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Tours–Bordeaux High-Speed Rail

Also known as the South Europe Atlantic high-speed rail (SEA HSR), Tours-Bordeaux high-speed rail is a massive project under development in France.

High speed rail line

302km high-speed line and 38km connecting lines

Réseau Ferré de France (RFF)

Concession Contractor

LISEA (A company promoted by VINCI)

Estimated Investment

€7.8bn ($10.06bn)

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Construction of the project started in mid-2012 and was completed in early 2017. The line is scheduled to open for passengers in July 2017.

The €7.8bn ($10.06bn) project involved construction of a new 302km high-speed link between Tours and Bordeaux, as well as 38km of connecting lines to the existing rail network along the corridor.

The line passes through Centre, Poitou-Charentes, and Aquitaine regions, as well as through six departments of France. It reduces the journey time between Paris and Bordeaux by approximately one hour. As many as 20 million passengers can take advantage of the high-speed transport service on the new line.

The project created 4,500 temporary jobs during construction and will generate 150 permanent jobs in the operation and maintenance stages. It will also free up the existing Tours-Bordeaux line for more freight and regional express train traffic.

Tours-Bordeaux High-Speed Rail Project development details

The Tours-Bordeaux High-Speed Rail Project was advanced as part of an integrated plan for developing national and European high-speed railway networks. It was proposed as an extension of the LGV Atlantique, a high-speed line from Paris to Western France that opened in 1989.

LGV Atlantique consists of one line running westward to Le Mans towards Brittany and another routed in a southwest direction to Tours. The Tours-Bordeaux line extends the southwest LGV Atlantique up to Bordeaux.

Completion of the proposed Grand Projet ferroviaire du Sud-Ouest (GPSO) project will enable the Tours-Bordeaux line to further open up the regional network.

Preliminary studies on the Tours-Bordeaux line were conducted between 1995 and 2002. Early design studies were completed in 2007, while the process for selecting the concessionaire started in 2009. Project implementation followed concession contract award in June 2011.

Contractors for the Tours-Bordeaux high-speed rail project

The Tours-Bordeaux High-Speed Rail line was built through a 50-year concession contract, the largest of its kind.

Réseau Ferré de France (RFF) awarded the contract to LISEA, a special purpose company promoted by VINCI in June 2011. LISEA is owned by VINCI (33.4%), CDC Infrastructure (25.4%), SOJAS (22%), and AXA Private Equity (19.2%).

Related project

Brittany–loire valley high-speed line, france.

The Brittany – Loire Valley high-speed line, also known as BPL, has been under construction since July 2012. The new high-speed line will be 182km long, connecting the cities of Le Mans and Rennes. The BPL will extend the existing 180km high-speed line between Paris and Connerré, which was built in 1989.

The concession contract includes financing, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the project for 50 years. The design-build contract has been awarded to COSEA, a consortium led by VINCI Construction. Other players include Eurovia, BEC, NGE, TSO, Ineo, Inexia, Arcadis, and Egis Rail.

A company called MESEA has been formed by VINCI Concessions (70%) and Inexia (30%) to operate and maintain the high-speed line.

Funding for the new high speed rail line between Tours and Bordeaux

The Tours-Bordeaux High-Speed Rail is funded through a public-private partnership. LISEA is responsible for financing €3.8bn ($4.9bn) of the project cost. Sources for LISEA’s financing include equity contribution by LISEA shareholders, the European Investment Bank (EIB), Fonds d’Epargne, bank debts guaranteed by the French Government, and non-guaranteed bank debts.

Public subsidies offered by the French Government, local communities, and the EU will amount to nearly €3bn ($3.8bn). RFF will invest €1bn ($1.3bn) in the project.

Route details and construction of Tours-Bordeaux HSR project

The 302km new high-speed line connecting is a double-track line, which allows trains to operate at speeds of up to 320km/h on electric power. The line passes through 19 viaducts and seven cut-and-cover tunnels. The project involved construction of 400 civil engineering structures in total.

The new line bypasses Libourne, Poitiers, and Angoulême with 17 new connecting lines. This line is 38km long in total.

Construction of the €6.2bn ($8bn) project was divided into two phases. Phase 1 involved the construction of the Angoulême-Bordeaux section, while phase 2 involved the Tours-Angoulême section.

Preparatory works such as excavation and installation of access tracks started in 2012. Earthworks and civil engineering works were complete by July 2015.

Contractors and suppliers involved in the Tours-Bordeaux HSR line

Eurovia Travaux Ferroviaires and TSO laid tracks for the new high-speed line and Tata Steel secured an order in 2011 to supply rail infrastructure. Vossloh was awarded a contract worth €60m ($77.4m) in September 2012 to supply switch and rail fastening systems for the project.

