SNCF
Encyclopedia
The SNCF is France
's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV
, France's high-speed rail network. Its functions include operation of rail services for passengers and freight, and maintenance and signaling of rail infrastructure owned by Réseau Ferré de France
(RFF).
SNCF employs more than 180,000 people in 120 countries across the globe. The rail network consists of about 32000 km (19,883.9 mi) of route, of which 1800 km (1,118.5 mi) are high-speed lines and 14500 km (9,009.9 mi) electrified. About 14,000 trains are operated daily. The chairman of SNCF is Guillaume Pépy
. The company's headquarters are in the 14th arrondissement of Paris
, in the Rue du Commandant Mouchotte.
As of 2010 SNCF is rank 22 in France and 214 globally on the Fortune Global 500.
(Train à Grande Vitesse, meaning "High-Speed Train"), In the 1970s, SNCF began the TGV high-speed train program with the intention of creating the world's fastest railway network. It came to fruition in 1981, when the first TGV service, from Paris
to Lyon
, was inaugurated. Today, SNCF operates 1,850 km (about 1,150 miles) of designated high-speed track that accommodate more than 800 high-speed trains per day. SNCF’s TGV trains carry more than 100 million passengers a year. TGV lines and TGV technology are now spread across several European countries in addition to South Korea
.
In the past SNCF also owned the European tracks, but this has changed due to EU Directive 91/440
. Since 1997 the tracks and other rail infrastructure have belonged to a separate
government establishment, Réseau Ferré de France
; this change was intended to open the market to independent train operating companies, although few have yet appeared.
SNCF's TGV
has set many world speed records, the most recent on April 3, 2007, when a new version of the TGV dubbed the V150 with larger wheels than the usual TGV, was able to cover more ground with each rotation and had a stronger 25,000 hp (18,600 kW) engine, broke the world speed record for conventional rail trains, reaching 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph).
SNCF has a remarkable safety record. After nearly 30-years in operation, SNCF’s TGV
system has never experienced a fatal accident.
that includes work on freight lines, inter-city lines and commute lines. SNCF experts provide logistics, design, construction, operations and maintenance services. SNCF operates the international ticketing agency, Rail Europe
.
SNCF has employees in 120 countries offering extensive overseas and cross border consulting. Those projects include:
• Israel
: Assistance and Training. SNCF International provides assistance to Israel Railways
in every area of rail operations including projects to upgrade the network's general safety regulations. Other assistance and training programs involve Infrastructure and the Traction Division.
• Taiwan
: Operations Training. SNCF supervised the prime contractor responsible for construction of the Taiwan Railways Administration’s main high-speed rail line. It also trained rail traffic controllers, drivers, and crew members. On behalf of the Government of Taiwan, SNCF managed the high-speed rail Command Control Centre.
• United Kingdom: Maintenance. In 2007-2008, SNCF-International consultants audited the maintenance practices applied to the track, signalling and overhead electric power line on British high-speed rail lines connecting London to the Channel Tunnel
. In addition, it conducted an audit of the maintainer’s performance from the service quality and cost control standpoint, made recommendations for improvements, and proposed a three-year Business Plan.
• South Korea
: HSR Electrification Design. SNCF advised Korean Railroad on the electrification of track between Daegu and Busan and on linking existing conventional track to the new high-speed line. SNCF also assisted in selecting and inspecting high-speed rolling stock
and trained 400 senior manager, engineers, and executives in a broad range of skills, including signalling, catenaries, track, rolling stock maintenance, HSR operation, safety management, marketing, and passenger information systems. Until the end of 2009, SNCF have assisted Korea in maintaining its high-speed.
• Spain
: Signalling System. SNCF partnered with the Spanish railroad infrastructure manager in the study, supply, installation, and maintenance of the standard EU rail signaling system along the Madrid-Lleida high-speed rail line. On behalf of the Spanish Government, SNCF designed and led maintenance operations on this line over a two-year period.
• France
: Lead Infrastructure and Rolling Stock Maintainer – The scope of SNCF’s maintenance duties is staggering: it maintains 32000 km (19,883.9 mi) of track, 26,500 main sets of points and crossings, 2,300 signal boxes, 80,000 track circuits, over 1 million relays, etc. On the rolling stock side, SNCF maintains 3,900 locomotives and 500 high-speed trains. Each of SNCF’s TGV trains travels more than 39000 km (24,233.5 mi) a month – enough to circle the globe. Each year SNCF’s Human Resources Department provides over 1.2 million hours of training to its over 25,000 employees.
The French state originally took 51% ownership of SNCF and invested large amounts of public subsidies into the system. Today, SNCF is 100% owned by the French government.
. Nearly 1,700 SNCF railway workers were killed or deported for resisting Nazi orders.
In 2001, SNCF was sued by the father of MEP Alain Lipietz
because of the railroad’s role in transporting members of his family to the Drancy deportation camp during World War II
. In 2006 the administrative court in Toulouse
found SNCF guilty of aiding in deportations. This ruling was overturned in 2007 when the Bordeaux
appeal court ruled that the administrative courts did not have jurisdiction
to rule on the legal liability of SNCF. On further appeal, the court's lack of jurisdiction was upheld by France's Conseil d'Etat.
The first time that SNCF publicly expressed regret for its role in transporting Jews to Nazi death camps in World War II was in November 2010. Multiple sources have linked this change of language to the lucrative market
for high-speed rail contracts in the United States of America, since the SNCF has been criticized in the US for failing to apologize
for its involvement. For example in 2010, a California
legislator introduced a bill requiring all companies bidding on California rail projects to disclose involvement in transporting Holocaust victims.
On 25 January 2011 the president of the SNCF, Guillaume Pépy
, expressed his company's first formal public apology directly to Holocaust victims. In addition, the SNCF donated to the French Shoah Memory Foundation a 3.5 hectare
s field near a train station from which some Holocaust victims were transported to Nazi camps.
SNCF is a recognized leader in eco-mobility with a commitment to become the world’s first operator to offer carbon neutral
travel at no extra cost to travellers. SNCF has cut emissions on its cross-channel Paris To London route by 31% in two years by using more electricity from non-fossil fuel sources. SNCF’s 39 manufacturing facilities are in the process of “going green” and 9 sites are already ISO 14000
certified. SNCF developed an interactive website to help travellers calculate the environmental impact of their travel choices.
with Air Austral
, Air France
, Air Tahiti Nui
, American Airlines
, Cathay Pacific
, Middle East Airlines
, Emirates Airline
, Etihad Airways
and Qatar Airways
and in exchange, allows passengers on those flights to book rail service between Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy
(near Paris
) and Aix-en-Provence
, Angers
, Avignon
, Bordeaux
, Le Mans
, Lille, Lyon Part-Dieu
, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes
, Nîmes, Poiters
, Rennes
, Tours
, and Valence
with their airline. The IATA designator used by airlines in connection with these journeys is 2C.
Continental Airlines
discontinued its codeshare with SNCF as of August 15, 2010.
General freight transport:
Passenger transport
Tickets
Consulting
Housing
area of the 14th arrondissement of Paris
, located near the Gare Montparnasse
.
SNCF used to have its head office in the Saint-Lazare
area of the 9th arrondissement. In 1996 the president of SNCF, Louis Gallois, announced that SNCF would move its headquarters to a new location during the middle of 1997.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
, France's high-speed rail network. Its functions include operation of rail services for passengers and freight, and maintenance and signaling of rail infrastructure owned by Réseau Ferré de France
Réseau Ferré de France
Réseau Ferré de France , , owns and maintains the French national railway network. The trains are operated by SNCF, the national railway company, but due to European Union Directive 91/440, the French government was required to separate train operations from the railway infrastructure.Unlike other...
(RFF).
SNCF employs more than 180,000 people in 120 countries across the globe. The rail network consists of about 32000 km (19,883.9 mi) of route, of which 1800 km (1,118.5 mi) are high-speed lines and 14500 km (9,009.9 mi) electrified. About 14,000 trains are operated daily. The chairman of SNCF is Guillaume Pépy
Guillaume Pépy
Guillaume Pepy is a high-ranking French civil servant and is, since February 2008, president of SNCF, the French national rail authority. He is also Chairman of Eurostar and Deputy-Chairman of the Keolis Group.The President of the Republic appointed him to run the state-owned enterprise on 27...
. The company's headquarters are in the 14th arrondissement of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, in the Rue du Commandant Mouchotte.
As of 2010 SNCF is rank 22 in France and 214 globally on the Fortune Global 500.
Business scope
High-speed rail
SNCF operates almost all of France's railway system, including the TGVTGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
(Train à Grande Vitesse, meaning "High-Speed Train"), In the 1970s, SNCF began the TGV high-speed train program with the intention of creating the world's fastest railway network. It came to fruition in 1981, when the first TGV service, from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, was inaugurated. Today, SNCF operates 1,850 km (about 1,150 miles) of designated high-speed track that accommodate more than 800 high-speed trains per day. SNCF’s TGV trains carry more than 100 million passengers a year. TGV lines and TGV technology are now spread across several European countries in addition to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
In the past SNCF also owned the European tracks, but this has changed due to EU Directive 91/440
EU Directive 91/440
The EU Directive 91/440 is European Union legislation that sets out a framework and requirements for railways in the EU to allow open access operations on railway lines by companies other than those that own the rail infrastructure...
. Since 1997 the tracks and other rail infrastructure have belonged to a separate
government establishment, Réseau Ferré de France
Réseau Ferré de France
Réseau Ferré de France , , owns and maintains the French national railway network. The trains are operated by SNCF, the national railway company, but due to European Union Directive 91/440, the French government was required to separate train operations from the railway infrastructure.Unlike other...
; this change was intended to open the market to independent train operating companies, although few have yet appeared.
SNCF's TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
has set many world speed records, the most recent on April 3, 2007, when a new version of the TGV dubbed the V150 with larger wheels than the usual TGV, was able to cover more ground with each rotation and had a stronger 25,000 hp (18,600 kW) engine, broke the world speed record for conventional rail trains, reaching 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph).
SNCF has a remarkable safety record. After nearly 30-years in operation, SNCF’s TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
system has never experienced a fatal accident.
SNCF operations
Since the 1990s, SNCF has been selling railway carriages to regional governments, with the creation of the Train Express Régional brand. SNCF also maintains a broad scope of international businessInternational Business
International business is a term used to collectively describe all commercial transactions that take place between two or more regions, countries and nations beyond their political boundary...
that includes work on freight lines, inter-city lines and commute lines. SNCF experts provide logistics, design, construction, operations and maintenance services. SNCF operates the international ticketing agency, Rail Europe
Rail Europe
Rail Europe is a specialist in passes and point-to-point tickets for rail travel around Europe. With close links to European rail operators including SNCF, Eurostar, Deutsche Bahn, Elipsos, Artésia and Thalys, it is made up of four independently run companies operating in distinct geographical...
.
SNCF has employees in 120 countries offering extensive overseas and cross border consulting. Those projects include:
• Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
: Assistance and Training. SNCF International provides assistance to Israel Railways
Israel Railways
Israel Railways is the principal passenger railway operating company in Israel, and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban rail way passenger and freight traffic in the country. All its lines are standard gauge. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from...
in every area of rail operations including projects to upgrade the network's general safety regulations. Other assistance and training programs involve Infrastructure and the Traction Division.
• Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
: Operations Training. SNCF supervised the prime contractor responsible for construction of the Taiwan Railways Administration’s main high-speed rail line. It also trained rail traffic controllers, drivers, and crew members. On behalf of the Government of Taiwan, SNCF managed the high-speed rail Command Control Centre.
• United Kingdom: Maintenance. In 2007-2008, SNCF-International consultants audited the maintenance practices applied to the track, signalling and overhead electric power line on British high-speed rail lines connecting London to the Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
. In addition, it conducted an audit of the maintainer’s performance from the service quality and cost control standpoint, made recommendations for improvements, and proposed a three-year Business Plan.
• South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
: HSR Electrification Design. SNCF advised Korean Railroad on the electrification of track between Daegu and Busan and on linking existing conventional track to the new high-speed line. SNCF also assisted in selecting and inspecting high-speed rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
and trained 400 senior manager, engineers, and executives in a broad range of skills, including signalling, catenaries, track, rolling stock maintenance, HSR operation, safety management, marketing, and passenger information systems. Until the end of 2009, SNCF have assisted Korea in maintaining its high-speed.
• Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
: Signalling System. SNCF partnered with the Spanish railroad infrastructure manager in the study, supply, installation, and maintenance of the standard EU rail signaling system along the Madrid-Lleida high-speed rail line. On behalf of the Spanish Government, SNCF designed and led maintenance operations on this line over a two-year period.
• France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
: Lead Infrastructure and Rolling Stock Maintainer – The scope of SNCF’s maintenance duties is staggering: it maintains 32000 km (19,883.9 mi) of track, 26,500 main sets of points and crossings, 2,300 signal boxes, 80,000 track circuits, over 1 million relays, etc. On the rolling stock side, SNCF maintains 3,900 locomotives and 500 high-speed trains. Each of SNCF’s TGV trains travels more than 39000 km (24,233.5 mi) a month – enough to circle the globe. Each year SNCF’s Human Resources Department provides over 1.2 million hours of training to its over 25,000 employees.
History
SNCF was formed in 1938 on the nationalisation of France's five main railways (Chemin de Fer in English means railway, literally, 'path of iron'). These were the:- Chemin de Fer de l'Est (Eastern Railway)
- Chemin de Fer de l'ÉtatChemin de Fer de l'ÉtatThe Chemins de fer de l'État , often referred to in France as the réseau de l'État , was an early French railway company.-History:...
(State Railway) (formed in 1909 from the merger of the Chemin de Fer de l'ÉtatChemin de Fer de l'ÉtatThe Chemins de fer de l'État , often referred to in France as the réseau de l'État , was an early French railway company.-History:...
and the Chemins de Fer de l'OuestChemins de Fer de l'OuestThe Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Ouest , often referred to simply as L'Ouest or Ouest, was an early French railway company.- Birth of the company :...
) - Chemin de Fer du NordChemin de Fer du NordChemin de Fer du Nord , often referred to simply as the Nord company, was a rail transport company created in September 1845, in Paris, France. It was owned by among others de Rothschild Frères of France, N M Rothschild & Sons of London, England, Hottinger, Laffitte and Blount...
(Northern Railway) - Chemin de Fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée (PLM) (Paris, Lyon and Mediterranean Railway)
- Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans et du MidiChemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans et du MidiThe Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans et du Midi, often abbreviated to PO-Midi, was an early French railway company. It was formed in 1934 following the merging of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans and the Chemin de Fer du Midi....
(Paris, Orléans, and Central Railway) (PO-Midi, formed in 1934 from the merger of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans and the Chemin de Fer du MidiChemin de Fer du MidiThe Chemin de Fer du Midi, often abbreviated to CF du Midi, was an early French railway company.In 1934 it merged with the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans to become part of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans et du Midi ....
)
The French state originally took 51% ownership of SNCF and invested large amounts of public subsidies into the system. Today, SNCF is 100% owned by the French government.
Role during World War II
Between 1941 and 1944, SNCF transported nearly 77,000 Jews and other Holocaust victims from France to Nazi death camps. SNCF billed Nazi-occupied France for third-class tickets, although passengers were transported in cattle cars. After the liberation of France, SNCF continued to seek payment for its role in transporting Holocaust victims. Many SNCF railway workers, acting against SNCF management, performed acts of resistanceResistance during World War II
Resistance movements during World War II occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation, disinformation and propaganda to hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns...
. Nearly 1,700 SNCF railway workers were killed or deported for resisting Nazi orders.
