Has French Rail Operator SNCF Really Introduced A ‘No Kids’ Rule?, Canada Reviews

Trains are great – they’re convenient, kind to the planet, and often a very affordable way of getting around – but because so many of us rely on them, they can also be cramped, busy, and noisy places. 

That seems to be why French rail operator SNCF, which runs weekday TGV trains to and from Paris, has introduced an exclusive new zone called ‘Optimum’, a ‘fully designated first-class carriage, with seating arrangements designed to preserve your privacy, for a calm journey, ideal for working or relaxing’. 

While this new category is aimed at ‘frequent travellers, often business travellers, who want to enjoy greater comfort’, there’s one group who have been excluded from enjoying all this serenity – kids. 

According to the Independent, children under the age of 12 are not permitted to use the Optimum zones, which have been placed at the back of trains to prevent other passengers even walking through, and while this rule was also in place on the previous Business Première class (which Optimum has replaced) the ban has proved to be rather contentious. 

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French high commissioner for Children Sarah El Haïry described the rule as ‘shocking’ and told BFM that ‘travelling with children is not a problem to be fixed, but a reality to be supported.’

Some critics even linked the operator’s move with France’s declining birthrate. Economist Maxime Sbaihi wrote on X that it ‘makes children scarce to the point of making us intolerant of their presence.’

In response to all this backlash, it’s worth noting though that these Optimum zones aren’t a permanent fixture on these trains. Director of TGV Inoui Offers for SNCF Gaëlle Babault explained that the Optimum zones occupy ‘less than 8 per cent of the space … and only from Monday to Friday. This means that 92 per cent of the other seats are available to everyone – and 100 per cent on weekends.’

Stay tuned for more updates on this story, and in the meantime, check out all the latest transport news in Europe on our worldwide site. 

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