Ansaldo STS was awarded a €46.7m ($60.2m) contract in January 2012 for providing signalling systems and services for the line. The company supplied its Interlocking SEI and TVM 300 technologies along with track circuits and hot box detectors. Arcadis was awarded a subcontract worth €25m ($32.2m) in the same month to carry out design works of certain structures of the Tours-Bordeaux high-speed rail project.

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High-speed rail between Tours and Bordeaux - Réseau Ferré de France and VINCI sign world’s biggest rail concession contract

16 June 2011 - New contracts - France

- A 50-year concession contract signed between Réseau Ferré de France and LISEA, a company run by VINCI - Total investment of €7.8 billion includes €6.2 billion of construction works - A key economic issue for south-west France and the French high-speed rail network

The concession contract for the future South Europe Atlantic high-speed rail (SEA HSR) between Tours and Bordeaux was signed today by the concession company LISEA, represented by Xavier Huillard, chairman and CEO of VINCI, and French railway infrastructure manager Réseau Ferré de France (RFF), represented by its chairman and CEO, Hubert du Mesnil, following a competitive bidding process launched in 2007 by RFF. This signing follows both the French Prime Minister’s confirmation that the French government wanted to see this project move forward before the end of this month and RFF’s board of directors meeting of 9 June 2011.

LISEA’s shareholders are VINCI Concessions (leader) and VINCI SA (33.4%), CDC Infrastructure, a wholly owned subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts (25.4%), SOJAS, a dedicated investment entity (22%), and investment funds managed and advised by AXA Private Equity (19.2%).

The new Tours–Bordeaux high-speed rail project

The HSR project is 302 km long, with 38 km of connecting line to the conventional rail network. It represents a total investment of €7.8 billion and is the biggest public-private partnership (PPP) contract ever signed in France’s rail sector as well as one of the world’s largest infrastructure projects launched over the last decade.

The HSR, which will take six years to design and build, will reduce the journey time between Paris and Bordeaux to 2 hours 5 minutes.

Key figures: • 340 km and 17 connecting lines • 117 communities, 6 départements , 3 regions; • About 400 civil engineering structures, including 19 viaducts and 7 cut-and-cover tunnels; • 4,500 jobs for construction companies at peak site activity , including 1,300 net new jobs; • After construction has been completed, 150 permanent jobs for commercial service (operation and maintenance); • 10% of the hours spent on infrastructure works will be carried out as part of a social integration program; • Taking account of impacts on natural assets will result in implementing 2,000 hectares of compensatory measures.

The Tours–Bordeaux SEA HSR project is part of an overall regional development scheme that came out of the Grenelle Environment Forum decisions, which opened the door to high-speed rail projects towards Limoges, Toulouse and Spain. It will boost the growth of freight and regional services on the existing line between Tours and Bordeaux, and should provide a significantly positive response to economic development issues for the regions crossed, the Bordeaux metropolitan area and all cities in south-west France.

Europe’s biggest rail concession contract at the center of an integrated rail network

The 50-year contract covers the financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Tours–Bordeaux SEA HSR. It represents a total investment of €7.8 billion for Europe’s longest HSR ever financed under a public-private partnership (PPP).

The design and civil engineering works included within LISEA’s project management have been awarded to COSEA, a consortium of companies led by VINCI Construction which includes Eurovia and VINCI’s Energies business line, as well as BEC, NGE, TSO, Ineo, Inexia, Arcadis and Egis Rail.

The design-build contract covers 73 months. The works will start in the first half of 2012. MESEA, owned by VINCI Concessions (70%) and Inexia (30%), will be in charge of operation and maintenance of the line.

LISEA will be remunerated in the form of traffic-related fees paid by users operating trains capable of travelling on the new HSR.

Public-private financing totalling €7.8 billion

Financing for the Tours–Bordeaux SEA HSR will come from both public and private sources.

LISEA is providing €3.8 billion of the financing, to wit: • €772 million of equity contributed by LISEA shareholders, pre-financed by commercial banks and the European Investment Bank (EIB); • €1,060 million of bank debt guaranteed by the French government; • €612 million of non-guaranteed bank debt; • €757 million provided by Fonds d’Epargne , managed by the Caisse des Dépôts andguaranteed by RFF; • €400 million of EIB credit guaranteed by the French government; • €200 million of non-guaranteed EIB credit.

The EIB is contributing €1.2 billion via the combination of the senior debt, the portion of the equity bridge loan financed by the EIB and the Loan Guarantee on TEN-T projects (LGTT), an instrument put in place jointly with the European Commission. This is the largest loan ever awarded in France by the EIB.

