It did not take long before a new announcement tarnished the image of the SNCF, already heavily criticized for its delays. It was off to a good start though. According to information published on November 17, 2023, the railway company’s customer service was voted “best customer service of the year 2024”. A news which did not fail to make Internet users react on the social network X (formerly Twitter). It is on this same social network that an Internet user published a screenshot of a conversationwith the customer service preferred by the French, once again bringing bad news. The Internet user asked the service about a reduction concerning the Advantage card of the SNCF on the occasion of Black Friday. During this period of flash promotions inspired by the United States, SNCF, like many other companies, got into the habit of offering reduced prices. But not this year. “We confirm that this year no promotion on the Advantage Card is planned during Black Friday 2023”we can read in the exchange.
A less advantageous discount card
No good deal expected on the SNCF Advantage Card. Users who wish to purchase or renew the precious ticket allowing them to benefit from capped prices and a 30% reduction on TGV inOui and INTERCITES journeys will therefore have to pay the full price, i.e. 49 euros, valid for one year. However, according to the Internet user, the last two years, it was possible to obtain the Avantage card at a price of 24.50 euros during Black Friday. Bad news for the 4.5 million holders which is therefore added to the increase in the ceiling on train ticket prices for card holders, announced on August 29, 2023. Capped prices had increased by ten euros and are now set at 49 euros for a journey of less than 1h30 (approximately 25% of journeys), at 69 euros for a journey between 1h30 and 3 hours (approximately 50% of journeys) and at 89 euros for journeys of more than 3 hours (around 25% of trips). An increase that the company had justified by inflation, particularly when it comes to toll prices to run trains. One thing is certain, the news continues to raise eyebrows and could once again bring back to the table dissatisfaction with prices considered too high, especially as the Christmas and February 2024 holidays approach. .
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