French railway takes on no-frills
The French railway operator SNCF has reportedly thrown down the gauntlet to low-cost carriers by introducing cheap fares between Paris and the Mediterranean.
The Times reports that the company is offering one-way fares starting at 19 euros, running a cheap daily service from Paris to Avignon, Marseille and Toulon.
There will be two classes available on the new service, The Times reports, though SNCF has not confirmed what proportion of tickets will be sold at the cheapest rates; the standard second-class one-way fare is 86 euros.
The service will start on December 6, passengers can already book on the the website www.idtgv.com.
The newspaper reports that passengers will be able to choose between two “spaces” – one where travellers are “expected to relax, with no mobile phones or small children”, and the other which is “devoted to travellers who want to have fun in a convivial atmosphere”, with massage, films and games available.
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad
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