This is a new stage in the battle that now pits Trenitalia against SNCF on its most profitable routes. After Paris-Lyon to be launched at the end of 2021On Sunday, the Italian carrier began high-speed services with a 3.5-hour journey time. between Paris-Lyon and Marseille-Saint-Charles stations. The inauguration was attended by local elected representatives and Edoardo Rixi, Italy's Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Trenitalia is attacking this market with attractive prices to fill its Frecciarossa ('Red Arrow') trains, starting at €27 for a single journey, with four daily return trips and stops at Lyon Saint-Exupéry, Avignon TGV and Aix-en-Provence TGV stations.
Trenitalia provides extensive services to the capital of Gaul with Lyon Part-Dieu, Lyon Perrache and now its international airport. An advantage for business customers. Trenitalia will be operating double trains on the Paris-Marseille route on certain departures, if capacity is available, but also to boost capacity through a volume policy based on lower fares than those offered by SNCF. Trenitalia is also promising tickets that can be exchanged at will, with only one fare adjustment possible. Lastly, cancellation is possible up to the time of departure of the train, with a 20% deduction from the ticket price.
Trenitalia virtually on its own against SNCF
" We hope to fill our trains with 60% in the first year on the Paris-Marseille route, which represents one million additional passengers. "Fabrice Toledano, sales and marketing director for France at Trenitalia, which has already increased its traffic on the Paris-Lyon route by 40% by 2024. Five years after the opening up of rail competition, Trenitalia remains SNCF's main challenger in France, with Renfe still struggling to schedule departures from Paris to Spain.
Trenitalia and SNCF are also in competition on the Paris-Milan line, which was reopened this spring, as they have the solid foundations and trains needed for international expansion. Pending a possible Marseille-Milan, or even Paris-London in 2029-2030Trenitalia's plans for this route are designed to undercut Eurostar, in which SNCF holds a 55% stake. The Italian national operator, which already has a presence in Great Britain, plans to spend one billion euros on this cross-Channel project, in which the SNCF group has a stake. Evolyn could be involved. The Italian parent company Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS), which already has a presence in Spain, is very active on the international scene, and is also aiming to open a Milan-Munich link in 2026 via Austria.
Marseille at the heart of the new railway
It should be noted that the special place of Marseille in this opening up to competition in the run-up to summer 2025. In fact, alongside this new line, Transdev will be starting its TER service on 29 June on the Marseille-Toulon-Nice route, the operation of which has been taken over from SNCF with the promise of improving the daily service and quality of service. Finally, Trenitalia will once again be operating a night train between Marseille and Rome from 4 July to 31 August via one of its subsidiaries, FS Treni Turistica Italiani Trenitalia. Operated at weekends to attract tourists, this route will serve cities on the Mediterranean coast such as Genoa, Savona, San Remo, Ventimiglia, Nice, Cannes and Saint-Raphaël, Toulon...
