France’s national rail operator is dropping the familiar brand name of its super high-speed trains. SNCF will re-brand all its TGV trains as ‘inOui’ over the next couple of years, starting with the new Bordeaux line that’s just opening.
TGV stands for ‘Train à Grand Vitesse’ or high speed train, and in 2021, SNCF will lose its right to be the only operator, as the system will be opened to competing operators. So, in advance, SNCF is creating the new identity, which matches the names it’s given its other services: OuiGo for discount TGVs, OuiBus for its bus network, OuiCar for car rental, etc.
The competitive push is goading SNCF not only to the branding changes, but also to promises of better service, more on-time performance and other improvements. The TGVs were created to provide economical high-speed connections that would compete with airlines on point-to-point time, but discount airlines are also competing with the trains.
Perhaps they should have just called it ‘Whee!”
Why would they want to name it something that sounds like “boredom, difficulty, tedium, obstacle?” I don’t get it. Seems strange. Or were they going more for, “Je m’ennui de toi” so I’m going to hop on a fast train! Also reminds me of,
“Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane
Ain’t got time to take a fast train.
Lonely days are gone, I’m a-goin’ home
My baby, just-a wrote me a letter”
In any event, still not getting it for the TGV’s new name.
I know the pronunciations are a bit different but reminds me of “ennui” all the same!