Train ridership in France hits record in 2024
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The figures have been climbing for three years, which seems to confirm the dynamics of rail transport since the end of the Covid crisis.
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The figures released Thursday, June 19, by the Transport Regulatory Authority in its annual report are unequivocal. In 2024, train ridership in France broke a record for the third consecutive year, with 6% more passengers than in 2023, the same rate of growth as in the previous two years. This enthusiasm was driven primarily by regional trains, particularly TER and Intercités.
Several factors explain this increase in traffic, including the peak of summer 2024 with the combined effect of the Olympic Games and the Pass-Rail offering young people unlimited travel on regional trains at a preferential rate. Second element: competition which, according to the Regulatory Authority, has led to an average price reduction of 10% and therefore increased demand. For example, on the Paris-Lyon route where SNCF-Voyageurs and the Italian company Trenitalia compete, train ridership has increased by 20% compared to 2019, before Covid, benefiting both companies.
This dynamic isn't just about France. It's much broader. Between 2019 and 2024, train travel between France and Spain jumped 30%, a rate two to three times higher than the national average. Across Europe, the enthusiasm for rail travel has been confirmed since the end of Covid. On average, train travel in 2024 across the European continent was 10% higher than in 2019 and Covid. Spain deserves special mention, as it saw train travel increase thanks to competition, notably with the arrival of Ouigo España, the low-cost subsidiary of SNCF, which is thus benefiting from its international investments.
This success also applies to freight traffic, which has rebounded after two years of significant decline. According to the Transport Regulatory Authority, freight trains transported 10% more goods in France compared to 2023. These encouraging figures remain to be confirmed in the complicated economic climate.
Francetvinfo
