Le Train
 Le Train's proposed network map. | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Fleet size | 10 (expected) |
| Key people | Alain Getraud (CEO) |
| Founders | Tony Bonifaci |
| Dates of operation | 2025 (expected)– |
| Other | |
| Website | www |
Le Train is a French railway company.[1] Founded in 2020, the company aims to operate the first private high-speed rail service in France. In December 2022, Le Train received its operating license, and in 2023 signed a €300m contract with Spanish train manufacturer Talgo to deliver 10 Avril single-deck high-speed trains. It expects to commence services in December 2025.[2][3]
History[edit]
In late April 2021, Le Train announced plans to run open-access TGV services by the end of 2022 using 10 TGV trains. The company did not specify where the TGV rolling stock would be sourced from, and whilst SNCF was at the time withdrawing TGV Atlantique trains and had plans to withdraw TGV Réseau trains as well as several TGV Sud Est trains in storage awaiting scrappage, it was reported that SNCF had never sold TGV rolling stock on the second-hand market and had a preference for scrapping withdrawn trains. Services were planned to run from Arcachon to La Rochelle, with trains utilising the high-speed line between Bordeaux and Poltiers (the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique), and intermediate stops at Bordeaux, Angoulême, and Poitiers. Weekend services would extend to Nantes and Rennes.[4]
Upon failing to secure second-hand TGV rolling stock, a Europe-wide tender process was launched in early 2022.[2]
Le Train received its operating licence (JORF no. 0298) on 24 December 2022,[5] making it the first private high-speed operator in France to hold a licence.[2]
On 23 January 2023, Le Train announced it had signed a contract with Talgo for an order of 10 high-speed trains based on the Talgo AVRIL platform, which once services commence would make it the second operator to operate the type after Spain's Renfe. The contract also covers 30 years of maintenance and spare parts as well as a joint R&D unit in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. Le Train cited the AVRIL's level-floor accessibility, low-energy usage and dedicated spaces for bicycles and other equipment such as surfboards as factors in its decision to select Talgo as the winning bidder. Le Train also announced services would run on the high-speed LGV Sud Europe Atlantique between Bordeaux and Tours, as opposed to Bordeaux and Poltiers as initially planned. The company said it had managed to negotiate lower track access charges with Lisea, the private company which manages the line, achieving what is reportedly a significant advantage for Le Train. Saumur and Angers in the Loire Valley were announced as additional intermediate stops on services to Nantes and Rennes.[2]
In September 2023, it was reported that Le Train had received an additional €8 million in funding from four investors: Crédit-Agricole Charente-Périgord Expansion, AQUITI Gestion, NACO and Tudigo X LE TRAIN.[6]
| Le Train Talgo AVRIL | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Talgo |
| Assembly | Rivabellosa, Spain |
| Family name | Talgo AVRIL |
| Constructed | 2023–2025 (expected) |
| Entered service | 2026 (expected) |
| Number under construction | 10 |
| Capacity | 500-600 |
| Operators | Le Train |
| Specifications | |
| Train length | 201.9 metres (662 ft) |
| Width | 3.2 metres (10 ft) |
| Maximum speed | 365 km/h (230 mph) |
Rolling Stock[edit]
Under a contract believed to be worth around €300m, Le Train has 10 Talgo AVRIL trains on order from Spanish manufacturer Talgo, with options for additional trains over a 10-year period. Talgo was selected through an EU-wide tendering process in 2022 after the company failed to acquire second-hand TGV Atlantique trains from SNCF.[2] Construction is expected to finish in early 2025, with construction beginning in the first half of 2023.[5]
References[edit]
- ^ "La compagnie privée Le Train veut se lancer dans le Grand Ouest pour 2025". www.20minutes.fr (in French). 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
- ^ a b c d e Haydock, David (2023-01-24). "Le Train signs contract with Talgo for 10 Avril high-speed trains". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
- ^ "Talgo to supply LE TRAIN with high-speed trains". RailTech.com. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
- ^ Haydock, David (2021-04-30). "French start-up proposes open-access TGV services". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
- ^ a b "LE TRAIN signs an agreement with Talgo for the development of a fleet of high-speed trains - corporate - talgo.com". corporate. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
- ^ Atack, Patrick (2023-09-13). "More funding raised by French start-up Le Train". Railway Technology. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
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