France: Proxima to Undertake Passenger Transport on HSR

Another private carrier is set to appear on France’s high-speed rail network (HSR), this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

French investment company Antin Infrastructure Partners has announced the launch of a new project named Proxima, which will handle passenger transportation on the HSR.

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A memorandum has already been signed between Proxima and Alstom for the supply of 12 high-speed Avelia Horizon trains to implement the project.

Proxima will become the second private company granted access to France’s high-speed rail network.

Earlier, in March this year, it was revealed that the state-owned railway operator SNCF had granted the rights to operate high-speed lines to the private company Kevin Speed.

Under the agreement, from 2028 to 2038, SNCF Réseau and Kevin Speed will jointly service high-speed routes between Paris, Lille, Strasbourg, and Lyon. For this, Kevin Speed will purchase 20 single-deck distributed power trains from Alstom worth about 1 billion euros.

A distinctive feature of the Proxima project will be the use of double-deck Avelia Horizon trains with a dual-power configuration.

Operational tests of these trains are expected to begin in early 2027.

Proxima plans to use the new trains on routes connecting Paris with western French cities such as Bordeaux, Rennes, Nantes, and Angers.

Further expansion of the route network and an increase in the train fleet are planned.

The company has also arranged to use a depot located near Bordeaux for the maintenance of its trains.

Currently, Alstom is fulfilling an order from SNCF for the supply of 115 Avelia Horizon trains, which will operate under the TGV-M brand.

Recently, Alstom presented the model of the train in a new livery. Commercial operation of the new trains is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2025, after which Alstom will deliver one train per month to SNCF.

Thus, the emergence of Proxima on the French HSR network indicates significant changes in France’s rail transport sector, aimed at increasing competition and improving passenger service quality.

The introduction of next-generation high-speed trains will ensure faster and more comfortable journeys, expanding transportation options for both residents and visitors to the country.

Photo: Alstom

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