France’s Ouigo trains, the budget division of national rail operator SNCF, are about to see a major expansion, with new routes and new and refurbished trains.
Running since 2013, Ouigo is significantly cheaper than the classic SNCF TGVs marketed as InOui, but has fewer amenities, stricter fare and change rules, and sometimes uses secondary stations—just like the budget airlines it’s modeled on.
The rolling stock, mostly refurbished and reconfigured from former InOui trains, will see 12 trains added by next year, and the existing 38 trains will all be refurbished by 2029 for a more modern and possibly more comfortable feel, as well as updated power outlets (which, by the way, come only with premium-price seats).
The first new route will start this December, to Hendaye, near the Spanish border. By the end of next year, Ouigo’s destination list will have increased from 60 cities to about 75. The SNCF Ouigo brand also includes a separate Ouigo Espana operation that competes in Spain with Spain’s RENFE and its budget versions.
