France: Now, commissioning of the first new-generation trainsets from Alstom is postponed till early 2026. Initially, the vehicles were expected to enter service in 2022.
According to the French media Les Echos, this new postponement is connected with problems revealed during the testing. There have been detected faults in batteries, vibrations at high speeds (the train was tested at 320 km/h) as well as premature wear of wheels. Because of this, the French national operator SNCF has decided to increase the mileage, needed to be covered during tests, to one million kilometres.
SNCF has ordered 115 Avelia Horizon trains worth €3.5 bln, which come under the name the TGV Ms and are the fifth generation of high-speed trains from Alstom. Serial deliveries of the vehicles are to commence in 2026 with 12 trainsets per year and terminate by 2033.
It is worth noting that the launch of the Avelia Liberty, Alstom’s high-speed train for the USA designed on the same platform, is also delayed for three years so far. The trains’ entering commercial service is expected this year in spring.
