15 new French destinations for Ouigo low-cost TGV service announced
The train operator also announced plans for extra trains and more comfortable carriages
More destinations, more trains, more seats, and comfier carriages are on the cards for Ouigo
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SNCF’s low-cost TGV service Ouigo has announced it is set to run services to 15 new destinations across France by 2027 with some starting early next year.
The number of destinations offered will rise to 75 from the current 60; an increase of 25%. New destinations announced for 2025 so far include Hendaye (via Bordeaux), Dax, Bayonne, Biarritz, and Saint Jean-de-Luz, company reps said at a press conference on June 14.
The year after (2026), SNCF is planning a service to Lille, and also wants to strengthen its presence in Lyon, Strasbourg, and the Languedoc region.
It also plans to offer a third return service between Paris and Rennes (currently there are two); and is also looking into offering more province-to-province journeys which can be made without passing through Paris (to reduce costs and journey times).
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More trains and seats
The company additionally said it would also make more trains available, aiming to have a dozen more Ouigo trains on the network by 2027. The goal is for Ouigo services to account for 30% of the total train offer, up from the current 20%, company bosses said.
There will also be more seats per train, 653 compared to the current 644.
These changes will enable SNCF to increase the number of passengers it carries each year by a further eight million, it said. Currently it carries 156 million passengers annually.
SNCF Voyageurs CEO Christophe Fanichet re-confirmed the new plans in an interview. He said: “[We will] increase the TGV services by 25% by 2034: 15% in France and 10% internationally.
“This will enable us to offer more attractive prices,” he told la Tribune Dimanche.
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Comfort upgrades
The company is also planning an overhaul of the trains themselves.
This will include “more comfortable seats, 10% more luggage space, individual plug sockets, eight bicycle hooks, and a large relaxation area in a dedicated carriage for stretching your legs or letting the kids play" said Jérôme Laffon, head of Ouigo at SNCF.
The new offers from SNCF come just a few days after independent high-speed train operator Proxima announced plans to compete with SNCF sevices on the Atlantic coast by 2027.
