French tabacs to sell train tickets

The tabac scheme is one of several plans put forward by SNCF president Guillaume Pepy, who is stepping down in December.

Others include the new Advantage travel cards, which SNCF said were better value and offered more benefits than previous cards.

However, a study by Le Figaro found the benefits of the new cards were often offset by more expensive tickets and came with tougher penalties for changing trains at short notice.

Mr Pepy also said that, from July 1, calls to the ticket purchasing number 3635 will be charged at local, and not premium, rates.

In late November, SNCF plans to launch an eco-friendly loyalty programme called Ouigreen. Kilometres travelled by train will entitle users to free hours of use of a scooter or electric car.