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What France’s high-speed TGV trains will look like in the future

France’s flagship trains are getting a revamp that will allow for more passengers, a trendy bar on each level and lower fuel consumption. Here’s what’s in store for TGV passengers in France.

Published: 20 February 2019 17:23 CET

What France's high-speed TGV trains will look like in the future

Travellers in France have been given a glimpse of what the TGV trains will look like in just a few a few years time – 2023 to be precise.

The “TGV of the future” or “TGV 2020” as it's being dubbed by France’s state-run SNCF rail service, is a more compact model than its predecessor, even though it does have double deck coaches.

It has a smaller engine allowing for room for an extra carriage (8 to 9 coaches) which in turn takes the maximum occupancy on a TGV from the current 556 passengers to 740.

The trains will be able to reach a top speed of 350 kph (220 mph).

It will also be possible to modify the trains for them to only have seven carriages. This added modularity will extend to the interiors, meaning that different carriages can be easily transformed into first or second class carriages, quiet spaces or entertainment areas.

French multinational Alstom, the train manufacturer favoured by the SNCF, is behind the design. The famed train manufacturer will have to put the first models on the tracks by 2023 and have a fleet of 100 fully functioning by 2031.

Officially named the Avelia Horizon, the state-of-the-art train will also have larger windows, a more advanced air conditioning system, improved accessibility through wider doors and a “concept bar” on each of its two levels.

The bill for taxpayer and state for each of these high-speed trains is reported to be 20 percent cheaper than for its predecessors, with the added perk that they consume 20 percent less fuel.

France has already agreed to pay a total of €2.7 billion for the fleet of 100 new TGV trains.

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What are the rules on taking your bike on the train in France?

Photo: Jacques Demarthon/AFP

Can I commute with my bike?

The French government is keen to encourage ‘multimode’ commuting – or people who cycle part of the way to work and take the train or bus for the rest.

On June 10th 2021, it published a decree which makes it mandatory for SNCF train stations and Paris’ RATP stations which have high numbers of passengers to provide secured parking spaces for bikes by 2024. This obligation concerns 1,133 train stations, which represent 37 percent of all train stations in France.

How can I carry my bike on the train?

When it comes to taking a bike on longer train journeys, the rules vary depending on the type of train you are using.

You can bring your bike, without having to disassemble it, on every TER (regional train) for free and without having to make a reservation, but keep in mind that space is limited. Since March 2021, every new trains or trains that are being renovated must have at least 8 spaces for bikes on board.

Some TGVs (high-speed trains) and most Intercités (non high-speed national trains) offer a possibility to take your bike aboard, and in those where you can, you must make a reservation online or at the train station when you buy your ticket.

THIS MAP allows you to check all the main long distance train lines that allow bikes on board.

When to take the train with your bike?

In TERs, spaces for bikes are available on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be booked, therefore it’s better not to travel during rush hours.

You’ll find special information about when and how to travel with your bike on TGVs and Intercités on the SNCF website.

How to reserve a spot for your bike?

For TERs, making a reservation is not possible.

For TGVs and Intercités, if you want to travel with an assembled bike, you must make a reservation for a dedicated spot when you buy your ticket on the website Oui.sncf . The price to add a bike on a TGV starts from 10€ and from 5€ on an Intercités. Adding a bike after you bought your ticket is not possible.

Also, it’s important to note that you won’t be able to reserve a space for your bike when you make a reservation from your phone on the app Oui.sncf. You can add a bike from your phone with the app Trainline.

How to carry a disassembled bike?

You can carry your bike in every SNCF trains as long as it is disassembled in a bag which dimensions doesn’t exceed 90x120cm. In this case, it is considered hand luggage.

Are trailers, tandems and cargo bikes allowed?

Only regular bikes are accepted on trains. Carrying recumbent bikes, tricycles, tandems or trailers is not allowed. Only one train makes an exception during summer: the train Loire à Vélo, a train that goes from Nevers in the Center of France to the Atlantic Coast.

Special info and tips if you want to travel by train with your bike this summer

On the line Bretagne / TER : From June 7th to September 30th 2021, making a reservation for your bike to travel on a TER in the Bretagne région is mandatory. You will have to pay 3€ per bike and you can only reserve a ticket that includes a bike on the website.

Travelling with the Train Loire à Vélo : This train that goes from the city of Orléans to Le Croisic on the Atlantic Coast is back on track. The ride is free and you don’t have to make a reservation for your bike.

The Nouvelle-Aquitaine / La Vélodyssée service : In the Nouvelle Aquitaine region which includes Bordeaux and Biarritz, a special TER service with bikes allowed will be working from mid-July to August 2021. It will be free and without reservation, you can find some info on this map.

On the line ViaRhôna / TER Lyon – Avignon : From July 3rd to September 19th, it will be possible to travel between the cities of Lyon and Avignon by train with your bike but only during week-ends and bank holidays. You must make a reservation and the price per bike will be of 3€.

La Véloscénie : is a special itinerary for people who want to cycle between Paris and the Mont Saint-Michel and visit different places along the journey. From May to September the line from Paris to Pontorson Mont Saint-Michel embarks your bikes for free.

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