On 15 March, the SNCF inaugurated the high-speed line (LGV) linking Paris and Strasbourg with a fireworks display along the 300 kilometres of track before the first train was launched. This \u20ac4 billion project has been eagerly awaited by the people of eastern France for the past twenty years, and has now taken on a European dimension by bringing high-speed rail to Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland. However, passengers will have to wait until 10 June, when commercial service begins, to travel at 320 kph from Paris to Nancy in 1 hour 30 minutes, Luxembourg in 2 hours 05 minutes, Strasbourg in 2 hours 20 minutes, Basel in 3 hours 20 minutes and Stuttgart in 3 hours 40 minutes... Journey times cut by 30 to 50 % thanks to the new line built by R\u00e9seau ferr\u00e9 de France (RFF) between Vaires (Val-de-Marne) and Baudrecourt (Moselle). And it's a big first, because the SNCF TGVs won't be the only ones heading for Germany, as the ICE (Inter City Express) operated by Deutsche Bahn, the German railways, will be serving Frankfurt, Mannheim, Kaiserslautern and Saarbr\u00fccken from Paris for the first time.<\/p>\n
To this end, the two national companies have created the joint operating company Rhealys. \"We have shared the destinations to Germany,\" explains Guillaume P\u00e9py, SNCF Executive Director. What's more, with the TGV Est, SNCF is promising its customers improved comfort and services. \"We'll be offering the very best in TGVs, with new stations and others that have been completely refurbished, new train sets designed by Christian Lacroix, not to mention speeds of 320 kph, a first in commercial operation, with 85 % TGVs on the line from 10 June\", sums up Mireille Faug\u00e8re, Director of Voyages France Europe at the SNCF. In addition to the trains departing from Paris-Est station, SNCF will be offering several return trips to Strasbourg every day from Roissy-CDG TGV (3 return trips in 2 hours 25 minutes), Marne-la-Vall\u00e9e Chessy and Massy TGV stations, with connections extending to the north, west and south-west of the country. The latter will systematically serve the new Champagne-Ardenne TGV and Lorraine TGV stations.<\/p>\n
Positioning itself as a competitor to the plane, but also to the car, the SNCF is counting on traffic of 11.5 million passengers a year (30,000 a day), i.e. an increase of 65 % compared with current traffic levels, and an increase of 100 % in three years for business travellers. \"We are aiming for an 80 % market share on the Paris-Strasbourg route\", says Guillaume P\u00e9py. Air France, which estimates that it will lose 500,000 passengers a year on this route, has already taken the initiative by reducing the number of its daily frequencies between the capital of Bas-Rhin and Paris-Orly from twelve to eight this summer. In order to feed its hub, the four daily return flights to Roissy airport will be maintained, but with smaller capacity aircraft.<\/p>\n
\"The TGV Est will change the lives of 37 million Europeans\", says Guillaume P\u00e9py. After Thalys, it represents a new opening of the French rail network to Germany. Paris-Stuttgart will take 3 hours 40 minutes (compared with more than 6 hours today), with three daily frequencies (four from December, one of which should be to Munich) and Paris-Mannheim in just over 3 hours (compared with 5 hours 25 minutes). On the Paris-Frankfurt route, Deutsche Bahn will offer a gradual ramp-up, with a Paris-Frankfurt ICE round trip (4 h 11) via Mannheim, Kaiserslautern and Saarbr\u00fccken from 10 June, supplemented by two other services between Saarbr\u00fccken and Paris with connections to or from Frankfurt. After 9 December, when the winter timetable is introduced, DB will operate five daily direct Paris-Frankfurt round trips in 3 hours 50 minutes (compared with 6 hours 20 minutes at present).<\/p>\n
As part of this project, the SNCF has embarked on redevelopment projects at 17 stations, including Reims, \u00c9pinal, Thionville, Colmar and Mulhouse, some of which are undergoing major transformations, such as Gare de l'Est, which will have to handle 31 million passengers a year, compared with 24 million today. And, above all, Strasbourg station, which will be handling almost 60,000 passengers a day, instead of 40,000. The historic building, which dates back to 1883, has been enlarged and restructured to include an impressive 2,000 m2 hall, entirely glazed, to protect passengers from the elements between the platforms and the tramway, the underground car parks and the taxi rank. The lounges of the Emperor - William I in this case - have also been restored to their former glory, offering comfortable armchairs and wi-fi technology to passengers who are members of the Grand Voyageur programme. As well as improving passenger welcome, comfort and information, the TER (Regional Express Transport) service will be strengthened from 10 June, with timetables adapted to high-speed trains. In the meantime, the first tram-train link between Strasbourg station and the European\/Robertsau district will be created in 2009. At the same time, the SNCF and local authorities have financed the construction of three stations: Champagne- Ardenne TGV, Meuse TGV and Lorraine TGV. The latter, at Louvigny, is due to be replaced by a station at Vandi\u00e8res by 2012, to enable interconnection with the regional rail network (TER).<\/p>\n
With a line open to the international market, both SNCF and Deutsche Bahn intend to play the service card. First of all, the two companies have undertaken to offer a multilingual service - French, German and English - throughout the network. To make it easier for passengers to find their way around stations, platforms will be reserved for international trains in French and German stations. All stations will be equipped with wi-fi technology. On board the trains, customers travelling in first class will benefit from a meal service included in the price of the ticket on international journeys of more than one hour. These passengers will also have access to newspapers and will be able to book a taxi on arrival. In German stations, they will have access to the DB Lounge, Deutsche Bahn's contemporary design lounges.<\/p>\n
