On the occasion of the announcement of a new stage in the testing of the TGV M, the SNCF has again published a postponed date for the entry into commercial service of its new-generation train assembled by Alstom. This is now scheduled for 1 July 2026 for the first four test trainsets, with eight TGVs then due to go into service in September and 13 by the end of 2026. SNCF is taking the plunge with the Avelia Horizon, a 5th generation TGV featuring no fewer than 400 industrial and technical innovations that have required numerous adjustments and major modifications during this interminable test campaign that began in December 2022.
Brakes in particular have been a major stumbling block. SNCF had initially announced that the TGV would be brought into service for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, then in 2025 and early 2026. The end of the tunnel seems to be in sight this time, as the company has just submitted the marketing authorisation application to the European Railways Agency, the agency responsible for rail safety and interoperability. The pre-operational test phase has thus been launched.
A TGV to face up to the competition
To maintain public interest throughout these delays, SNCF has been teasing the public, unveiling the white colour of these future TGVs in April 2024, followed by their interior fittings in March 2025.
The carrier intends to make this Avelia Horizon TGV a strategic asset, with 115 trainsets ordered at a cost of 4 billion euros. Thanks to a revolutionary engine, these trains will have 9 carriages, compared with 8 for current TGVs. This will increase the capacity of 20% to 720 seats (compared with 630 today), while reducing energy consumption by the same amount.
SNCF plans to operate its first trainsets on the Paris-Lyon-Mediterranean and Paris-Milan routes in order to withstand the competition from Trenitalia on these routes. In addition to the capacity aspect, these trains will offer greater comfort for both 1st and 2nd class passengers. This new fleet will also be used to replace the old Inoui TGV trains, which will soon come under the Inoui banner. Ouigo after a major makeover to bring it into line with the low-cost brand.
