Trenitalia France will strengthen its fleet with 19 high-speed trains supplied by Hitachi Rail. This order, integrated into an investment of around two billion euros, should support its development in France and prepare for the opening of a Paris-London link announced for 2029.
Trenitalia is accelerating its development in the French and European high-speed market. The Italian railway group FS has announced the order for 19 new trainsets from Hitachi Rail for its subsidiary Trenitalia France. The investment, estimated at around two billion euros, includes the construction of the trains as well as their long-term maintenance and technical support.
This new fleet must first strengthen the lines already operated by the company between Paris and Lyon, Milan or Marseille. It will also constitute the basis of the future high-speed service between Paris and London, which Trenitalia confirms will be launched for 2029. The operator thus intends to establish itself sustainably on an axis currently dominated by Eurostar.
The trains will be designed to operate on several high-speed European networks. Trenitalia highlights an improvement in comfort and experience on board, with redesigned interiors, a new catering offer and a Wi-Fi connection of up to 10 Gbit/s.
The group also announces enhanced environmental performance. Future trains would have a recyclability rate of up to 97.1%, as well as a reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to the previous generation. These figures must, however, be assessed based on the exact calculation conditions communicated by the manufacturer.
To support this expansion, Trenitalia is also developing a new maintenance center in Maisons-Alfort Pompadour, near Paris. According to the group, the order and associated investments could contribute to the creation of around 2,000 jobs in France, Italy and the United Kingdom, across the entire industrial chain.
Beyond fleet renewal, the operation illustrates the intensification of rail competition in Europe. By targeting Paris-London, Trenitalia is no longer content with consolidating its French positions: the company is seeking to build a cross-border network capable of directly linking several major European metropolises.