Passenger comfort has not been sacrificed on the altar of speed in the TGV Est project. The SNCF has reserved 52 trains for this network, featuring the new interior livery designed by fashion designer Christian Lacroix. Grey and apple green in first class, orange and plum in second. On the practical side, more spacious seats with headrests, electrical sockets and an individual reading light have been installed in first class. New: passengers will be able to choose a seat in the direction of travel before departure.<\/p>\n
The ICE 3 will be an opportunity for French customers to discover the special atmosphere of the German high-speed train. Light-coloured wood and leather upholstery are the order of the day, with individual screens in some carriages offering video and audio programmes. Electrical sockets for plugging in computers and mobile phones are available in both classes. Finally, everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the gastronomy of a genuine dining car or a simple snack formula at the bar. Another original feature of the ICE is that the seats are located at the front of the train, overlooking the driver, with a panoramic view of the line and the landscape as it passes by at 320 km\/h. A guaranteed hit!<\/p>\n
With this jump in services, high-speed train fares will rise by 20 to 30 % compared with the prices of the Corail trains currently running to Strasbourg. \"Only 20 % of passengers will pay the full fare, with the rest benefiting from card discounts or promotional fares\", says Guillaume P\u00e9py. Cards (season tickets, Bahn Card, etc.) will be used extensively on this network by frequent travellers. \"High-speed trains are still half the price when compared with air fares\", says Jean Moreau, Marketing Director of Deutsche Bahn France, who points out the time saved, the advantage of a centre-to-centre link, the comfort of the seat, the possibility of working during the journey, etc. The range of international fares will be the same whether you book via SNCF or Deutsche Bahn, and whether you travel on a TGV or an ICE. Passengers have been able to book their tickets to Germany since 10 April. However, SNCF is proposing a \"call-off offer\": 5,000 tickets per day for 15 euros in second class between 10 June and 26 August, from Paris to Eastern France, but also on regional-to-regional routes. Tickets for the Eastern European network will be sold through all SNCF distribution channels (stations, Internet, 3635 telephone, travel agencies, etc.), as well as through DB France, the French subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn. Deutsche Bahn intends to take advantage of this new network to increase sales of tourist holidays in Germany, and also to strengthen \"its role as a preferred partner for key account customers whose activities are focused on Germany\", insists J\u00fcrgen B\u00fcchy, Director of DB Vertrieb. To celebrate the arrival of the high-speed train, DB is not to be outdone, and from 10 June to 31 August is offering a special price of 29 euros for a single second trip from Frankfurt, Mannheim and Stuttgart to Paris.<\/p>\n
In the wake of the high-speed train, the towns and cities along the route are preparing very actively for the arrival of the TGV: urban development and restoration of the historic heritage are well under way! The aim is to become the new tourist destination for the French, especially those living in the Paris region.<\/p>\n
The stakes for business tourism are also crucial. Travelling to the East is no longer an 'adventure', and conference centres in the regions served by the TGV are emphasising the fact that they are joining the club of cities crossed by the TGV. Strasbourg, the only regional capital with major facilities (including a 70,000 m2 exhibition centre), aims to become the meeting point for executives from companies based on both sides of the Rhine. The only city to miss the boat in 2007 was Nancy, whose convention centre will not be inaugurated until 2011! The new 800-seat building will be located 200 metres from the TGV station and five minutes from Place Stanislas.<\/p>\n
Reims, famous for its Champagne houses, will benefit in October from the opening of the Pierre & Vacances group's new Center- Parcs in the Aisne region: the Domaine du Lac d'Ailette. In addition to high-quality accommodation, the complex will feature a 2,000 m2 convention centre with modular rooms for 20 to 600 people.<\/p>\n
The TGV effect on tourism should also work in the other direction. For example, Disneyland Resort is hoping to see more families from eastern France, Germany and Switzerland arrive at its Chessy TGV station, as well as strengthening its position as a business tourism destination in Europe. Thanks to the development of the Val d'Europe urban and service centre, the leisure group believes that its station will become \"the largest TGV transfer hub in France\", with the potential to welcome over a million additional passengers a year.<\/p>\n
On 10 June, millions of Europeans will experience a minor revolution, with journey times cut by a quarter to almost half. But this is only the beginning. RFF is preparing a Rhine-Rh\u00f4ne TGV line linking Lyon to Strasbourg for 2011. And the TGV Est europ\u00e9en will be completed in 2008 with a 106 km section. By 2015, it should put Paris within 1 hour 50 minutes of the Alsatian capital, on a line that will eventually extend as far as Bratislava.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On 15 March, the SNCF inaugurated the high-speed line (LGV) linking Paris and Strasbourg with a fireworks display along the 300 kilometres of track before the launch of the first train. This \u20ac4 billion project has been eagerly awaited by the people of eastern France for twenty years [...].<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4803,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"type-darticle":[],"n_magazine":[],"class_list":["post-4801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ferroviaire","vapo-free"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n