France to launch rail pass similar to Germany

France will introduce a rail pass similar to the one recently introduced in neighbouring Germany, French Transport Minister Clément Beaune announced on Thursday, in a bid to encourage the French to use trains, which are often bemoaned as an expensive way to travel.

While France already offers attractive offers for regional train travel, which are “sometimes more attractive than what is done in Germany”, Beaune said he is eager to have a similar level of offers at the national level. One would also be able to combine the pass with public transport in major cities.

“French people, whatever their age, will be able to buy this pass and travel on intercity or regional express trains (TER) on an unlimited basis”, Beaune told France 2 on Thursday morning, adding that it will apply “as of next summer”.

“It will be a single, inexpensive price” and cost “around €49 per month”, he added.

Beaune also acknowledged that high-speed TGV trains are currently “too expensive for many families” and announced his intention to develop the SNCF’s low-cost version, called OUIGO.

Beaune’s comments come after President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that he favoured France introducing a German-style €49 rail pass as a potential means to fight global warming and inflation.

In Germany, the pass was introduced mainly for environmental reasons at the beginning of May and allows unlimited use of regional trains and the urban network for €49 a month. Transport Minister Volker Wissing of the Liberal Democratic Party (FDP, Renew Europe) expects the new German pass to lead to an estimated reduction in emissions of 22.6 million tonnes by 2030.

Meanwhile, Austrian rail operator ÖBB announced on Wednesday the return of the Paris-Berlin night train from 11 December, after it was suspended in 2014.

(Clara Bauer-Babef | EURACTIV.fr)