TGV-M market authorisation now brings France’s new high-speed train closer to its passenger debut. The European Union Agency for Railways approval clears one of the final regulatory steps before TGV INOUI services begin later in 2026.

TGV-M market authorisation sets 2026 launch path
Photo: SNCF

What TGV-M market authorisation changes before launch?

The decision confirms that the TGV-M high-speed train meets European safety and interoperability requirements. According to Alstom’s announcement on the ERA market authorisation, the approval process involved SNCF Voyageurs, Alstom and the ERA. It followed an admission testing campaign launched in 2023, with the full application dossier submitted to the European authority in December 2025.

For SNCF Voyageurs and Alstom, the approval is a major step toward bringing the next generation of TGV INOUI trains into service. Passenger operations have not started yet, but the programme now has the regulatory basis needed for the final stages before commercial use.

Deliveries and pre-commercial testing in France

The first TGV-M trainsets are due to be delivered from the beginning of summer 2026. Under the current industrial plan, two units are expected from June, then six by the end of August and 13 by the end of the year.

Before passengers board the new fleet, the trains will go through a pre-commercial testing phase on France’s national rail network. That stage gives operating teams and onboard staff time to work with the new rolling stock in real conditions, while the final technical adjustments are completed.

Several hundred employees from Alstom and SNCF are expected to take part in the programme. The tests will cover onboard systems, operating procedures and elements linked to the passenger experience before the commercial launch. Railway Supply previously covered the early TGV-M testing phase on the French national network, which formed part of the wider validation process before entry into service.

The first passengers are expected to travel on the new TGV INOUI services in early September 2026. At that initial stage, six trainsets are due to be included in the operating timetable.

A new stage for France’s high-speed rail fleet

The TGV-M has been developed by SNCF Voyageurs and Alstom as part of the renewal of France’s high-speed rail fleet. Designed in France, the train uses recyclable materials and offers greater capacity than earlier generations.

In its maximum layout, the train can provide up to 740 seats, increasing seating capacity by up to 20 percent. The design also provides more luggage storage, one of the passenger-facing changes in the new TGV INOUI generation.

The train is expected to cut energy consumption by 20 percent through aerodynamic improvements. Maintenance costs are also expected to be 30 percent lower than on previous generations, while carbon dioxide emissions are projected to fall by 32 percent.

During the testing and validation programme, the TGV-M completed nearly one million kilometres. More than 400 patents linked to innovations developed for the project have also been filed.

SNCF Voyageurs has ordered 130 trainsets for the programme. Eurostar has ordered 30 TGV-M trainsets and holds an option for 20 additional units, a fleet decision also reflected in Alstom’s official Eurostar Avelia Horizon order announcement.