The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 14, Issue 12 (March 1, 1940)

French National Railways

French National Railways.

One of the brightest spots in the European railway picture is provided by the railways of our gallant ally, France. Our very good French friends are rightly proud of their National Railways, and in addition to there being operated splendid civilian services in all regions, outside the actual war zone, the Paris authorities are doing everything possible to encourage the valuable tourist traffic to and from the Mediterranean coast resorts. One of the most popular services is that provided by the “Blue Train.” This is a daily service which in normal times leaves London daily at 11.0 a.m., and is operated forward by the French railways from Calais and Paris to Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo, Mentone and the Italian frontier, via Lyons and Marseilles. The French railways, it may be observed, are considering the abolition of first-class travel on all except the principal long-distance trains. This would give two classes of accommodation, as is usual in Britain. (In England, we have the two classes, first and third, second-class being dropped some years ago on all but a few suburban routes). Railcar services continue to expand in France, notable new additions being Bugatti cars on the Western system, each accommodating sixty passengers, and three-car trains accommodating 164 passengers. These units operate between Paris and fashionable Trouville-sur-Mer, among other points, covering the 137 miles in just two hours. Another important service is that between Paris and Cherbourg (230 miles in three hours 36 minutes).