The night train connecting Tarbes-Paris Austerlitz via Pau, Orthez and Bayonne has seen a notable surge in popularity. A recent study identified 132,000 travelers, marking a 53% increase in ridership. The affordability of tickets compared to TGVs, coupled with the advantage of arriving vrey early in paris, are key factors contributing to this success.

According to the study, “This increase remains spectacular because this train does not circulate on weekends due to work.” The data reveals that a significant portion of passengers boarding the night train to paris originate from various stations along the route: 12% from Tarbes station, 19% from Lourdes, 19% from Pau, and 30% from Bayonne.

The Action Climate network is advocating for improvements to the service, including weekend operation and increased capacity through the addition of more cars. They are also pushing for the inclusion of a service that would extend the route to Saint-Sébastien.

More broadly, the association estimates a national potential of 12 million travelers in the long term. This would necessitate upgrades to the rolling stock, replacing equipment that is over four decades old. The goal is to have “having 1,200 bowl cars,which would open the way to national and international lines without going through Paris.”

the state, responsible for the Intercités de Nuit service, launched a call for tenders in January for 180 new cars, expected to be delivered as early as 2030.The report welcomes this initiative but suggests that it may still fall short of the actual needs.

“This increase remains spectacular as this train does not circulate on weekends due to work”

Future Expansion and Connections

The Ouautraindenuit collective, which campaigned for the revival of the night train between Tarbes and Paris, has expressed its satisfaction with the release of this ridership data.

The collective also welcomes the advancement prospects proposed by network Action Climate, particularly the creation of lines that bypass Paris.”The Béarn would thus find a direct connection to Lyon Geneva on one side and Nice Ventimille (Italy) on the other.”