FRENCH secretary of state for transport Mr Alain Vidalies confirmed in July that from October 1 the government will withdraw funding for Paris – Toulouse/Rodez – Albi, Paris – Savoie, Luxembourg – Nice/Port-Bou and Strasbourg – Nice/Port Bou services unless a new operator comes forward.
Paris Austerliz – Tarbes/Hendaye (Irun) overnight trains will be continue until the Sud Europ Atlantique high-speed line opens in July 2017, while Paris – Nice Lunéa trains will be retained until October 2017. The long-term future of Paris – Briançon and Paris – Rodez/Latour-de-Carol overnight services is assured due to the “absence of adequate alternative services.” SNCF will continue to operate these trains.
In April the government invited expressions of interest for the operation of all but two Lunéa services. However, according to the French press, prospective operators including Transdev have warned the government that private operation of these services would only be viable if all services are included.
Petitions to protest
Is organised by “Yes to Night trains”
>> The British-French Petition
Picture: Miguel Medina
Left with SNCF with subsidy is only:
Paris-Briançon and Paris-Rodez-Latour-de-Carol
These two remaining night trains are saved because there are no day trains or HST running on those lines.
New rolling stock is urgent needed, and might be leased from the Russian Railways (!)
Hereby is SNCF and the French government following exactly the same wrong and sad guidelines as the Deutsche Bahn. Be aware of some very strange figures mentioned in the medias. We should not trust official arguments, which easily could be manipulated; propaganda is probably the same as we know from Germany.
Source: International Railway Journal, AFP / Liberation
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