France’s national railway operator, Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF), has introduced a controversial new premium travel option on high-speed TGV trains that prohibits children under the age of 12 from certain designated carriages on weekday services between Paris and Lyon.
Known as the Optimum Plus class, this fare category replaces the former Business Première and is marketed toward business travellers and passengers seeking a quieter, more personalised journey. Only about 8 % of seats on these TGV trains are allocated to the Optimum Plus section, which is closed to younger passengers during the workweek, while the remainder of the train — and all seats on weekends — remains open to travellers of all ages.
The policy has triggered widespread criticism online and from child advocacy groups, with many commentators and parents accusing SNCF of marginalising children and reinforcing a broader cultural trend that devalues family-friendly public spaces. Critics argue that excluding young passengers from a premium travel experience sends an insensitive message at a time when France is grappling with a demographic decline and historically low birth rates.
France’s Children’s Commissioner, Sarah El Haïry, expressed dismay at the rule, saying that creating adult-only travel zones “gives the impression that adult comfort depends on the absence of children” and that this perception could undermine efforts to support families and young people. Others have linked the backlash to debates in French society about inclusivity and the place of children in shared environments like trains, hotels and restaurants.
In response to the criticism, SNCF emphasised that children are still welcome on board all other parts of the TGV and highlighted existing family-friendly services, including nursery areas and the Junior & Compagnie programme, which serves hundreds of thousands of young passengers each year. The rail operator said the Optimum Plus option is intended to meet specific customer demand for a quieter travel experience rather than to exclude families outright.
The controversy has sparked broader discussion about how public transport providers balance comfort and inclusivity, and whether policies that limit access for certain groups — even in small portions of a service — are appropriate in a society facing demographic and social change.
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