล่ารางวัลแจ็คพอตทั้งหลาย ไม่สมควรที่จะพลาดโดยเด็ดขาดเลยสำหรับเกมที่มีชื่อว่า Treasures of Aztec ซึ่งจะพาผู้เล่นเข้าไปยังดินแดนของพีระมิดด้วยกราฟิกที่แสนอลัง พร้อมกับเสียงประกอบสุดท้าทายที่ชวนให้หลงใหลเป็นอย่างมาก และในระหว่างที่ผู้เล่นกำลังผจญภัยในดินแดนของพีระมิดอยู่นั้น ก็จะมีทรัพย์สมบัติที่มีมูลค่ามหาศาลซ่อนอยู่มากมาย MEGA GAME

  2. Tidak ada satu orang pun penjudi yang menginginkan kekalahan. Karena, kepuasan mereka dihasilkan ketika berjudi live casino dan mendapatkan kemenangan besar. Untuk penjudi yang telah lama menunggu jackpot tapi selalu gagal, sudahkan anda memikirkan tentang cara berjudi anda? agen baccarat

  3. Gems form the internet… […]very few websites that happen to be detailed below, from our point of view are undoubtedly well worth checking out[…]…… ufabet xs

  4. Great write-up, I am a big believer in commenting on blogs and forums to let the blog writers know that they’ve added some thing of great benefit to the world wide web! gold diamond gaming

  5. BUY & SELL BITCOIN, ETHEREUM, and more.Exchange your crypto or cash in minutes. In person instantly without using a high fees Bitcoin ATM, and above all get the best exchange rate.
    Bitcoin stop

  6. Have a great day!. After reading this I thought it was very informative. I appreciate you taking the time to put this blog piece together. I once again find myself spending way to much time both reading and commenting. What ever, it was still worth it ! female libido booster ebet

  7. This will be the right blog for anyone who desires to be familiar with this topic. You recognize a great deal of its practically not easy to argue on hand (not too I really would want…HaHa). You actually put a new spin over a topic thats been written about for a long time. Fantastic stuff, just excellent! ufabet xs

  8. Can I simply say what a reduction to search out someone who actually is aware of what theyre speaking about on the internet. You definitely know easy methods to bring an issue to gentle and make it important. More folks must read this and understand this facet of the story. I cant believe youre not more widespread because you undoubtedly have the gift. สมัครสมาชิกเว็บเล่นน้ำเต้าปูปลาบนมือถือ

  9. Something more important is that when searching for a good on-line electronics store, look for online stores that are constantly updated, maintaining up-to-date with the most up-to-date products, the perfect deals, in addition to helpful information on products. This will ensure that you are doing business with a shop that really stays ahead of the competition and provide you what you should need to make intelligent, well-informed electronics purchases. Thanks for the important tips I’ve learned through the blog. เว็บแทงบอลออนไลน์ไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์

  10. The rails were often broken because they couldn’t bear the weight of the steam locomotive because they used cast iron. Richard Trevidic failed to solve this and commercialization of steam locomotives failed.강북출장마사지

  11. I was surfing the Internet for information and came across your blog. I am impressed by the information you have on this blog. It shows how well you understand this subject. 12kiageng

  12. Gems form the internet… […]very few websites that happen to be detailed below, from our point of view are undoubtedly well worth checking out[…]…… ufabet xs

  13. In this posting know the most important thing, the product provides you with some sort of key phrase loaded web page link an incredible practical web page webpage: Jago33

  14. Impressive web site, Distinguished feedback that I can tackle. Im moving forward and may apply to my current job as a pet sitter, which is very enjoyable, but I need to additional expand. Regards. judi mpo

  15. Simply, admirable what you might have completed here. It is pleasing to search you express through the heart and your clarity on this significant content material might be effortlessly looked. Outstanding publish and can appear ahead to your long term update.
    amb poker

Leave a Reply

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