A new high-speed train service linking Paris and Berlin was launched on Monday – just in time for the Christmas travel season. Joint operators SNCF and Deutsche Bahn say they hope passengers will see it as a “greener” alternative to flying.

  • makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml
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    5 days ago

    8 hours vs 10, and even worse, surge pricing. So the busier it is, the more it costs. Stuff that. It’s just not real world attractive

    • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      Conversely, it’s cheaper if you’re flexible. Which poorer people generally are. I have no problem with yield-management pricing, In Europe it’s been incredibly successful at boosting low-cost air travel (unfortunately) and in recent years it’s finally doing the same thing for rail travel. Fixed prices make no sense.

      • ilega_dh@feddit.nl
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        5 days ago

        Why would poorer people be more flexible? What’s that claim based on exactly?

        • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          The fact that they tend to have more time than money.

          Seems you’re being triggered by the word but I mean it in a neutral sense. I’m sort of one of them myself.

          • intelisense@lemm.ee
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            5 days ago

            What? Poor people are incredibly inflexible, working two jobs, juggling kids, zero hours contracts etc.

            • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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              5 days ago

              Fine, let’s stick with fixed fares then. Then poor passengers will have a choice of expensive packed trains or expensive empty trains, just like everyone else. Equality will be served.

              PS. Yes, downvote away. Contrarianism and negativity do not actually produce solutions. Again: I myself could qualify as “poor”. I want more people to take the train instead of the plane, do you? The outdated fixed-fare system is stopping it from happening.

              • thisfro@slrpnk.net
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                4 days ago

                The outdated fixed-fare system is stopping it from happening.

                Not sure if that helps poor people. I make a solid amount of money and am very flexible, as I can work just as well in the train as I could in the office. An assambly line worker surely cannot do that and likely has to travel on weekends when the prices are high (potentially higher than before).

                • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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                  4 days ago

                  Students, young people in general, part-time workers, unemployed, underemployed, I don’t have the statistics and obviously it depends on the country but these days there are a ton of people who have more time than money. Again, I am one of them.

          • ilega_dh@feddit.nl
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            5 days ago

            No, a baseless claim always triggers me, especially if the person then responds with a personal attack instead of supporting their claim

            Says enough haha

            • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
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              5 days ago

              It hardly needs sourcing to assert that people with limited financial means tend to be more flexible when it comes to saving money. Again, I’m one of them myself. And I’ve neither attacked you personally nor even downvoted you. Anyway, enough.