2023-05-27 21:27:04
Never has the Swiss population been so numerous to choose the rail to go on vacation, 2023 already shaping up to be a record year for train travel abroad. This craze strongly restricts the places available, in particular in the night trains, was able to note the RTS.
Vincent Milliard dreamed of a trip to Berlin for his whole family by night train. But even by organizing six months in advance, this Genevan did not manage to reserve a compartment with four berths.
“There are very few carriages and very few seats available. Even though we got there relatively early, we mightn’t find a way to access these offers, either at the ticket office or on the site”, he testifies Saturday in the 7:30 p.m. of the RTS.
Few places available this summer
The SBB are victims of the success of night trains. Additional convoys and new destinations, such as Amsterdam, have been added.
Lines to Rome and Barcelona might follow, but they will not be sufficient to meet the high demand.
“There are hardly any seats available on night trains until the beginning of August, especially for the most popular destinations, such as Amsterdam, Hamburg and Berlin,” said SBB spokeswoman Sabine Baumgartner.
The night train network from Switzerland (in red). Lines to Rome and Barcelona should be available soon. [RTS]
The day trains also coveted
Last year, the SBB recorded 500,000 night train journeys, a record, while the year 2023 promises to be even better.
The situation is the same for day trains: the TGV Lyria, which provide connections between Switzerland and France, are often full. In 2022, 5 million passengers traveled on these trains.
“We are growing compared to 2019 and the pre-Covid period. Already in 2022, we had seen a return from customers. This year, we have observed additional growth”, assures Fanny Dalmar, assistant to the commercial director TGV Lyria.
To meet demand, new trains are being developed. The Austrian railways, which operate the night trains serving Switzerland, have acquired 33 additional trains. Compared to air travel, rail is regaining market share.
>> See also the explanations of journalist Nicolas Rossé on this rush on the rail:
Nicolas Rossé/ once more
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