Talk about breaking them in! SNCF is running into severe difficulties with the launch of the fifth-generation TGV built by Alstom. Expected at the beginning of September, SNCF is still unable to give a start date for the commercial operation of this «TGV of the future». As a reminder, it was initially expected at the end of 2023, then for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, before suffering yet more postponements. This is due to the countless technical innovations in this high-speed train, whose power cars are assembled by Alstom in Belfort and carriages at its La Rochelle site.
While testing began as early as June 2023 on the national SNCF network, these are still ongoing, so many technical problems are these trains encountering. Chief among the causes is the rapid wear and tear of braking components, as well as on the onboard batteries, the models of which regularly burn out and which Alstom has to replace at a cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds. In the event of an electrical problem on the network, this onboard battery should theoretically enable the TGV M to run autonomously for a distance of 40 to 50 km in order to reach the nearest station.
Opening of Italian lines postponed to mid-2028
While the TGV-M obtained its commercial operating authorisation from the ERA, the European Railway Agency, last May and testing continues – even with passengers on board – SNCF continues to stockpile the trainsets delivered by Alstom. The national operator reportedly has around 8 of them at this stage, which it cannot deploy because any breakdown in commercial service would deal a severe blow to the company's image. In order to avoid any backlash, SNCF therefore prefers to wait until all technical issues have been resolved. Alstom engineers might also be on board during the initial runs to assist drivers in the event of a breakdown.
Jean Castex, the head of SNCF, is due to speak on Tuesday morning from the company's headquarters and it is a safe bet that he will be questioned on this delicate subject. Indeed, SNCF has ordered no fewer than 115 trainsets, part of which are also dedicated to its Eurostar subsidiary as well as its expansion projects in Italy with the Paris-Milan, Turin-Rome and Turin-Venice lines. However, this Italian venture has just been postponed from 2027 to the second quarter of 2028. In France, the first trainsets will enter service on the Paris-Lyon-Marseille line in order to withstand competition from Trenitalia.
