PARIS — A day after a low-turnout strike, SNCF took center stage for a far more celebratory occasion on Friday, November 6: the first commercial journey of its new-generation TGV. The inaugural run departed Paris in the morning and arrived in Marseille before 1 p.m., where passengers were greeted by a guard of honor and applause from railway staff at Saint-Charles station.
“It’s here, it’s here!” exclaimed SNCF chief Jean Castex, who made the trip himself. “What a welcome!” said driver Daniel Antunes, who has piloted TGVs for 12 years. “It’s a superb TGV, an exceptional product, comfortable to drive,” he added with a broad smile and a trembling voice.
A ‘More Human’ Train at 320 km/h
The new train, manufactured by Alstom, will not travel faster than France’s most recent trainsets, topping out at 320 km/h. But Castex had praised it before departure from Gare de Lyon as a “more human” TGV — sober, economical and “of its time.”
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot, who was scheduled to board, had to divert to the scene of a serious school bus accident in the Ain department. “It’s a great day for a genuine French success,” he said before his absence, praising Alstom — recently caught in stock market turmoil — as “a great company that continues to innovate and progress, and of which we are very proud.”
This is the only train in the world to operate at such speeds with two decks. Thanks to its streamlined nose and enhanced aerodynamics, it promises to consume 20% less energy while carrying up to 20% more passengers.
Redesigned Dining Car and Self-Service
One of the major changes compared with TGVs currently in service is the dining car. Everything is now self-service at stands on both sides of the carriage, under the watchful eye of a barista. As in a supermarket, automated checkouts are now available for payment.
The new trainsets will gradually replace the existing fleet over roughly 10 years, with the oldest trains dating from the 1990s. Of the 160 units ordered by SNCF for more than five billion euros, 100 are destined for the French market, 15 for France-Belgium routes, 30 for the Eurostar network and about 15 for the Italian market, where the company aims to expand.
On the Paris-Marseille axis, it will compete with Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa, built by Hitachi.
More Comfort and ‘Best-Standard’ Wi-Fi
In 2020, a senior SNCF official had hoped the train would run “for the Paris Olympics in 2024.” But delays linked to the COVID-19 period quickly put that goal out of reach. After first reaching 320 km/h in September 2023, SNCF and Alstom then targeted a 2025 entry into service, before pushing it back to 2026 due to technical difficulties and the scale of testing required.
“This TGV represents years of research,” said Alstom chief executive Martin Sion on Friday. “No industrial project is built without obstacles.”
The train can go from eight to nine cars, and the number of first- or second-class seats can vary by destination or season — an element deemed “strategic” for a train expected to run for several decades.
On the environmental front, the train emits 50% less CO2 per passenger than the first TGV launched in 1981. It uses 25% recycled materials and boasts a 97% recyclability rate.
Thousands of data points analyzed in real time will enable predictive maintenance, shortening downtime and cutting maintenance costs by 30%. Passengers in wheelchairs can board without assistance.
A trainset can carry up to 700 people, with promises of more legroom, more luggage space, additional bicycle areas, more comfortable seats and “best-standard” Wi-Fi — though still dependent on mobile operators’ coverage.
A major advance: the TGV is equipped with a storage battery that will allow it to continue to the nearest station in the event of a catenary failure, during storms or heatwaves, for example.