The Fonds d’Epargne’s contribution of €757 million over 40 years is the largest loan of its kind ever made to-date by the Caisse des Dépôts .

This financing is also the first to benefit from the French government guarantee mechanism put in place under the 2009 French stimulus package designed to encourage PPP financing for large priority projects. The concession financing also includes public subsidies made by the French government, local communities and the European Union for a total amount approaching €3 billion plus a contribution from RFF of around €1 billion.

RFF, as the operator of the French national rail network, will benefit from the additional revenues which the new HSR will provide on adjacent lines through traffic growth along the entire Paris-Bordeaux rail link. Furthermore, RFF is investing close to €1 billion to develop the existing rail infrastructure (linking the concession to the existing network, capacity development leading to the Bordeaux train station, traffic control center, electric power modification, etc.).

About VINCI VINCI is a global player in concessions, energy and construction, employing 280,000 people in more than 120 countries. We design, finance, build and operate infrastructure and facilities that help improve daily life and mobility for all. Because we believe in all-round performance, we are committed to operating in an environmentally, socially responsible and ethical manner. And because our projects are in the public interest, we consider that reaching out to all our stakeholders and engaging in dialogue with them is essential in the conduct of our business activities. Based on that approach, VINCI’s ambition is to create long-term value for its customers, shareholders, employees, partners and society in general.

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SEA - Tours-Bordeaux High Speed Rail, France

The SEA (Sud Europe Atlantique) forms part (>300-km) of the 584-km Paris-Bordeaux high-speed line and runs in parallel with the existing congested inter-urban rail line linking Tours to Poitiers, Angoulême and Bordeaux)(1). The high-speed rail line provides a c. two-hour journey time for passengers between Paris and Bordeaux, making it faster door-to-door than air travel. Approximately 60 million passengers travelled on the SEA corridor between 2017 and 2021. In 2011, Meridiam acquired SOJAS, which held at the time 22.34% of the shares in LISEA (the Project Company). Following the acquisition of an additional 2.01% (sold by Ardian) in October 2018, Meridiam (along with Meridiam managed co-investments) owns 24.35% of the shares in LISEA.

In Operation

ESG/SDG Key Facts

The €905 million bonds issued were granted the Green Bonds label by Vigeo Eiris (global leader in ESG research). LISEA launched three foundations that have subsidised more than 315 projects (i) LISEA “Biodiversity” foundation to support projects for the preservation and restoration of natural resources (ii) LISEA “Carbon” foundation to support the financing of projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and (iii) LISEA “Sillon Solidaire” foundation to fight social exclusion and foster the professional insertion of people in difficulties. In 2020, LISEA merged its Biodiversity and Carbon foundation into one single entity, the “Fonds SEA pour la transition des territoires” (SEA Fund for the Regional Transition). The Fund provides financial support (c. €500k/year) to ecological transition projects. The first initiative in 2021 received 28 applications of projects aiming to promote local and sustainable agriculture, leading to seven partnerships with the foundation. In Q4 2022, a new call for projects on sustainable buildings and circular economy was launched, and 10 projects were selected. In May 2023 the Funds launched a new call for projects supporting local and sustainable agriculture, with 800k€ subsidies to be awarded in November 2023.

Learn more about the project:

Green bonds to refinance the Paris-Bordeaux high-speed railway line

South Europe Atlantic High Speed Line

South Europe Atlantic High Speed Line Heat Exchangers

TGV High Speed Trains carry its first commercial passengers between Bordeaux and Paris

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Passengers in 2017-2022, from paris to bordeaux, a foundation, (eur 10 million endowment) to foster sustainable growth.

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High-speed rail between Tours and Bordeaux Réseau Ferré de France and VINCI sign world’s biggest rail concession contract

Posted: 16 June 2011 | | No comments yet

The concession contract for the future South Europe Atlantic high-speed rail (SEA HSR) between Tours and Bordeaux was signed today by the concession company LISEA…

The new Tours–Bordeaux high-speed rail project

The HSR, which will take six years to design and build, will reduce the journey time between Paris and Bordeaux to 2 hours 5 minutes.

Key figures:

340 km and 17 connecting lines
117 communities, 6 départements, 3 regions;
About 400 civil engineering structures, including 19 viaducts and 7 cut-and-cover tunnels;
4,500 jobs for construction companies at peak site activity , including 1,300 net new jobs;
After construction has been completed, 150 permanent jobs for commercial service (operation and maintenance);
10% of the hours spent on infrastructure works will be carried out as part of a social integration program;
Taking account of impacts on natural assets will result in implementing 2,000 hectares of compensatory measures.

