TGV unveils high-speed trains of the future

(CNN) — Welcome to the future of European high-speed trains.

French railway company SNCF and train manufacturer Alstom have unveiled the first completed TGV M, a next-generation high-speed double-decker with a longer, more aerodynamic nose – perfect for racing across the French countryside.

Alstom called the new train “the TGV of the future”. TGV stands for Train à Grand Vitesse, which means high-speed train.

This chic new design will premiere on the Paris rail network in 2024 and across the country over the next 10 years.

Bigger and better

TGV is one of the world’s most famous brands of high-speed trains and has been an important part of European rail traffic since the early 1980s.

In 2018, SNCF, the French state railway company that controls TGV, ordered 100 TGV M trains (also known as Avelia Horizon trains) at a cost of 2.7 billion euros (about 2.7 billion dollars). An additional 15 trains were ordered in August 2022.

The majority of the trains will run in France, but Alstom has said 15 will run internationally.

TGV M will run at the same maximum speed as the previous generation of TGV trains – 350 kilometers per hour (almost 220 mph).

Unveiled at Alstom’s factory in La Rochelle, western France, the new TGV M train is heralded as the next generation of European high-speed trains.

Xavier Leoty/AFP/Getty Images

TGV M trains not only have 40.5 centimeters longer noses than their predecessors, they are larger all around. The more spacious coach interior can accommodate up to 740 seats, compared to the current maximum of 634.

TGV Ms also got what manufacturer Alstom calls “unprecedented modularity”, meaning the train’s interior configuration can be easily modified. A carriage can be converted from second class to first class and back again, or modified to accommodate oversized luggage or bicycles. There will also be dedicated passenger social areas on board to provide variety and flexibility on longer journeys.

According to Alstom, the design improves the current energy efficiency and carbon footprint of the TGV, as 97% of the train components are now recyclable.

It will also provide better accessibility – there will be a lifting platform to allow wheelchair users to board the train independently, and an onboard sound system to assist visually impaired travellers.

Larger windows ensure optimal views, while the TGV’s lighting adapts to the natural light outside.

In a statement, Alstom describes a “train set whose sensors continuously transmit thousands of bits of data, allowing the train to be viewed from every angle in real time to optimize maintenance and availability.”

From design to reality

The futuristic elements of the TGV M will require some infrastructure changes on the French rail network. For example, some station stop signs will have to be moved so that they are not obscured by the longer nose of the new train.

Train drivers were actively involved in the design process, especially the interior of the driver’s cab, Alstom says.

“Using virtual reality glasses, 100 drivers were given a virtual tour of the cab, with a choice of three room designs,” the company says.

With the unveiling of the first completed train, the next step is what Alstom describes as “a long test period” – the first test phase will begin in the Czech Republic at the end of 2022.

Top photo by Xavier Leoty/AFP/Getty Images