Overview
- Velvet, which unveiled its first Avelia Horizon train Wednesday at Alstom’s La Rochelle site, began the static test phase for its new fleet.
- The company plans static checks through late 2026, then on‑rail trials on the national network in early 2027, with first passenger service targeted from mid‑2028.
- Initial routes will link Paris with Bordeaux, Angers–Nantes, and Rennes, and Velvet says the three lines together could offer about 10 million seats a year.
- Velvet ordered 12 double‑deck Avelia Horizon trains from Alstom, backed by €1 billion from Antin Infrastructure Partners, including €850 million for the train deal and a 15‑year maintenance plan at a new Marcheprime workshop.
- Executives cite unmet demand of about 15% on these corridors and chose the same base model as SNCF’s TGV M to speed approval, while a government‑commissioned report weighs SNCF’s call for identical service rules for new entrants.