French Rail Ticket Tax and How the Public Responded. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

French Rail Ticket Tax Faces Public Backlash in France
Extra toll on train fares could raise €800million a year Hadrian/Shutterstock

The objective of the French rail ticket tax is to bring in €1 for every ticket sold that can help in saving the much-overworked rail network. But the proposal has drawn protests from industry groups and passenger associations, who say it unfairly shifts costs onto commuters.

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Critics where then argued that government should have funded infrastructure directly rather than passing the burden onto passenger rail users. The proposal was a product of the Ambition France Transports conference and supporters claimed the tax could yield as much as €800 million a year.

Rising Costs and Competitive Pressures

SNCF Réseau, the company in charge of maintaining France’s extensive rail network, points out an imminent requirement of €1 billion in annual financing as of 2027. But passengers already pay high fares relative to other parts of Europe.

One example is a second class ticket from Angoulême to Paris for €120/450 km, when you can drive the same distance for much less. Meanwhile, SNCF operators grumble about excessive tolls, which amount to almost 40% of the cost of a high-speed train ticket.

Other Options to the Train Ticket Tax in France 1

Passenger lobbies, such as FNAUT offer other solutions. Their idea is to introduce an ecotax on heavy goods vehicles to raise funds and in line with the ‘polluter pays’ approach.

Furthermore, activists point out that regional TER tickets are already available at a 25% discount, so at least they are they relatively cheap. But premium high-speed services such as TGV and Ouigo have also seen dramatic price increases, including a 43% increase in Ouigo fares from 2018 through 2023.

Competition and Future Investments

France is tentatively beginning to open up its rail sector to competition, with Trenitalia, Renfe and Virgin Trains running on some crucial routes. But plans for expansion have been on hold, and passengers remain wedded to SNCF Connect when it comes to purchasing tickets.

Supporters argue that pumping more money into the government coffers, instead of taxing the passengers, will create a level playing field and promote green travel around the land.

Source: www.connexionfrance.com

What is the French rail ticket tax and why is it being proposed?

The French rail ticket tax is a planned tax of €1 on each ticket, to be collected from 2027, in an effort to fund the maintenance and upgrades of the rail network.

What do passengers think of the proposal?

But passenger groups are strongly opposed to the tax, saying that infrastructure should be funded through government payments, rather than piled on to already costly rail fares.

Is there any other solution to the French rail ticket tax?

Yes. Campaigners call for an ecotax on heavy goods vehicles to raise money and encourage cleaner and more efficient transport policies.

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