TGV Lyria, the rail service that connects France and Switzerland, has unveiled an overhaul of its onboard offering, including a new Première Signature class for business travellers.
The Franco-Swiss rail operator, a subsidiary of SNCF Voyageurs and Swiss Federal Railways, said a series of new onboard services and a new "onboard identity" will be progressively rolled out this year across its 15 high-speed trains.
Primarily, each train will now feature three travel classes: Standard, Première, and the new Première Signature, which has replaced Business Première.
Each travel class “offers a level of comfort tailored to travellers' needs”, according to the operator, with an ergonomic seat at “an affordable price” in Standard, a “first-class seat and peace and quiet” in Première class, and a dedicated carriage with “spacious” seating in Première Signature.
The latter also includes express boarding, free wifi connectivity, a personalised welcome with a drink and oshibori towel, a “gourmet” meal served at your seat and access to The Grand Voyageur Lounge at Paris Gare de Lyon.
TGV Lyria said it will also offer travellers access to coworking spaces at or near stations “at negotiated rates”, along with station parking and “easier” hotel bookings. The company said further details regarding these offers will be announced “soon”.
Most important for travel managers, however, is the flexibility of Première Signature bookings, with “unlimited free exchanges and refunds”, TGV Lyria said. Fares start at €179 for a Paris–Geneva/Lausanne/Basel trip.
Overall interiors and restrooms have also been modernised, the operator said, while ‘Le Bistrot’, available in the bar car, offers a revamped menu that showcases local and seasonal products. The onboard entertainment portal has also been upgraded to include French and Swiss films, series and podcasts, as well as digital newspapers in three languages (French, German and English).
TGV Lyria currently operates 17 daily return services between France and Switzerland, with connections from Paris to Geneva, Lausanne, Basel and Zurich, and from Marseille to Lausanne.