With an eye on the environment and another on the growing popularity of overnight sleeper trains, French rail bosses are planning to bring some back, including the one once known as Le Train Bleu from Paris to Nice.
Jean-Pierre Farandou, head of SNCF, told reporters that the Nice route and another to Tarbes should be up and running by the end of next year. That followed word from Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, who said that “We are planning to open at least one (night) line, the one from Paris to Nice. Then we will see if we can open others, depending on the results and whether it is sustainable.”
France's last services shut down in late 2017, soon after the start of Austria's bold bet on reviving numbers of routes across the Continent, including some abandoned by Germany's rail system. The routes have proven popular and are expanding; some are even already profitable.
There has been a growing push for alternatives to short-haul flying to aid in meeting environmental goals, and travelers who are environmentally conscious have joined in the move.
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