How we manage peak travel times
Stations can get very busy at certain times of year, especially during school holidays. Learn more about how we’re working to keep trains running smoothly in peak periods.
A total of 62,000 trains carried vacationers during the 2024 summer holidays. Managing peak traffic on some of the year’s most intense travel days is a large-scale operation.
The impact of peak travel days
Sticking to the schedule
Our train itineraries adhere to:
- a departure time
- a stop in each station served lasting 2 to 10 minutes, depending on typical passenger flows
- an arrival time
Factors that can disrupt traffic
- larger passenger flows, particularly during the school holidays, when trains may stop longer in stations so everyone can get on and off safely
- passengers traveling in groups or with more luggage, or elderly or disabled passengers who need more time to board and find their seats
These situations may delay a train’s departure and force our teams to devise new ways of slotting it into existing traffic.
Proven management methods
Getting the job done
Every day—and especially during periods of heavy traffic—the SNCF employees in our stations work together to prevent and mitigate delays:
- posting platform and track numbers as soon as possible
- promptly directing passengers on the platform to their coach
- helping with luggage to speed up boarding
Luggage delivery service
Passengers can also opt to have us pick up luggage at their home or the address of their choice and deliver it to their final destination. The goal, as always, is to make our customers’ journeys as easy and comfortable as possible.
Share the article