Open access contracts: how do they shape competition?
Open access rail contracts—covering high-speed and some conventional long-distance services—play a central role in shaping competition. They include services operated by SNCF Voyageurs under the TGV INOUI and OUIGO brands, which officially opened to competition in December 2020.
Open access contracts explained
Open access contracts apply to:
- high-speed lines (HSL), used by TGV services
- some conventional long-distance lines
Since mid-December 2020, any licensed rail operator holding a safety certificate has been able to request train paths from SNCF Réseau, France’s national infrastructure manager, to operate its own services. Unlike public service contracts, open access contracts are not supervised by mobility authorities and are not classified as public services. They receive no subsidies and are entirely financed by the operators themselves.
Which SNCF Group trains operate under open access contracts?
SNCF Voyageurs, France’s historic high-speed rail operator, runs its TGV INOUI and OUIGO Grande Vitesse trains across the country’s entire high-speed network. The company also operates classic long-distance services outside of public service contracts, under the OUIGO Train Classique brand. Open access contracts now cover over 230 destinations, with OUIGO alone serving 70 cities across France.
Timeline of open access competition
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