France is expanding its high-speed rail network with the addition of 3 connections by debutante operator Kevin Speed linking Paris to Lille, Lyon and Strasbourg.
The new routes are set to open by 2028 after trial runs planned for 2026, and Kevin Speed says it aims to operate hourly departures, from 6am to 10pm, once it gets up and running.
The additions mean Kevin Speed, which was founded in 2021, will join national rail company Société Nationale Des Chemins De Fer Français (SNCF) in providing TGV-style high-speed train services in France on its so-called Ilisto train.
The deal shows that the French Government and SNCF are "opening-up this market to operators and private capital, supporting the expansion of new sustainable mobility choices for passengers," according to Kevin Speed.
The SNCF has submitted the agreement, which the French government has approved, to the national transport regulator for sign-off.
"The opening up of the market means that new operators will be able to enter the market, increasing the number of trains and therefore the rail services available to the French, including for medium-sized towns and cities," said Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete.
In the meantime, however, travellers and commuters in France are facing the continued prospect of strikes, including by railway workers, ahead of this year's Paris Olympics.
