trains
Does anyone know why Paris-Barcelona trains these days so often have a change somewhere in southern France when they used to go direct?
Last time I did it, I had several hours in Narbonne. Today an online search reveals journeys broken at Lyon, Marseille and Avignon.
What's going on? Where are all the direct journeys at? Feels like we're going backwards (not QUITE literally).
re: trains
@griffinkate Possibly related to the update note here? https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/paris-to-barcelona-by-train.htm
re: trains, covid, economics
@griffinkate @joepie91 Whenever I see "reduced X due to covid" I mentally swap "staff availability" for X and... a lot of things make more sense, tbh.
Lots of people still getting sick a lot; lots of people out with long covid. I don't know how deaths stack up against the pre-Covid working population, but suspect it varies by sector (with healthcare among the worst affected).
re: trains, covid, economics, energy
@griffinkate @joepie91 At some point I will probably start factoring in energy costs too.
Neither of these things have anything to do with demand, I think some people are using "demand" as a weird general shorthand for "profitability". I wish they wouldn't.
re: trains, covid, economics, energy
@artsyhonker @joepie91 I have read in more than one place that economists only call it "demand" if those wanting the good or service can afford it. And presumably this means "afford it at a price that still turns a profit for the service/goods provider".
So "housing demand" goes down when house prices go up, even though everybody needs somewhere to live. It is not a helpful way to see the world.
re: trains, covid, economics, energy
@griffinkate @joepie91 Oof. Yeah, that's... messed up.
Crapitalism gonna crap, I guess. Sigh.
re: trains, covid, economics
@artsyhonker @joepie91 Thanks for this very useful perspective. I think you're absolutely right. Absolutely bugger-all to do with now-nonexistent lockdowns or who wants to use the service.
re: trains
@joepie91 Aha, so there ARE direct trains, but only in the summer months, which would explain why I had no luck looking in May and October.
They are blaming "reduced demand due to Covid"...so why are the trains packed?! Urrrghhhh I'm so tired of hearing "there's no demand" as an excuse not to offer something people are crying out for.