The horizon is brightening for SNCF's business activity. After a slow recovery, marked by a return to pre-Covid traffic levels of 80 %, the company is announcing an increase in business activity.14% increase in the number of business passengers in 2024. After double-digit growth in the first few months of the year. " Growth in business traffic is stronger today because its post-Covid recovery was slower than in leisure traffic. We're delighted with the results," says Frédéric Laurent-Miel, the SNCF's Director of Corporate and Agency Distribution. And that's on top of a record summer in the leisure segment, with 30 million passengers carried, including 26 million in France, thanks to the Olympic Games and significant increases in cities that hosted events such as Lille.
The good figures for the Business market were boosted in particular by a promotion launched on the Liberté card, which has been on sale since February at €299 or €349 depending on whether passengers have a Pro contract signed by their company. " This operation has already generated a 15% increase in customers this year and a 15% increase in the number of journeys. "he believes.
The OUIGO low-cost offer in all branches
The other novelty for the railway company this autumn is the general distribution to all branches of its Ouigo offerThis is in response to insistent demand from distributors and their corporate customers. Lawrence Taché, Director of Corporate Distribution & Agencies, announced that 15,000 tickets already sold. " This opening up took place progressively before the summer, depending on the progress made by the technological players, OBT and publishers, the number of agencies they serve and the way in which these agencies chose to deploy the Ouigo offer.he explains. The installation of Amadeus Rail Display in mid-July has significantly increased the number of agencies now distributing Ouigo tickets. The summer period, which is less busy for business travellers, has also enabled sales staff to familiarise themselves with this offer. ".
Finally, SNCF is announcing the launch in December of a Paris-Berlin link by high-speed train in partnership with Deutsche Bahn. The official announcements and details of this " from 7 to 8 a.m. "The first of these will be unveiled next week at the InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin. " The core target on this route is leisure customers, but we will also have business travellers. As is increasingly the case on long-haul routes from Paris to Barcelona, Toulouse, Luxembourg, Geneva and Lausanne. The younger generation and certain companies are clearly the choice of train in their travel policy for environmental reasons, but also for the working environment on board "says Frédéric Laurent-Miel. SNCF plans to improve on-board comfort with Alstom's future TGV M trains, which will gradually be introduced on the French network and on international services between Italy and France.
