Le Train

Le Train is a French private railway company established in 2020 to develop interregional high-speed passenger services in western France. Its creation reflects the gradual opening of the French rail market to private operators and an effort to address perceived gaps in high-speed connectivity between cities that are less directly served by the established national operator, SNCF. The company’s planned network is centered on Bordeaux and is intended to connect the city with Nantes and Rennes, with additional access to destinations such as Tours, Saumur, Angers, La Rochelle, Vannes, Arcachon and Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport. Operations are expected to begin in 2028. Le Train was founded by a group of entrepreneurs that included Alain Getraud, a former SNCF executive. The founders positioned the business as a specialist provider of long-distance, high-speed rail rather than as a conventional national railway. Its stated ambition was to create a commercially viable private alternative for western French intercity travel, complementing rather than replacing the broader services of SNCF. The proposed routes are designed to use France’s high-speed infrastructure while extending the benefits of faster rail travel to regional markets linked to the Atlantic coast and the Loire Valley. In April 2021, Le Train disclosed an initial plan to operate open-access TGV services using ten trains. At that point, the company had not identified a rolling-stock supplier. The plan faced a practical procurement challenge because SNCF had historically not developed a significant second-hand market for withdrawn TGV trainsets, instead generally retiring or scrapping older equipment. Le Train therefore moved toward a new-train procurement process and began a Europe-wide competitive tender in early 2022. Talgo was selected as the preferred supplier. In March 2022, Le Train announced that the Spanish manufacturer would provide the company’s future high-speed fleet. The arrangement was formalized in January 2023 through a contract for ten Talgo AVRIL single-deck high-speed trains. The reported contract value was €300 million and included thirty years of maintenance and spare-parts support, as well as a joint research and development unit in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The trains are intended to offer level-floor accessibility, lower energy consumption and dedicated space for bicycles and other equipment. If delivered and placed into service as planned, Le Train would become the second operator of the AVRIL platform after Spain’s Renfe. A major regulatory milestone came in December 2022, when Le Train received a French railway operating licence. The authorization made it the first private high-speed operator in France to hold such a licence. In January 2023, the company also clarified that its services would use the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique between Bordeaux and Tours, rather than the originally contemplated Bordeaux–Poitiers alignment. It announced planned intermediate stops in the Loire Valley, including Saumur and Angers, and said it had negotiated lower track-access charges with Lisea, the private concessionaire managing the high-speed line. The proposed service pattern has included five daily round trips between Bordeaux and Nantes and four daily round trips between Bordeaux and Rennes, subject to final implementation. Le Train also plans extensions toward Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport and Arcachon. These plans remain prospective: the company has not yet begun passenger operations, and fleet delivery, infrastructure access, certification, financing, staffing and final timetable decisions remain important execution steps. In September 2023, Le Train was reported to have raised an additional €8 million from four investors, supporting development before the projected 2028 launch.

Le Train was founded in 2020 by a group of entrepreneurs, including Alain Getraud, a former SNCF executive. The company was created during the liberalization of French passenger rail, when private operators were beginning to explore open-access services alongside the established SNCF network. Its founding objective was to develop high-speed links for western France, particularly journeys between Bordeaux, the Loire Valley, Brittany and Atlantic-coast destinations that were not organized around Paris in the same way as many existing TGV services. In April 2021, Le Train announced an intention to operate open-access TGV services with a fleet of ten trains. The proposal initially raised questions about the availability of suitable rolling stock. SNCF had traditionally not sold withdrawn TGV trainsets into a developed second-hand market, and several older fleets were being retired or considered for withdrawal. Le Train consequently pursued a new procurement strategy rather than relying solely on used French rolling stock. The company launched a Europe-wide tender in early 2022. Talgo, the Spanish rolling-stock manufacturer, was selected to supply the planned fleet. The supplier relationship was announced in March 2022 and formalized in January 2023 through an order for ten single-deck AVRIL high-speed trains. The reported €300 million contract also covered thirty years of maintenance and spare parts and the creation of a joint research and development unit in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Le Train cited the train’s level-floor accessibility, energy performance and provision for bicycles and other bulky equipment as important selection criteria. On 24 December 2022, Le Train obtained its French operating licence. This was a significant regulatory step and was described as making the company the first private high-speed operator in France to hold such a licence. The licence did not itself mark the beginning of passenger service; the company still had to complete fleet, operational, infrastructure and commercial preparations. In January 2023, Le Train refined its route plans. Rather than concentrating on a Bordeaux–Poitiers service as initially envisaged, the company said its trains would use the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique between Bordeaux and Tours. Planned routes would connect Bordeaux with Nantes and Rennes, with intermediate stops including La Rochelle, Saumur, Angers and Vannes. The company also described extensions toward Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport and Arcachon. The intended schedule has been described as five round trips per day on Bordeaux–Nantes and four on Bordeaux–Rennes, although these plans remain subject to final implementation. Le Train reported that it had negotiated lower access charges with Lisea, the private company responsible for managing the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique concession. Such charges are a central consideration for an open-access operator because the business must pay for use of railway infrastructure while building demand without the network-wide revenue base available to a national incumbent. In September 2023, the company was reported to have raised a further €8 million from Crédit Agricole Charente-Périgord Expansion, AQUITI Gestion, NACO and Tudigo X Le Train. The funding was intended to support the project’s development. Le Train is expected to launch services in 2028, but at the available reference date it remained a pre-operation railway venture. Its future depends on successful train delivery and certification, infrastructure and station arrangements, financing, workforce recruitment, regulatory compliance and the ability to attract passengers on routes competing with existing rail and other transport modes.

