Global Rail Companies Put Plans in Place to Lure New Riders

Big numbers have been traveling so far this summer. Airports are filling up again, cars — and traffic — are returning to the roadways. But what about the rails? Many railway companies certainly need a huge rebound in passenger figures. Numerous rail companies have been battered by the pandemic from ridership to finances. Just look to Japan as an example. During 2020 for the most recent figures,  passengers using services run by Japan Railways dropped 68 compared to the previous year. Two of Japan's largest railway companies projected massive losses for the fiscal year ending on March 31: East Japan Railways was expecting to be in the red $4 billion (418 billion yen) while West Japan Railways was likely to post a $2.2 billion (240 billion yen) deficit. And in Switzerland, the national railway company, the Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, saw a drop of 1.32 million riders daily in 2020 in addition to a 28.9 percent fall in passenger revenues. But rail services are fighting back, putting measures into place designed to get guests back into their trains, such as the Société nationale des chemins de fer français. France’s state-run railway company has introduced discount cards in its quest to win back travelers it had lost due to the pandemic, like its new Advantage card and Grand Voyageur. The $60 (49 euros) Advantage card provides riders a 30 percent reduction on its high speed trains over a year while