Nice fans angry as charter train falls through and travel costs soar before Cup final | OneFootball

Uncertainty hangs over how many Nice supporters will reach the Stade de France for the Coupe de France final against RC Lens on 22 May, after a planned charter train fell through and travel prices jumped. The service, made up of two sets, had been expected to carry about 1,000 fans to Paris.

According to L'Équipe, this was not a cancellation but the failure to sign a charter contract between the club’s appointed travel agency and SNCF. The club is legally required to book via an agency and had put up an exceptional subsidy, tied to the Populaire Sud’s 40th anniversary, to lower individual costs. Given problems around the 2022 trip to the Nantes final, SNCF requested a very large financial guarantee, after which the agency withdrew.

Supporters had already been hit by steep rail and flight prices, driven by demand for the final and the Pentecost long weekend. Fares have surged and budgets are strained.

Last week, Nice mayor Éric Ciotti urged transport minister Philippe Tabarot to act to stop what he called abusive fare hikes. Tabarot replied that the government does not set air or rail prices, adding that SNCF’s return fares align with that holiday weekend and reflect the security requirements of such a journey.

Nice continue to approach agencies that could take on the charter contract. The club has also secured FFF approval to extend ticket sales until the eve of the match, after an initial deadline of last Monday, to give fans more time to organise travel. Of the 19,600-ticket allocation, about 13,500 had been sold by Wednesday afternoon, while the Populaire Sud ultras have said no group trip will be organised.

Source: L'Équipe