The French high-speed rail market has welcomed new competitors, and the start-up railway operator Velvet has obtained official operating qualifications. After years of preparation, the Paris West high-speed rail line has been accelerated, which will break the inherent pattern of local high-speed rail operation.

Recently, Velvet in France obtained the railway operation license from the country's Ministry of Transport and plans to open a high-speed railway line connecting Paris, Bordeaux, Nantes, and Angers in 2028. The enterprise has purchased 12 Alstom high-speed trains, with a vehicle procurement value of 850 million euros, and the overall financing of the project is about 1 billion euros. The passenger capacity of a single train is not less than 600 people.

At present, enterprises still need to obtain a single safety certification before commercial passenger transport. Alstom will provide 15 years of maintenance services for vehicles and establish a dedicated repair center. This project can add tens of millions of high-speed rail seats annually, enriching passenger routes in western France, challenging traditional operational patterns, and promoting the market-oriented development of high-speed rail in France.