In 2001, SNCF was sued by the father of MEP Alain Lipietz
Alain Lipietz
Alain Lipietz is a French engineer, economist and politician, a Member of the European Parliament, and a member of the French Green Party.-Education:...
because of the railroad’s role in transporting members of his family to the Drancy deportation camp during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 2006 the administrative court in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
found SNCF guilty of aiding in deportations. This ruling was overturned in 2007 when the Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
appeal court ruled that the administrative courts did not have jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
to rule on the legal liability of SNCF. On further appeal, the court's lack of jurisdiction was upheld by France's Conseil d'Etat.
The first time that SNCF publicly expressed regret for its role in transporting Jews to Nazi death camps in World War II was in November 2010. Multiple sources have linked this change of language to the lucrative market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
for high-speed rail contracts in the United States of America, since the SNCF has been criticized in the US for failing to apologize
Apology
Apology or Apologize may refer to:* Apologetics, the systematic defense of a position** Christian apologetics, the defense of Christianity* Apology , Plato's recording of Socrates' defense at trial...
for its involvement. For example in 2010, a California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
legislator introduced a bill requiring all companies bidding on California rail projects to disclose involvement in transporting Holocaust victims.
On 25 January 2011 the president of the SNCF, Guillaume Pépy
Guillaume Pépy
Guillaume Pepy is a high-ranking French civil servant and is, since February 2008, president of SNCF, the French national rail authority. He is also Chairman of Eurostar and Deputy-Chairman of the Keolis Group.The President of the Republic appointed him to run the state-owned enterprise on 27...
, expressed his company's first formal public apology directly to Holocaust victims. In addition, the SNCF donated to the French Shoah Memory Foundation a 3.5 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s field near a train station from which some Holocaust victims were transported to Nazi camps.
Modern day
Carbon neutral
Carbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset, or buying enough carbon credits to make up the difference...
travel at no extra cost to travellers. SNCF has cut emissions on its cross-channel Paris To London route by 31% in two years by using more electricity from non-fossil fuel sources. SNCF’s 39 manufacturing facilities are in the process of “going green” and 9 sites are already ISO 14000
ISO 14000
The ISO 14000 environmental management standards exist to help organizations minimize how their operations negatively affect the environment The ISO 14000 environmental management standards exist to help organizations (a) minimize how their operations (processes etc.) negatively affect the...
certified. SNCF developed an interactive website to help travellers calculate the environmental impact of their travel choices.
Codeshare with airlines
SNCF codesharesCode sharing
A codeshare agreement, sometimes simply codeshare, is an aviation business arrangement where two or more airlines share the same flight. A seat can be purchased on one airline but is actually operated by a cooperating airline under a different flight number or code...
with Air Austral
Air Austral
Air Austral is a French airline with its headquarters at Roland Garros Airport in Sainte-Marie, Réunion, France. The airline's main base of flight operations is Roland Garros Airport. It operates scheduled services from Réunion to France, South Africa, Australia, New Caledonia, and a number of...
, Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
, Air Tahiti Nui
Air Tahiti Nui
Air Tahiti Nui is French Polynesia's flag carrier airline with its head office in the Immueble Dexter in Papeete, Tahiti. It operates international services for the low and high-end leisure travel markets. Its main base is Faa'a International Airport, Papeete.- History :Air Tahiti Nui was...
, American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
, Middle East Airlines
Middle East Airlines
Middle East Airlines – Air Liban S.A.L. , more commonly known as Middle East Airlines , is the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, with its head office in Beirut, near Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport...
, Emirates Airline
Emirates Airline
Emirates is the airline based in the Emirate of Dubai part of the United Arab Emirates . Based at Dubai International Airport it is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 2,400 flights per week, from its hub at Terminal 3, to 111 cities in 62 countries across six continents...
, Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Established in July 2003 and based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad commenced operations in November 2003....
and Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. , operating as Qatar Airways, is the flag carrier of Qatar. Headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha, it operates a hub-and-spoke network, linking over 100 international destinations from its base in Doha, using a fleet of over 100 aircraft...
and in exchange, allows passengers on those flights to book rail service between Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy
Roissy-en-France
Roissy-en-France is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France, in the Val d'Oise department. It is located from the center of Paris....
