Overview
- Since January 8, SNCF has offered an Optimum first‑class carriage reserved for passengers aged 12 and over on selected TGV Inoui routes during weekdays.
- The carriage accounts for about 8% of capacity and is promoted as a dedicated quiet space for working or relaxing, with weekends open to all passengers.
- On Paris–Lyon, an Optimum Plus seat cost €180 versus €132 in standard first class and adds a personal host and meal service, with availability limited to that route.
- France’s high commissioner for children, Sarah El Hairy, called the under‑12 ban shocking and warned against excluding children, with critics describing the policy as discriminatory.
- SNCF defends the move by saying the age rule mirrors its former Business Première service and by highlighting existing family areas and nursery spaces elsewhere on its trains.