Air France and SNCF (the national operator of services in France) are expanding their “Train + Air” offering, allowing passengers to combine train and air travel in the same reservation.
Air France Airbus A319 taking off from Birmingham Airport – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
Seven new destinations have been added to the network – bookable for travel from 19th July. These include:
- between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Aix-en-Provence TGV, Bordeaux Saint-Jean, Marseille Saint-Charles and Montpellier Saint-Roch
- between Paris-Orly (via Massy TGV station) and Avignon TGV, Marseille Saint-Charles and Valence TGV.
This extension of this network increases the number of stations offered by Air France as part of the “Train + Air” service to 18.
The full list includes:
- Aix-en-Provence TGV
- Angers Saint-Laud
- Avignon TGV
- Bordeaux Saint-Jean
- Champagne-Ardenne TGV
- Le Mans
- Lille Europe
- Lorraine TGV
- Lyon Part-Dieu
- Marseille Saint-Charles
- Montpellier Saint-Roch
- Nantes
- Nimes
- Poitiers
- Rennes,
- Saint-Pierre-des-Corps
- Strasbourg
- Valence TGV
The combined services currently convey more than 160,000 customers to and from Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly airports. “Train + Air” allows customers have a single reservation for their entire journey and a guaranteed seat on the next available flight or TGV INOUI train, free of charge if their flight or train arrives late.
In addition, for those who collect miles as part of the “Flying Blue” frequent flyer programme, passengers earn Miles on the rail leg. In addition, Air France customers travelling in the La Première or Business cabin also travel in first class on SNCF trains.
Digitising travel the CDG and/or Massy TGV – Lille and CDG and/or Massy TGV – Strasbourg routes
SNCF TGV Resenu at Paris Gare du Nord – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
For journeys, a paper ticket is needed for the rail segment at the moment. Air France and SNCF are currently testing a new, fully digitalized service, for customers departing from Lille Europe and Strasbourg who have a connection on an Air France flight at Paris-Charles de Gaulle or Paris-Orly.
Customers can check-in online at airfrance.fr before departure for their entire trip, including the train leg, and no longer need to collect their ticket from the station on the day of departure. If these tests are conclusive, this service could be deployed on all “Train + Air” services as of 2022.
In Quotes
Vincent Etchebehere, VP Sustainability and New Mobilities – Air France said:
“Air France is committed to reducing its CO2 emissions on its domestic network by 50% by 2024. Regularly enhancing our Train + Air offer allows us to continue to develop intermodality, one of the key elements in meeting this commitment, while offering travel opportunities to the entire world from all French regions.”
Jérôme Laffon, Chief Marketing Officer – Voyages SNCF, said:
“Our priority is to enable French and international tourists to travel with complete peace of mind on their entire trip. The development of Train + Air enables us to meet this objective. Faced with the current climate emergency, it also offers an efficient, low-carbon alternative to the longer and more tedious journeys made by car to reach an airport.”
Expanding onward connections
With Air France cutting some domestic routes to secure survival funding, it’s a natural move to partner further with SNCF to allow passengers to connect further onwards using their high-speed network.
Combined with the fact that there are high-speed rail networks at the doorstep of Paris-Charles de Gaulle, with Massy TGV not far away from Paris-Orly (well, five stops away on the RER B line and a people mover transfer), it offers natural connections without too much effort.
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