French rail network: SNCF Chairman sounds the alarm

Written by Sophie Renassia

Published on May 31, 2025

On May 5, 2025, the French government launched its “mobility financing conference.” In response, SNCF President Jean-Pierre Farandou sounded the alarm: without additional funding, the entire French rail network could collapse. Speaking with Tolt on our podcast “Je t’offre un rail ?” (the podcast that gets you hooked on trains), he explains bluntly why France must invest an additional €1 billion per year starting in 2028. A deep dive into a critical situation… and concrete solutions—from both the government and citizens!

For the sake of transparency, we want to clarify that this episode was funded by the SNCF Group. We therefore cannot claim full independence. However, we had complete freedom over the questions and did our best to remain objective.

“We’re at a tipping point: the challenge is to find funding. Concretely, we have two months to find a solution.”
— Jean-Pierre Farandou, President of SNCF

A Worn-Out Network, Running Out of Steam

Aging infrastructure and a domino effect on punctuality

“The French rail network isn’t in such great shape,” admits Jean-Pierre Farandou. While the average age of the rails is 30 years, many sections are over 70 or even 100 years old. Some overhead lines date back to post-WWII. The result: major risks of breakdowns and slowdowns.

And a breakdown is never an isolated incident. It causes a ripple effect of delays for all downstream trains. “When the network shuts down, dozens of trains are halted.” Safety requirements mean trains must reduce speed on deteriorated lines. Slower speeds mean longer journeys… and a gradual erosion of public trust.

An imminent tipping point

By 2028, 4,000 km of track could be affected, impacting over 2,000 trains daily. Farandou states plainly: “If we don’t act now, it will be irreversible.” To avoid a downward spiral, an additional €1 billion per year is needed starting in 2028 to maintain and modernize the network.

The government has already requested a regeneration plan. For now, SNCF itself is solely funding the “regeneration and rehabilitation of the network,” to the tune of €3.5 billion annually. But this isn’t enough. Hence the national conference launched on May 5, 2025. Farandou insists: “We need to find €1 billion more from 2028 onward. We already know what’s needed.” It’s a question of survival—for the SNCF and the regions it serves.

Where can ce find the missing billion?

Public funding is essential

Currently, network regeneration is funded by rail access charges paid by operators… and by SNCF’s profits. But this is no longer enough. “SNCF already contributes €3.5 billion a year. We need €4.5 billion to stay on track.” That extra billion must come from the state.

“I’ll fight to the end for train development in this country, because I believe it’s part of the solution—essential for the ecological transition, regional planning, freight transport, connecting Europe…”
— Jean-Pierre Farandou

SNCF is already doing its part

As Farandou reminds us, the 2018 legislation created a dedicated public rail fund (financed by SNCF profits), which injects €3.5 billion annually—but this is still insufficient. Historically, SNCF financed high-speed lines alone, until the French state erased €31 billion in debt in 2020 to restore its balance sheet. Now, “we have bright prospects ahead for French rail,” if we can “rally for an extra push.”

Farandou defends SNCF’s international investments (Spain, Italy, USA…) by explaining that “all the money earned goes back into the French network.” But he draws a clear line: “Take all the profits, that’s fine. But I refuse to go back into debt.”

Three avenues proposed by SNCF’s CEO

So how can we find this critical €1 billion per year? Jean-Pierre Farandou outlines several complementary solutions, steering clear of the usual ticket-price debates. These proven strategies are already in use elsewhere in Europe:

• New European tax revenues (carbon tax on transport, airline contributions), which could bring France €5 billion annually by 2027. [Read more in this article]
• A tax on heavy goods vehicles and aviation, which could generate between €5 and €6 billion annually.
• The end of motorway concessions, planned for 2032, which could also provide new resources. “Ending motorway concessions—it’s a French idea,” Farandou notes, calling current contracts a “gift” to private operators. He suggests redirecting some of the motorway profits (around €1 billion) toward rail.

Let’s not follow the german example

Collapse of the model across the Rhine

While the French situation is worrying, Farandou is especially concerned about repeating Germany’s mistake. He points out that despite its industrial prowess, Germany is “crashing on the rail front” because it “perhaps invested too little in its network.” Punctuality has dropped to 60% on some lines due to poor maintenance. In France, we’re still at 90%—but for how long?

In Switzerland, German delays are so disruptive that trains are now being turned back at the border. Farandou invites us to imagine a similar scene in France: if French trains were blocking access to Geneva due to delays, “all the French would be embarrassed and ashamed.” He concludes: “That’s Germany today, and I don’t want that to happen in France.”

French lines already in distress

Lines like Paris–Limoges and Paris–Clermont-Ferrand are emblematic. On the latter, “We’re investing €1 billion to fix it, but that could become the norm everywhere if we don’t act.”

The Stakes Are Also European

Europe offers a clear lesson: inaction comes at a high cost in lost traffic and disappointed users. If we collectively refuse to invest, the network risks entering a “vicious circle” of breakdowns, declining attractiveness, and lost public confidence. But if that missing billion is secured, Farandou sees a “virtuous cycle” ahead: “Then we’ll have a robust network, we can develop regional trains, night trains, freight, high-speed trains… and serve the entire country.”

Other nations are already making bold moves. Italy, for instance, is using its recovery plan to modernize its network. “We risk falling into Europe’s second division,” Farandou warns. Rail is a strategic issue—for both sovereignty and ecological transition.

What Can Citizens Do?

Mobilize and pressure your representatives

While public funding is key, Farandou also issues a strong call for citizen mobilization. How? “If you agree with what I’m saying, speak up. Tweet, contact your elected officials. Now’s the time.”

Concretely, what can you do? Share posts on social media, contact your MP… Every action “counts,” says Farandou, because “the more pressure our leaders feel, the more likely they are to make the right decisions to keep this public asset in good shape.”

Keep taking the train

For Farandou, saving the rail network depends as much on political will as on civic awareness: SNCF is a “public company,” an “essential piece of national infrastructure” that must be protected at all costs.

“The best way to help us is to take the train.”
French passengers are already showing up: +15% TGV traffic in 5 years, +30% on regional trains. “Trains are full—people want rail.”

Protecting a shared heritage

“The train is a common good passed down by our elders,” insists Farandou. A collective legacy we must preserve for future generations. “It’s up to us to pass it on in good shape. This network belongs to the French. At SNCF, we manage it for them.”

Ultimately, someone who has “built their life around trains” is now calling for collective awakening. Either we invest now to regenerate the network, modernize the lines, and make rail the backbone of low-carbon mobility—or we let the system deteriorate, and with it, our ability to address the climate crisis, connect remote areas, and meet future generations’ needs.

The message is clear: the French rail network needs both financial and civic action to escape crisis and meet the ecological challenge.