FS Group orders high speed trains for Trenitalia’s London

FS Group orders high speed trains for Trenitalia’s London – Paris service EUROPE: Trenitalia France has signed an agreement with Hitachi Rail for the supply of 19 high speed trains for use in France and on the London – Paris service through the Channel Tunnel which the operator hopes to launch in 2029. The deal announced on August 7 includes long-term maintenance and technical support, and forms part of a €2bn investment package that the French subsidiary of the Italian state-owned operator has agreed to underwrite the launch of the service. A new maintenance facility is under development at Maisons-Alfort Pompadour near Paris for the expanding fleet. The newly ordered trains will also be used on Trenitalia France’s existing Paris – Lyon, Paris – Milano and Paris – Marseille routes. ‘This order represents a strategic milestone for FS Group: it strengthens our presence in France, a key market for our international growth, and supports the development of increasingly efficient, sustainable and competitive high-speed services’, said Gianpiero Strisciuglio, CEO of Trenitalia’s parent company FS. ‘The new trains and the new Maisons-Alfort Pompadour maintenance hub are also fundamental elements for the launch of the Paris – London connection, a project that is central to our vision of the “Metro of Europe”, the integrated high-speed network that will increasingly connect Europe’s major cities.’ The trains are expected to be a follow-on build of Hitachi Rail’s established ETR1000 design. Announcing the procurement, Trenitalia said the latest batch would offer high standards of comfort, innovation and sustainability. Passengers will benefit from next-generation Wi-Fi connectivity of up to 10 GB/sec, a new bistro concept, an enhanced catering offering, and completely redesigned interiors to provide an even more comfortable travel experience across all classes of accommodation. Trenitalia currently offers four classes on its premium Frecciarossa Mille services in Italy. ‘The potential of this partnership is exceeding our expectations. We have seen extraordinary interest from investors of all types who want exposure to the European high speed rail market and are excited to participate alongside us in the sector’s development’, said Greg O’Hara, Senior Managing Director and Founder of Certares, the investment group that is backing Trenitalia’s ambition to launch a Paris – London service. ‘It is a powerful validation of the investment opportunity ahead of us: combining FS Group’s operational excellence with our global travel distribution assets to build a world-class international high speed rail platform’, O’Hara added. Besides FS Group’s plan, Gemini Trains and Virgin Group are also working to bring competition to Eurostar in the cross-Channel corridor. Subscribe to gain access to all news Already have a subscription? Log in. Choose your subscription Considering a corporate subscription? Contact us to find out more.