France Unveils First 'Private TGV' Velvet Train

A new private player has entered the French high-speed rail market with the official launch of Velvet Trains, marking the birth of the country's first privately-owned high-speed rail company. Originally named Proxima, the project has secured €1 billion in funding with the core objective of breaking the long-standing monopoly of the state-owned SNCF on long-distance high-speed services. It plans to launch new routes connecting Paris to cities on the Atlantic coast in 2028, injecting fresh competitive vitality into the French high-speed rail sector.

On July 1, 2025, the Proxima project, founded by former SNCF executives and seasoned entrepreneurs, was officially rebranded as Velvet Trains, unveiling its signature green and purple livery. Its establishment was made possible by France's 2018 rail reform law, which opened the long-distance high-speed market to private operators. Velvet's entry signifies the arrival of the first domestic private player in a market previously only contested by foreign competitors.

The company has placed an order with Alstom for 12 Avelia Horizon high-speed trains. Based on the TGV M platform, the double-deck, modular trains offer advantages in energy efficiency, large windows, and spacious interiors. Alstom will provide full maintenance support for 15 years. The trains are currently in production in La Rochelle and Belfort, and a new maintenance depot is being built in Marchéprome. According to the plan, delivery will begin in 2028 at a rate of one train per month. The first four trains will be prioritized on the lucrative Paris-Bordeaux route, with the full fleet scheduled for deployment by 2029.

Velvet Trains is built around the core principles of "novelty, comfort, and convenience." Its design draws inspiration from the hotel, theatre, and aviation industries, aiming to blur the lines between business and leisure travel while enhancing onboard connectivity and content services to create a differentiated travel experience. Operationally, it relies on Alstom's full-service maintenance package, avoiding the need to build its own team, and plans to achieve profitability through high-frequency service and high load factors.

In response to the challenge, SNCF has announced it will add 4 million seats​ to Atlantic coast routes by 2026 to solidify its market position. Although it holds a significant advantage in fleet size, Velvet Trains, with its flexibility and innovative model, is well-positioned to attract a specific customer segment. The main current challenge for the project lies in Alstom's production and delivery capabilities. Alstom's head in France has committed €150 million to boost capacity and leverage certification experience from the TGV M program to ensure Velvet Trains enter service on schedule in 2028.