Peace and privacy - without any noisy children - seems to be the top priority for many train travelers in France. TGV now offers an "Optimum class" with a child-free zone on express train routes. The rail company is facing headwinds.
A new offer from the French state railroad SNCF is causing a stir in France: For around two weeks now, travelers on numerous routes of the TGV express train line to and from Paris have been able to book a so-called "Optimum class" - an exclusive first-class carriage in which children are not permitted. The measure is aimed at commuters and business travelers who are looking for peace and privacy on the road.
According to SNCF, the "Optimum class" offers flexible tickets, special customer service and a carriage "for privacy and access to a quiet, exclusive area on board". The prices are correspondingly higher: while a seat in traditional first class on the Paris-Lyon route recently cost around 132 euros, the "Optimum" class costs around 180 euros.
But the measure has been met with criticism. Sarah El Haïry, Minister of Health, Social Affairs and Employment, commented on Instagram: " SNCF must not give in to the pressure of the #NoKids movement." She was alluding to the trend towards child-free spaces that is being discussed on social media.
Entrepreneur and podcaster Stéphanie d'Esclaibes made a similar argument in an interview with CNN: "The rail company's decision constitutes direct discrimination against children. I understand that you need peace and quiet on the TGV if you want to work, but I also think that this should not be at the expense of a social group, namely children." She called for the design of family and children's areas on trains to be rethought.
The essayist Naïma M'Faddel also sharply criticized X: "SNCF invents an 'Optimum' class ... without children. In a country that is worried about its birth rate, this signal is disastrous." Last year, France recorded more deaths than births for the first time since the Second World War - a fact that is further fueling the debate.
The state railroad defends its new offer. A spokeswoman told CNN: "These Optimum seats make up only eight percent of the available space on our trains Monday through Friday. This means that 92 percent of the other places are available for everyone, and 100 percent at weekends. Our services are designed for everyone, including families, of course."
The debate shows how sensitive the issue of peace, exclusivity and family-friendliness in public transport is - and that even small changes are immediately discussed nationwide.