• 2023

  Ten-train Talgo contract announced

  [1]Le Trainen.wikipedia.org

  Le Train announced its contract for ten Talgo AVRIL trains, including long-term maintenance and spare-parts support and a joint research and development unit.

• 2023

  Additional funding reported

  [1]Le Trainen.wikipedia.org

  The company was reported to have raised an additional €8 million from four investors to support development before operations.

• 2022

  Talgo selected through European tender

  [1]Le Trainen.wikipedia.org

  Following a Europe-wide procurement process, Le Train selected Talgo to supply the company’s future high-speed trains.

• 2022

  Operating licence obtained

  [1]Le Trainen.wikipedia.org

  Le Train received its French operating licence in December, becoming the first private high-speed operator in France to hold one.

• 2021

  Initial open-access TGV plan announced

  [1]Le Trainen.wikipedia.org

  Le Train announced plans to operate open-access high-speed services using ten trains, although a rolling-stock supplier had not yet been identified.

• 2020

  Company founded

  [1]Le Trainen.wikipedia.org

  Le Train was established by a group of entrepreneurs, including former SNCF executive Alain Getraud, to develop private high-speed rail services in western France.

• Projected launch of passenger services

  [1]Le Trainen.wikipedia.org

  Le Train is expected to begin operating its planned high-speed services, although the launch remains prospective.

A private, open-access high-speed rail alternative focused on improving interregional connectivity in western France, with an emphasis on accessibility, regional coverage, energy efficiency and bicycle-friendly travel.

• High-speed passenger rail service

  Bordeaux–Nantes service

  A planned open-access high-speed route linking Bordeaux with Nantes through the western French rail network. The proposed service includes intermediate Loire Valley and Atlantic-region stops, with Saumur and Angers identified in later route plans. Le Train has described an intended frequency of five round trips per day, subject to final operational arrangements.

• High-speed passenger rail service

  Bordeaux–Rennes service

  A planned high-speed connection between Bordeaux and Rennes designed to improve direct interregional travel between the Atlantic southwest and Brittany. The proposed route is expected to call at selected intermediate destinations, including Vannes in the announced network concept. Le Train has described a target of four round trips per day, subject to implementation.

• High-speed train fleet

  Talgo AVRIL fleet

  Ten single-deck Talgo AVRIL high-speed trains ordered under Le Train’s reported €300 million agreement with Talgo. The trains were selected for features including level-floor accessibility, energy efficiency and dedicated areas for bicycles and other equipment. The agreement also included thirty years of maintenance and spare-parts support.

• 2023

  Order ten Talgo AVRIL trainsProduct launch

  Background

  The company was preparing a fleet for planned services between Bordeaux, Nantes and Rennes and needed new high-speed trains compatible with its operating model.

  Action taken

  Le Train signed a contract with Talgo for ten AVRIL trains, with maintenance, spare parts and a joint research and development unit included.

  Aftermath

  The order established the proposed fleet basis for the company’s expected 2028 launch.

  Reported contract value. €300 million (January 2023 announcement; contract also covered 30 years of maintenance and spare parts)

  Source

• 2023

  Refine the Bordeaux high-speed route structureStrategy

  Background

  Le Train revised the infrastructure alignment associated with its planned western France network.

  Action taken

  The company announced that its services would use the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique between Bordeaux and Tours and added Saumur and Angers to the proposed Nantes and Rennes routes.

  Aftermath

  The revised plan broadened the proposed network’s reach into the Loire Valley and reflected reported negotiations over lower track-access charges with Lisea.

  Source

• 2022

  Select Talgo as rolling-stock supplierOther

  Background

  Le Train needed a fleet for its proposed private high-speed operation and conducted a Europe-wide competitive tender after uncertainty over the availability of used TGV trains.

  Action taken

  The company selected Talgo and chose the AVRIL platform for its planned fleet.

  Aftermath

  The selection led to the announced order for ten trains and positioned Le Train to become the second AVRIL operator after Renfe if the trains enter service.

  Source

• 2023

  Le Train orders ten Talgo AVRIL high-speed trains[1]Le Trainen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The company announced a contract with Talgo for ten AVRIL trains, with maintenance, spare-parts support and a joint research and development unit included in the reported €300 million agreement.

• 2023

  Le Train secures additional development funding[1]Le Trainen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Le Train was reported to have received €8 million from four investors to support its development ahead of the planned launch of services.

• 2022

  Le Train receives French railway operating licence[1]Le Trainen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation

  Le Train received its operating licence in December 2022, becoming the first private high-speed operator in France to hold such a licence.

1. 1Le Trainen.wikipedia.org