SNCF Voyageurs has unveiled the first TGV INOUI trainset to be modernised as part of the O2D programme, which aims to extend the service life of TGV trainsets by postponing their natural retirement cycle. The objective is to maintain the TGV offering, despite delays in the delivery of the new TGV M and the inevitable withdrawal of some existing trainsets.
The program represents an investment of over EUR 600 million, financed entirely by SNCF Voyageurs.
The O2D program targets 104 selected trainsets, originally designed for an average operating life of 34 years, extending this to 40 or even 50 years, “a world first in the field of high-speed trains,” says SNCF Voyageurs.
Three-quarters of the trainsets included in the O2D program are single-deck trainsets, and one-quarter are double-deck trainsets. Only double-deck trainsets will benefit from a 10 to 15-year extension of their service life.
This year, 26 refurbished trainsets will leave the workshops to return to commercial service, followed by another 23 in 2027, meaning that almost half of the trainsets included in the O2D program will be back in service by next year. The refurbishment of the remaining trainsets will take place in stages until 2033.
The O2D program in figures:
- 104 TGV trainsets to be refurbished, with a life extension of 2 to 10 or even 15 years;
- 23 double-decker trainsets;
- 81 single-decker trainsets;
- over EUR 600 million invested from own funds;
- equivalent to a 15% increase in TGV fleet capacity;
- 6.7 million tons of CO₂ saved.
Increased capacity of the TGV fleet
The O2D program will have a tangible impact on the transport capacity of TGV trains operated by SNCF Voyageurs. From 2027, the refurbished trainsets whose service life has been extended will represent a preserved capacity of approximately 17,700 seats in the TGV fleet.
In the long term, between 2027 and 2034, the capacity of the TGV fleet will be maintained at an average of 22,100 seats, the equivalent of 52 TGV trainsets. During this period, the O2D program will preserve approximately 15% of the current capacity of the TGV offer. The O2D program, combined with the delivery of new TGV M trains, will enable a gradual increase in the number of seats available, with the final level depending on the pace of delivery of the new trainsets.
The O2D program complements other investments and industrial developments made in recent years, which have enabled an increase in TGV seat capacity since 2020:
- optimization of train rotation through efficient maintenance organization;
- development of the OUIGO service, with higher-capacity trainsets and a fleet that will grow from 38 to 50 trainsets by 2027;
- mid-life modernization of 50 TGV trainsets between 2020 and 2026, increasing the capacity of each trainset from 509 to 556 seats, representing an investment of EUR 250 million;
- suspension of the withdrawal from service of TGV INOUI trainsets that could continue to operate safely.
Programs to increase fleet availability
In addition, 100 TGV M trainsets have been ordered from Alstom since 2018 and will be introduced on the domestic market from July 2026. This €3.5 billion investment from our own funds marks an essential step in the renewal and development of the TGV offering.
Together, these investments will contribute to the development of the TGV offering in the coming years, while ensuring the management of the rolling stock’s life cycle through the introduction of TGV M trains and the gradual withdrawal of trainsets that have reached the end of their operating life.
By extending the life of TGV INOUI trainsets, the O2D program helps to delay the production and purchase of new rolling stock, which is the most CO₂-intensive phase in a train’s life cycle (manufacturing, raw materials, construction, transport, etc.), thereby significantly reducing its carbon footprint. The O2D program generates savings of 6.7 million tons of CO₂, equivalent to just over 5% of the annual emissions of the transport sector in France.
The O2D program is based on the unprecedented mobilization of both the TGV maintenance Technicenters (Atlantique and Le Landy) and the Industrial Technicenters (Rennes, Hellemmes) and complements other major programs such as: The program to extend the life of the trainsets responds to the challenge facing SNCF Voyageurs of how to maintain a high level of service and quality, given that the renewal of the rolling stock fleet – represented by the future TGV M – has been delayed, and existing trains must be gradually withdrawn from service when they reach the end of their service life.
- Tango – conversion of former TGV INOUI trainsets into OUIGO trainsets to add 12 additional trainsets to the fleet;
- OPTER – mid-life modernization of more than 900 regional trains over a decade;
- OPNAT – renovation of 170 trains for Île-de-France Mobilités.
Share on:
