For a few months now, there's been a bit of a revolution on the railways. SNCF now faces local competition from French (and other) companies determined to use traditional speeds on central and cross-country routes. In other words, no more looping around Paris on every journey, it's time for more direct connections, for a railway network that aims to be less "Paris-centric."
Enter the company "Le Train"! They have decided to join the fray by responding to the call for tenders for the Nantes-Bordeaux, Nantes-Lyon (via Saumur, Bourges, and Moulins) lines, and the future Nantes-Lille line (via Rouen). Their thing is railway heritage, no-frills travel, inter-sector connections, meaning journeys that cater to medium to long distances, linking region to region without unnecessary detours.
The first trains will start running in 2026
"We made a name for ourselves with our TGV lines project between the Grand Ouest and Bordeaux. But our core business, before high speed, is inter-sector. That's where we shine, connecting regions without fuss.
"Transporting passengers on medium to long journeys, traveling from region to region," explains Alain Gétraud, the general manager of this company in comments reported by Ouest France.
The train lines targeted today are currently in the hands of SNCF with its Intercités and are part of the famous Trains d'Equilibre du Territoire (TET), where the State delegates the privilege of operating to a concessionaire. But here we are, the situation is changing, the monopoly is fading, and Le Train wants its share of the railway cake. Eleven TET lines, and soon eleven challengers in the arena, because these routes will be open to competition by 2030. The State will have to choose the winning horse in a few months, and if all goes as planned, the first "Le Train" tickets for Nantes to Bordeaux, Lyon, and Lille should be available in 2026/2027.
We can't wait!