Two days after the opening of SNCF ticket sales for the Christmas holiday, its high-speed rail competitor Trenitalia launched a promotional campaign called la dolce promo, offering 38,000 discounted tickets for travel to Lyon, Marseille, and Milan. SNCF reported selling 1.7 million tickets on the first day of its ticket office opening for the Christmas holiday, highlighting strong consumer interest in rail travel during the busy season. Trenitalia, which operates high-speed Frecciarossa trains, is reminding the market of its presence by offering these discounted tickets for sale until October 6. The tickets are valid for travel from November 2 to December 12 and are available in Standard class at fixed prices: 23 euros to Lyon, 25 euros to Avignon, 26 euros to Aix-en-Provence, and 27 euros to Marseille. From Lyon, the prices to these destinations range from 17 to 19 euros. Trenitalia France stated that the promotion aims to expand its travel options and provide more choices for travelers planning short stays, weekends, or daily trips. Trenitalia has faced challenges in gaining recognition in France, where it has struggled to fill its trains since its arrival five years ago, with an average occupancy rate of 45%. On the Paris-Marseille route, which was launched a year ago, Trenitalia reports "periods of low demand, particularly in winter," with an occupancy rate of 50%, and "periods of higher demand that are rather at 80%," according to Fabrice Toledano, Trenitalia’s marketing director, in an interview with France Inter. These promotional efforts are crucial for the company to increase its visibility and awareness among the general public. Trenitalia also faces the challenge of being listed on SNCF Connect, the powerful ticket booking application operated by SNCF, which would significantly increase its visibility. However, this has caused dissatisfaction among SNCF, the historic rail operator in France. The Senate has already supported the idea through the framework law on Transport, and the European Commission has also proposed similar measures at the European level. These developments suggest a potential shift in the rail travel landscape, with efforts to promote competition and greater choice for consumers.