Paris-Lyon train tickets on sale at €23 on Italian service Trenitalia

Italian train company Trenitalia, the first competitor to SNCF in France, has opened ticket sales for its new Paris-Lyon route, starting at €23. The first services will begin this Saturday December 18.

The French line of the Italian network – formerly known as Thello – has put tickets on sale at trenitalia.com.

The Frecciarossa (‘red arrow’) service will start in Paris, with stops in Lyon, Chambéry and Modane, before crossing into Italy for a stop in Turin, and ending its journey in Milan.

Travellers will be able to choose between Trenitalia and SNCF for the first time.

Read more:SNCF faces competition in France as Italy speeds in

SNCF currently runs up to 22 TGV and two Ouigo (low-cost TGV) services on the Paris-Lyon line, which is its most profitable route. In contrast, to start with Trenitalia will only run two return journeys per day.

It is set to introduce a third return journey soon, with a view to running five services per day eventually. This will add an extra 5,000 train seats per day in total between Paris and Lyon.

And while there are fewer Trenitalia services, the company’s late opening of tickets means there are still seats left for the Christmas period – in contrast to SNCF services, many of which are already booked up.

What services is Trenitalia set to offer?

The services will have 462 seats across eight carriages.

Trenitalia has claimed that it will provide more comfortable conditions than SNCF TGV trains, and is set to offer three levels of comfort:

• Standard – Five carriages. Equivalent to ‘second class’. When booking, you can choose between a "silenzio" car (quiet carriage) or "allegro" (ideal for families). From €23 between Paris and Lyon, from €29 between Paris and Milan.
• Business – Two carriages. Equivalent to first class. Single seats. Again, passengers can choose between a "silenzio" and "allegro" car. From €29 between Paris and Lyon, and from €36 between Paris and Milan.
• Executive – One carriage. 10 leather armchairs 74 cm wide, which can be turned 180° and changed to the direction of travel. A remote control is used to adjust the seat angle. A meal is provided, and hot and cold drinks are available. Fixed price of €139 between Paris and Lyon, €165 between Paris and Milan.

Conditions also include:

• Children between age 4-14 go half price
• Wi-Fi, electric plug, and USB socket available at each seat
• Private meeting room with screen and capacity for up to five people available for business meetings (From €79 per passenger [this is for a meeting of five people, the maximum possible])
• Bar in carriage 3, selling regional Italian products
• EasyBistro at-seat food and drink service, via WiFi or staff

Change and cancellation conditions

• Changeable without fees until one hour before departure
• Change or cancellation available until departure time, for 20% fee

What timetable is there so far?

Paris-Lyon-Turin-Milan

• Paris Gare de Lyon - 7:26, 15:18
• Lyon Part-Dieu - 9:20/9:26, 17:14/17h20
• Chambéry-Challes-Les-Eaux - 10:47/10:54, 18:35/18:45
• Modane - 12:00/12:10, 19:59/20:10
• Turin Porta Susa - 13:18/13:20, 21:18/21:20
• Milan Centrale - 14:07, 22:07

Milan-Turin-Lyon-Paris

• Milan Centrale - 6:25, 15:53
• Turin Porta Susa - 7:09/7:11, 16:39/16:41
• Modane - 8:33/8:50, 17:50/17:55
• Chambéry-Challes-Les-Eaux - 9:51/9:55, 18:53/18:57
• Lyon Part-Dieu - 11:08/11:28, 20:12/20:30
• Paris Gare de Lyon - 13:22, 22:25

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