Trains for travel in France during the Ascension Bridge, from May 8 to 12, 2024, have been open for reservation since the end of January. Many TGVs were quickly displayed as “full”, some even two months before the journey. Why can't SNCF anticipate this overload of requests?
Who has never waited a little too long to book their train only to discover that everything was sold out? People wishing to travel by train for the Long Bridge from May 8 to 12, 2024 have probably experienced this. This year, it is enough to take just one day off, Friday May 10, to enjoy a long five-day rest.
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To travel on this occasion, the train is a popular mode of transport for the French. But it is better to book very early to hope to have a place. This is also the advice regularly provided by the SNCF: “ SNCF Voyageurs advises travelers to anticipate their purchases, both to find a place and benefit from the best prices », the railway company confirmed to us.
Not only does the data confirm that you should buy your train tickets early to pay as little as possible, but it also reveals that trains fill up quickly and often.
The Ascension Bridge TGVs are full very quickly
The following graph shows the completion rate of the journeys making up our sample. It is more relevant to talk about completion rate trains during the three months of our survey, because certain trains displayed “full” sometimes became temporarily reservable again (before generally being taken over again). This still gives a good idea of the speed at which a train is filled.
Out of 20 journeys, half have a completion rate above 40% during the 3 months. On the podium, we find a Toulouse – Paris journey by TGV INOUI on May 12, as well as our round trip between Angoulême and Biarritz, all at 80% completion. This leaves little opportunity to hope to find a free place.
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Almost 50 fewer TGV trains in 5 years
It is a fact, the SNCF fleet appears insufficient in the face of strong passenger demand. According to figures dating from December 2023, the number of TGV trains is decreasing, by 363 compared to 410 in July 2018. However, the plan to expand the fleet is not for the immediate future. “ In the coming years, we will have the delivery of new equipment, which will allow more flexibility in filling trains. », answers SNCF Voyageurs. People tempted to take the plane, faced with soaring train prices, will therefore not be discouraged any time soon.
The routes for which we have noted the price evolution since the end of January are among the most used TGV lines in France, which would therefore need more trains.
We also chose routes serving seaside destinations, which are rather popular with the return of sunny days. Here is the detail of the evolution of prices, week after week. Dates on which trains are displayed “full” are represented with the symbol 🚫.
These are standard prices, without reduction. Another section of the survey note is devoted to the prices displayed with the Avantage card.
The 2023 Christmas period was already in high demand, as our previous survey showed. More than 4.5 million travelers had then booked long-distance trains (TGV and Intercités), the SNCF told us.
The May 8-12, 2024 bridge is not as sought after. However, it is still a “ exceptional weekend », assures us the SNCF. “ Christmas is spread over two weeks, not everyone takes the week of Christmas, there is also the week of the New Year. It also depends on how Christmas falls in the week. There, most schools close on Friday, so even those who may have had children constraints ultimately don't have many anymore.. »
2.5 million people booked a long-distance train for Ascension
Thus, for this Ascension Bridge 2024, “ nearly 2.5 million travelers have reservations on long-distance trains (TGV INOUI, OUIGO, INTERCITES). The most popular destinations are the Rhône, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast. Nearly 4,000 circulations will be carried out. » Compared to the same period last year, SNCF Voyageurs estimates that “ traffic is comparable “. But, unlike 2023, there is a cumulative effect with the public holidays of May 8 and Ascension, encouraging travelers to “ shift departures from Wednesday/Thursday to Tuesday/Wednesday. »
The crowds are also higher than during the Easter weekend 2024, during which the SNCF recorded more than a million travelers on its lines.
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