SNCF, the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (literally, French National Council of Paths of Iron), is the French national railway company. It was created on January 1, 1938. It uses the IATA designator 2C in relation to journeys codeshared by airlines.

Scope of business

SNCF operates almost all of France's railway system, including the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse, literally "high-speed train") and some segments of the RER.

In the past, SNCF owned not only the trains, but also the tracks, but this has changed due to new European Union regulations. Starting from 1997, the tracks belong to a separate government establishment, the Réseau Ferré de France . This may, in the future, lead to several companies proposing services on the same network.

Codeshare with airlines

A 2nd-generation TGV train (Réseau class) at Marseille St-Charles station.

SNCF codeshares with American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines, US Airways, and Emirates and in exchange, allows passengers on those flights to book rail service between Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Roissy (near Paris) and Angers , Avignon , Bordeaux , Le Mans , Lille , Lyon , Marseille , Montpellier , Nantes , Nimes , Poiters , Rennes, Tours , and Valence with their airline.

See also

• Transportation in France
• History of rail transport in France
• List of French companies

External links

• SNCF web site
• History of SNCF (in French)