And here’s what happened next:
Given that the total length of tracks today is just 29,901km, it means France has lost 53% of it’s train lines in the last century or so.
But hey at least the ones they do have are much quicker (looks to the UK)!
Birth and Rapid Expansion (1837 – 1914)
Origins (1837–1850s)
- First Line: France’s first passenger railway opened in 1837 between Paris and Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
- Government Support: Early railway development was encouraged by the state but funded by private capital.
- Star-Shaped Network: Under Napoleon III (1850s), the state adopted the étoile de Legrand plan (1842 law), which created a hub-and-spoke network centered on Paris.
- Private Companies: Six large private companies (e.g., Chemin de fer du Nord, du Midi) were granted concessions and dominated the network.
Boom Years (1860s-1914)
- Economic Growth: Industrialization and colonial trade fuelled demand for transport.
- Network Length: By 1914, France had one of the world’s densest railway networks, with over 60,000 km of track (including many branch lines reaching small towns).
- Military Planning: The network was strategically important for mobilization (e.g., Franco-Prussian War planning).
- Social Impact: Railways tied the country together, reduced regional isolation, and supported urbanization.
Peak and Challenges (1914 – 1945)
World War I & Interwar Period
- WWI Impact: The railways were crucial for troop and supply movements but suffered severe wear and tear.
- Interwar Recovery: The network was restored but struggled financially, cars, trucks, and buses started competing with trains.
- State Involvement: The government subsidized unprofitable rural lines, which became a financial burden.
Nationalization (1938)
- To stabilize the sector, the government created SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français), merging the private companies into a single state-owned operator.
WWII Damage (1939–1945)
- The network was heavily bombed during WWII (bridges, stations, and yards destroyed).
- Post-war reconstruction was a massive task, priority was restoring mainlines and electrification.
Decline of the Branch Network (1945 -1980s)
Automobile & Road Competition
- Car Ownership Boom: By the 1950s-60s, cars and trucks became the preferred mode for short- and medium-distance travel.
- Government Policy: France invested heavily in autoroutes (motorways) rather than rural rail.
- Rural Depopulation: Fewer passengers and freight in rural areas made branch lines unprofitable.
Network Shrinkage
- Thousands of secondary lines closed (particularly the chemins de fer d’intérêt local).
- From the peak (~63,000 km), the network fell to around 30,000 km by the late 1980s, mostly the mainlines that remained economically viable.
Modernization and High-Speed Era (1980s – Today)
Birth of the TGV (1981)
- France reinvented its railways with the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse), starting with the Paris–Lyon line (1981).
- This marked a shift from a dense, local network to a fast, intercity trunk network.
Electrification and Centralization
- By today, 58%+ of the network is electrified (one of the highest rates in Europe).
- Paris remains the hub: most TGV lines radiate outward in the same star-shaped pattern.
Current Characteristics (2020s)
- Network Size: ~29,900 km (about half the size of the peak network).
- Focus on Speed: Emphasis is on high-speed, long-distance connections rather than coverage.
- Regionalization: Since the 2000s, TER (regional trains) are managed by regional councils, not Paris.
- Revival of Night Trains: France is slowly reopening some night train routes for sustainability reasons.
- Freight Struggles: Rail freight still lags behind road transport, though EU policies are encouraging modal shift.
How It’s Different Today
- Then: Dense, universal coverage, trains reached nearly every small town.
- Now: Streamlined, high-speed-focused network, connects major cities efficiently but leaves rural areas reliant on buses or cars.
- Then: Private companies competed; local lines were vital.
- Now: Nationalized operator (SNCF) plus some private competition on open-access lines.
- Then: Railways were the main freight and passenger transport mode.
- Now: Passenger trains are thriving on high-speed routes, but road freight dominates logistics.
- Then: Growth was about coverage.
- Now: Growth is about speed, electrification, and decarbonization.
What do you think?