The form changes, not the substance. The government will modernize the Large Families card, at the same time as it will take over management from the SNCF, with the stated desire to double the number of beneficiaries. From 2 January 2023 this card, created in 1921, which offers discounts on train tickets, can be ordered on a new digital portal. It will then be issued, within one to three weeks, by the National Printing Office.
The creation of the file will be 100% digital, whereas previously it had to be filled in by hand before sending it by post. Likewise, the card, until now only physical, will now have a digital version, available on the smartphone of each member of the family.
There are currently 850,000 beneficiaries
“We have two clear objectives, that of making everyday life easier for households and acting for their purchasing power. Still far too many families who are eligible do not use this card. We must democratize it more, ”we insist on the Ministry of Transport. The government hopes to double the number of beneficiaries, currently 850,000. The administration fees for the card, valid for three years, will drop from 19 euros to 18 euros.
“The procedure was too cumbersome and complex. It was essential to do everything possible so that all families could have access to it and thus reduce their costs”, explains Laure Mondet, in charge of the file at the National Union of Family Associations (UNAF), which contributed to the service design.
It was therefore until then managed and distributed by the SNCF. The current rail group inquiries service will be closed on December 5th. This change of distributor is explained by the opening up to competition in the rail sector, which “forced the State to regain control, notes Laure Mondet. The benefits will apply to rail competitors like Trenitalia. »
From 30% to 75% on the train and 50% on the RATP network in Île-de-France
While waiting for the change of operator to take effect, customers traveling on the SNCF network, with a large family card expiring between December 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023, “will not be fined on board trains during these two months, ”reassures the Ministry of Transport.
Despite this new method of distribution, the eligibility conditions and benefits of the card do not change. It will remain accessible to all families with at least three minor children, and will continue to offer 30 to 75% reduction for train travel, depending on the number of dependent children. In Île-de-France, the reduction amounts to 50%, on the SNCF and RATP networks.
Discounts with 70 partners: optics, leisure, tourism, etc.
A boon at a time when the rail group has decided to increase its rates by 5%, on average. “This card is a boost for more train travel, support the Ministry of Transport. We need to develop its use, so we need to make it more accessible. »
The card also applies to other services and products, beyond rail transport. “We have a network of 70 partners with whom the card works,” says Laure Mondet. It can really help families with their daily expenses. » In all areas: childcare, leisure, travel, clothing, health… There is, for example, a 15% reduction at Opticians Mutualists and as much for a ticket at Futuroscope, 8% at Puy-du-Fou, tariffs discounts in CGR cinemas or free tutoring lessons.