(near Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
) and Aix-en-Provence
Gare d'Aix-en-Provence TGV
Aix-en-Provence TGV is a passenger railway station on the LGV Méditerranée high-speed line in southwestern France. Located, in fact, much closer to the town of Vitrolles than to Aix-en-Provence itself , the station also serves northern metropolitan Marseille...
, Angers
Gare d'Angers-Saint-Laud
Gare d'Angers-Saint-Laud is the main railway station serving the city Angers, Maine-et-Loire department, western France.It is situated on the Le Mans–Angers railway and the Tours–Saint-Nazaire railway.-Services:...
, Avignon
Gare d'Avignon TGV
Gare d'Avignon TGV is a railway station built on the LGV Méditerranée high-speed train line in South-eastern France. It is located a few kilometres south of Avignon town centre. Avignon itself is in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France.This station has two platforms with two through lines...
, Bordeaux
Gare de Bordeaux Saint-Jean
Bordeaux-Saint-Jean or Bordeaux-Midi is the main railway station in the French city of Bordeaux. It is the southern terminus of the Paris–Bordeaux railway, and the western terminus of the Chemin de Fer du Midi main line to Toulouse. The current station building opened in 1898. As well as Midi...
, Le Mans
Gare du Mans
Gare du Mans is a railway station serving the town Le Mans, Sarthe department, western France. It is situated on the Paris–Brest railway, Le Mans–Angers railway and the non-electrified Tours–Le Mans railway.-Services:The following services call at Le Mans:...
, Lille, Lyon Part-Dieu
Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu
Gare de la Part-Dieu is the primary railway station in Lyon, France. It is situated on the Lyon–Geneva railway.This zone is served by the metro line and -History:...
, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes
Gare de Nantes
The Gare de Nantes is the principal passenger railway station serving the French city of Nantes. It is a through station aligned east-west, with entrances and station facilities on both north and south sides...
, Nîmes, Poiters
Gare de Poitiers
The Gare de Poitiers is a major railway station in the French city of Poitiers, in the department of Vienne and region of Poitou-Charentes. The station is situated on the Paris–Bordeaux railway.-Services:...
, Rennes
Gare de Rennes
Rennes railway station is situated in the town centre of Rennes, France. It is situated on the Paris–Brest, Rennes–Saint-Malo and the Rennes–Redon railways....
, Tours
Gare de Tours
Gare de Tours is a railway station serving the city Tours, Indre-et-Loire department, western France. It is situated on the Paris–Bordeaux railway, the Tours–Saint-Nazaire railway, and the non-electrified Tours–Le Mans railway...
, and Valence
Gare de Valence TGV
Gare de Valence TGV is a railway station in Valence, France which offers regular TGV services. The station, located in eastern Valence , is about ten kilometres north-east from the town centre, allowing through trains to pass at full speed...
with their airline. The IATA designator used by airlines in connection with these journeys is 2C.
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
discontinued its codeshare with SNCF as of August 15, 2010.
Divisions
As of 2010 SNCF is divided into five groups:- SNCF Infra is the infrastructure division of SNCF, and carries out track and other infrastructure maintenance, design and construction. Subsidiaries in the group include SystraSystraSYSTRA is an international engineering and consulting group specializing in rail and public transport. SYSTRA is known worldwide for its work in transport modes that offer a sustainable alternative to cars and trucks...
, Inexia and SNCF International. - SNCF Proximités is responsible for urban, commuter and regional passenger transport. Constituent parts include TERTerTer is a prefix or suffix designating the third instance of a thing, thus following bis and preceding quater.Ter can also refer to:* River Ter, in Essex;* Ter , the debut album of American rock band Sweet Water...
, TransilienTransilienThe Transilien is the brand name for suburban railway services of the SNCF-owned railway network operating within the Île-de-France région...
and IntercitésIntercitésIntercités is a brand name used by France’s national railway company, SNCF, to denote medium-distance passenger rail services in France. SNCF established the Intercités system in January 2006 as an upgrade of the former Corail network...
(formerly CorailCorail (train)Corail is the name given to a class of passenger rail cars of the SNCF that first entered commercial service in 1975. When introduced, Corail carriages featured air-conditioning, and superior levels of comfort, suspension and sound-proofing than previous InterCity carriages and gave arguably the...
intercités) as well as subsidiaries including KeolisKeolisKeolis is the largest private sector French transport group. It runs passenger railways, tramways, bus networks, funiculars, trolley buses, and airport services. The company, based in Paris, is majority owned by SNCF, the French state rail operator. AXA Private Equity and Caisse de dépôt et... - SNCF Voyages is responsible for long distance and high-speed passenger services. Constituent parts include TGVTGVThe TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
, LunéaLunéaLunéa is a brand name used by France’s national railway company, SNCF, to denote nightly passenger rail services in France.-Network:The Lunéa network consists of the following lines:...
and TéozTéozTéoz is a brand name used by France’s national railway company, SNCF, to denote long-distance passenger rail services in France. SNCF established the Téoz system in 2003 as an upgrade of the former Corail network. Téoz services are interregional, unlike most TER services, and do not use the...
as well as subsidiaries including EurostarEurostarEurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
, ThalysThalysThalys is an international high-speed train operator originally built around the high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. This track is shared with Eurostar trains that go from Paris or Brussels to London via Lille and the Channel Tunnel and with French domestic TGV trains. Thalys reaches...
, Lyria and iDTGVIDTGViDTGV is a TGV high speed train service from SNCF, the French national railroad company. It only sells its tickets online. Carriages are separated into two zones: iDZen for customers wishing a quiet trip, where mobile phones and loud conversations are banned, and iDZap for customers looking for... - SNCF GeodisSNCF GeodisSNCF Geodis is the division of SNCF responsible for freight transportation and logistics....
is the rail freight and general freight logistics section of SNCF, including Fret SNCF and other European rail freight companies (since 2010 collected under the brand Captrain), as well as rail-freight stock management companies including France Wagons and Ermewa. - Gares & Connections was created in April 2009 for station management, land management, and land development. The division manages 3000 stations in France, as well as other activities through Groupe AREP (Civil engineering), Groupe A2C (real estate management) and Parvis.
Subsidiaries
SNCF has full or partial shares in a large number of companies, the majority of which are rail or transport related. These include:- GeodisGeodisGeodis can refer to:Transportation and logistics*SNCF Geodis - the freight logistics division of SNCF**Geodis - privatised group of French logistics companies spun out from SNCF in 1996, later re-incorporated into SNCF...
(100%) - ERMEWA (100%)
- France Wagons (100%)
- SGW : Société de Gérance de Wagons (67.5%)
- CTC : Compagnie des Transports Céréaliers (69.36%)
- SEGI (98.96%)
- Naviland Cargo (94.37 %) previously CNC, Compagnie Nationale de Conteneurs.
General freight transport:
- C-Modalohr Express (51%)
- Novatrans (38.25%)
- Districhrono (100%)
- Ecorail (99.9%)
- Froidcombi (48.93%)
- Rouch Intermodal (98.96%)
- Sefergie (98.96%)
- KeolisKeolisKeolis is the largest private sector French transport group. It runs passenger railways, tramways, bus networks, funiculars, trolley buses, and airport services. The company, based in Paris, is majority owned by SNCF, the French state rail operator. AXA Private Equity and Caisse de dépôt et...
(44.5%)- GoviaGoviaGovia is a transport company based in the United Kingdom. A joint venture between Go-Ahead and Keolis SA it is a key operator of commuter services in London, the South East and on the West Coast Main Line...
(15.84%)
- Govia
- EFFIAEffiaEffia is a residential town in the Western region of Ghana. It is about 10 kilometres from Takoradi the regional capital.-Boundary:The town is bounded to the west and sorth by Effiakuma, to the east by Fijai, to the south by Anaji...
