Users of the Avantage travel card, a system that guarantees reduced and capped rates for passengers, will notice a considerable price increase from August.  

Inflation strikes again, this time affecting rail travellers. SNCF, the French state-owned rail service, has announced that the Avantage card will soon cost passengers more, blaming operational prices increases for the hike.  

MILLIONS AFFECTED 

The card is used regularly by some 4.5 million people across France, and for €49 per year, allows Avantage-carrying passengers rate reductions of up to 30%.  

Under the current system, journey costs are also capped for regular adult passengers aged 28 to 59, so long as part of train ride takes place during a weekend.  

Currently, the rates sit at €39 for trips less than 90 minutes, which account for roughly 25% of all journeys made, €59 for voyages between 90 minutes and three hours, which are about 50% of trips, and €79 for anything longer, rounding out the last 25%.  

SIGNIFCANT INCREASE 

This will change after 29th August, when each category will see a €10 hike across the board, thus making the tickets €49, €69 and €89 for the same durations. 

The cost of the actual card will not go up, said SNCF in a statement sent to AFP.  

The two-year-old programme was not affected by the previous SCNF rate hike in January, which saw an increase in main line tickets go up by a not inconsiderable 5%. At the time, the Advantage card was given a “tariff shield” against inflation-induced increases.  

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