Intercity trains to Bourg to be ceased?

A snowHead

@Pejoli, we missed them too. bleah. Hoping to sort tomorrow on the 6 berth couchettes.

Way back is interesting - we usually come back during the day. But there's no direct TGV Bourg to Paris on Sat. 9th - have to change at Lyon. But there are TGVs Lyon to Lille, as well as direct to London: either of which might be an option as we have to get off there anyway. Let's see how prices / times work out!

AR

A snowHead

It seems that the overnight train to Bourg really is on its last legs, with funding stopping this July.

Under a second tranche of reforms, the government is developing ‘a new business model’ for the remaining overnight trains, noting that these represent 25% of the losses of the TET network and carry just 3% of its passengers. The ministry estimated the average subsidy to be around €100 per ticket sold.

In light of these statistics, the government would only continue to support overnight trains where there is a ‘an absence of viable transport alternatives’, namely the sleeper trains linking Paris with Rodez/Latour de Carol and Briançon. SNCF is reported to be considering the use of up to 20 new Siemens-built RIC sleeping cars leased from Russian Railways.

The ministry intends to withdraw funding for the remaining overnight trains, noting that ‘other parts of the country already benefit from alternative transport options or will soon gain from the opening of new high speed rail infrastructure’. However, it was open to train operators ‘proposing their own innovative operating models for night trains to be run at their own risk’. A request for expressions of interest to this effect is to be issued shortly, and the results of this market testing exercise will be revealed in July.

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/main-line/france-to-put-night-train-services-out-to-tender.html

I can't see this route being a money spinner for another operator. Elsewhere in the forest, SNCF do not have enough locomotives for traditional "loco and coaches" trains, so not a lot of hope for some being made available for a loss-making overnight service.

GERMAN Rail (DB) has confirmed that as part of its planned cost reductions for next year it will cease operating all overnight trains with sleeper, couchette and specially-equipped overnight seating coaches from December 15 2016.

In Germany, it's the same story:

DB says it has tried to "rescue" the night train network in recent years but it remains stubbornly unprofitable. DB has released figures showing its night trains were used by 1.3 million passengers over the last year (around 1% of all long distance passengers). The trains made a loss of €32m on a turnover of €90m and DB predicts similar numbers for 2016.

From December 2016 DB says it will offer a new concept for overnight travel. The company is clear that this will not include any traditional overnight trains but there will be more overnight ICE services. DB suggests that these services, together with new DB-operated international IC Bus links could maintain some of the international connections currently available through the sleeper network.

DB's long-distance bus competitors in Germany already run a network of overnight buses using their daytime fleets.

DB says it will support other rail operators from neighbouring countries that want to continue operating traditional night trains into Germany. Talks are already underway with Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) concerning the continuation of its overnight services.

DB may continue operating these trains on a contractual basis but would no longer have any commercial interest in the services beyond December 2016. Other private German rail operators may also take on this work if ÖBB is unable to reach an arrangement with DB.

Help!!

Intercity trains to Bourg to be ceased?

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