(99.99%)
Passenger transport
- Thalys International (70%)
- Eurostar Group LtdEurostarEurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
(62%) - Lyria (74 %)
- Elipsos International (50%)
- ArtésiaArtésiaTGV Artesia is a service branding and joint venture between France and Italy. Trains are staffed by Trenitalia in Italy and SNCF in France. The bar/restaurant service is operated by Cremonini. As of 2007, routes include service between Paris Gare de Lyon and Paris-Bercy to Turin, Milan, Venice,...
(50%) - SeaFranceSeaFranceSeaFrance is a ferry company based in France that operates ferry services between Calais, France, and Dover, England.SeaFrance is 100% owned by the French railways, SNCF....
(100 %) - Rhealys SA (30%)
- iDTGVIDTGViDTGV is a TGV high speed train service from SNCF, the French national railroad company. It only sells its tickets online. Carriages are separated into two zones: iDZen for customers wishing a quiet trip, where mobile phones and loud conversations are banned, and iDZap for customers looking for...
(100%) - Nuovo Trasporto ViaggiatoriNuovo Trasporto ViaggiatoriNuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori is an Italian company which plans to be Europe's first private open access operator of 300 km/h high speed trains. NTV was created by four Italian businessmen to compete with Trenitalia. French state railway SNCF has a 20% stake in NTV...
(20%)
Tickets
- Voyages-sncf.comVoyages-sncf.comVoyages-sncf.com, founded in June 2000, is an Internet travel agency website, subsidiary of the French SNCF and Expedia. It is the first French Electronic commerce website in volume...
(50.1%), the on-line travel agency of the SNCF - Rail Europe (50%)
- GLe-trade
Consulting
- AREP (99.99%)
- SNCF International (100%)
- Inexia
- SystraSystraSYSTRA is an international engineering and consulting group specializing in rail and public transport. SYSTRA is known worldwide for its work in transport modes that offer a sustainable alternative to cars and trucks...
(35.87 %): engineering for public transport
Housing
- ICFICFICF is an acronym with several meanings:* Immunodeficiency, centromere instability and facial anomalies syndrome.* Insulating concrete form, building construction systems that use concrete in a permanent form made of a rigid insulation....
(100%): rental housing (social and private housing)
Head office
SNCF has its head office in the MontparnasseMontparnasse
Montparnasse is an area of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail...
area of the 14th arrondissement of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, located near the Gare Montparnasse
Gare Montparnasse
Paris Montparnasse is one of the six large terminus railway stations of Paris, located in the Montparnasse area in the XIVe arrondissement. The station was opened in 1840, and rebuilt completely in 1969...
.
SNCF used to have its head office in the Saint-Lazare
Gare Saint-Lazare
Paris Saint-Lazare is one of the six large terminus train stations of Paris. It is the second busiest in Paris, behind the Gare du Nord, handling 274,000 passengers each day.-History:...
area of the 9th arrondissement. In 1996 the president of SNCF, Louis Gallois, announced that SNCF would move its headquarters to a new location during the middle of 1997.
See also
- History of rail transport in FranceHistory of rail transport in FranceThe history of rail transport in France dates from the first French railway in 1832 to present-day enterprises such as the AGV.-Beginnings:During the 19th century, railway construction began in France with short mineral lines...
- List of French companies
- List of SNCF locomotive and multiple-unit classes
- Transport express régional
- Corail (train)Corail (train)Corail is the name given to a class of passenger rail cars of the SNCF that first entered commercial service in 1975. When introduced, Corail carriages featured air-conditioning, and superior levels of comfort, suspension and sound-proofing than previous InterCity carriages and gave arguably the...
- Transport in FranceTransport in FranceTransportation in France relies on one of the densest networks in the world with 146 km of road and 6.2 km of rail lines per 100 km2...
- List of SNCF stations
- Autorité de Régulation des Activités FerroviairesAutorité de Régulation des Activités FerroviairesThe Autorité de Régulation des Activités Ferroviaires is a French government agency which regulates rail transport.ARAF was officially founded in December 2010, but there was considerable informal work before that date. The headquarters is in Le Mans. and Pierre Cardo was appointed as its first...
