Re: Overbooking of TGVs (Was Eurostar electrical and signalling)

"P.L.Guillemin" wrote:
> 
> "David Eerdmans" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> > P.L.Guillemin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in article
> 
> > > You can offer alternatives, instead.
> >
> > If there are enough passengers to justify an alternative - yes.
> 
> There are...
> 
>  If there
> > are a handful, providing an alternative probably isn't possible.
> 
> Long distance Corail calling at middle-sized cities could be
> re-instated, with low-cost airline-style pricing. A bit like
> Interconnex...
> 
> Or better communication on existing Corail services running alongside
> LGVs, as on Lyons-Marseilles.
> 
> Even when there is no communication on existing alternatives, people
> end up finding a substitute.
> 
> Eg: In June 2001, the number of daytime connections between Metz and
> Nice was halved (1 instead of 2). The remaining daytime service was
> converted into a TGV, with 50%-70% capacity taken off North of Dijon.
> 
> That has fuelled an unexpected increase in loadings of the
> Luxemburg-Nice overnighter, whose consist had to lenghtened...
> 
> > > On many French ODs, there is simply no air travel alternative...
> > > People have little choice but to travel by train.
> >
> > Car?
> 
> Youngsters do not systematically have their driving-licence, and the
> pass rate is now much lower than it used to be as the process is now
> very tough. And youngsters may not be able to afford a car and related
> expenses (insurance premiums, repairs...).
> 
> You also have quite many elderly that are reluctant to drive on
> long-distances, especially in winter.
> 
> Both groups are very often a very captive custom for rail services, so
> long as there is no affordable air travel alternative.
> 
> And If you live in Zone 1 in Paris, travelling by car is not a very
> good option, as reaching Zone 2 (i.e. crossing the 1st Beltway) may
> require one hour, and reching Zone 5 another hour...
> 
> > You're right that the French long distance network is probably better
> > suited for all reserved trains than the German network.
> 
> The longest non-stop journey you can made in France is Paris-Les Arcs
> Draguignan by TGV, which amounts to more or less 875 km.
> 
> AFAIK, the longest nonstop journey in the world is Beijing-Hong Kong
> (Kowloon), in the region of 2475 km.
> 
> The latter is 2.82 times longer than the former. Yet, China is 17
> times larger than France...
> 
> [Meals in Eurostar 1st Class]
> 
> In passing, does anyone know if Catering is included on ICS services
> of SZ, SCs of CD and ICEs of OSE ?

In OSE ICE, in 1st class ticket catering is included, as far as I can
remember (I haven't used the service ever myself, so I'm not an expert
in such matters :-) )

Regards from Athens,
N.F.