Alstom has secured a €600 million contract from the French train operator SNCF Voyageurs for the supply of 15 Avelia Horizon double-decker TGV high-speed trains for delivery in 2029.

The trains will be a quad-voltage version of Alstom’s new generation of high-speed trains that meet European standards, and is the fourth follow-on order of the company’s Avelia Horizon Innovation Partnership contract with SNCF Voyageurs. It follows 115 trains that SNCF Voyageurs has already ordered, including 100 for commercial operation in France, 15 for commercial operation in Europe, and 30 trains ordered by Eurostar last October.

The cumulated total of Avelia Horizons ordered under the contract now stands at 160 trains.

Avelia Horizon trains have double-decker articulated carriages with a short power car at each end of the train. It is estimated that their maintenance cost will be more than 30% lower than the cost to maintain SNCF Voyageur’s existing trains.

To improve the trains’ reliability and availability, they incorporate a remote diagnostic system for predictive maintenance. With their aerodynamic design and more-efficient traction, these new-generation trains will consume 20% less energy than existing TGVs.

Ten of Alstom’s 14 French sites will be involved in the construction of components and vehicle assembly:

• Belfort – power car assembly.
• La Rochelle – carriage assembly.
• Villeurbanne – control-command computer system, passenger information system, and on-board equipment.
• Ornans – motors.
• Le Creusot – bogies.
• Tarbes – traction and electrical cabinets.
• EDC Toulouse – electrical circuits.
• Petit-Quevilly – transformers.
• Saint-Ouen – design and signalling.
• Valenciennes – interiors.

The Avelia Horizon is the world’s only double-decker train with a maximum speed of over 300 km/h.

“This contract once again confirms the success of high-speed rail and the Avelia Horizon platform, while illustrating our strong commitment to sustainable, low-carbon mobility. Designed to meet technological and economic challenges, this solution actively contributes to the ecological transition, in a context where passengers are increasingly favouring environmentally friendly modes of transport.”

Frédéric Wiscart, President of Alstom France, Belgium, and Luxembourg.