Europe’s biggest rail concession contract at the center of an integrated rail network

LISEA will be remunerated in the form of traffic-related fees paid by users operating trains capable of travelling on the new HSR.

Public-private financing totalling €7.8 billion

Financing for the Tours–Bordeaux SEA HSR will come from both public and private sources.

LISEA is providing €3.8 billion of the financing, to wit:

€772 million of equity contributed by LISEA shareholders, pre-financed by commercial banks and the European Investment Bank (EIB);
€1,060 million of bank debt guaranteed by the French government;
€612 million of non-guaranteed bank debt;
€757 million provided by Fonds d’Epargne, managed by the Caisse des Dépôts andguaranteed by RFF;
€400 million of EIB credit guaranteed by the French government;
€200 million of non-guaranteed EIB credit.

The Fonds d’Epargne’s contribution of €757 million over 40 years is the largest loan of its kind ever made to-date by the Caisse des Dépôts.

The concession financing also includes public subsidies made by the French government, local communities and the European Union for a total amount approaching €3 billion plus a contribution from RFF of around €1 billion.

Related organisations

Réseau Ferré de France (RFF)

Related people

Hubert du Mesnil

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VINCI wins concession to build high speed rail line between Tours and Bordeaux

The concession contract for the future South Europe Atlantic high speed rail line (SEA HSR) between Tours and Bordeaux was signed on 16th June by the concession company LISEA.

This signing follows both the French Prime Minister’s confirmation that the French government wanted to see this project move forward before the end of this month and RFF’s board of directors meeting on 9 June 2011.

LISEA’s shareholders are: VINCI Concessions (leader) and VINCI SA (33.4%), CDC Infrastructure, a wholly owned subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts (25.4%), SOJAS, a dedicated investment entity (22%), and investment funds managed and advised by AXA Private Equity (19.2%).

The new Tours–Bordeaux high-speed rail project

The HSR project line is 302 km long, with 38 km of connecting line to the conventional rail network.

It represents a total investment of €7.8 billion and is the biggest public-private partnership (PPP) contract ever signed in France’s rail sector as well as one of the world’s largest infrastructure projects launched over the last decade.

The HSR, which will take six years to design and build, will reduce the journey time between Paris and Bordeaux to 2 hours 5 minutes.

Key figures:

340 km and 17 connecting lines
Around 400 civil engineering structures, including 19 viaducts and 7 cut-and-cover tunnels;
4,500 jobs for construction companies at peak site activity , including 1,300 new jobs;
After construction has been completed, 150 permanent jobs for commercial service (operation and maintenance);
10% of the hours spent on infrastructure works will be carried out as part of a social integration program;
Taking account of impacts on natural assets will result in implementing 2,000 hectares of compensatory measures.

It will boost the growth of freight and regional services on the existing line between Tours and Bordeaux, and should provide a significantly positive response to economic development issues for the regions crossed, the Bordeaux metropolitan area and all cities in south-west France.

The design-build contract covers 73 months. The works will start in the first half of 2012.

MESEA, owned by VINCI Concessions (70%) and Inexia (30%), will be in charge of operation and maintenance of the line.

LISEA will be remunerated in the form of traffic-related fees paid by users operating trains capable of travelling on the new HSR.

Public-private financing totalling €7.8 billion

Financing for the Tours–Bordeaux SEA HSR will come from both public and private sources.

LISEA is providing €3.8 billion of the financing:

€772 million of equity contributed by LISEA shareholders, pre-financed by commercial banks and the European Investment Bank (EIB);
€1,060 million of bank debt guaranteed by the French government;
€612 million of non-guaranteed bank debt;
€757 million provided by Fonds d’Epargne, managed by the Caisse des Dépôts and guaranteed by RFF;
€400 million of EIB credit guaranteed by the French government;
€200 million of non-guaranteed EIB credit.

This is the largest loan ever awarded in France by the EIB.

The Fonds d’Epargne’s contribution of €757 million over 40 years is the largest loan of its kind ever made to-date by the Caisse des Dépôts.

Furthermore, RFF is investing close to €1 billion to develop the existing rail infrastructure (linking the concession to the existing network, capacity development leading to the Bordeaux train station, traffic control center, electric power modification, etc.).

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SEA - Tours-Bordeaux High Speed Rail, France

A 50-year concession for a 303km high speed rail line between tours and bordeaux. in operation since 2017.

The SEA (Sud Europe Atlantique) is a new high-speed line parallel to existing congested inter-urban rail lines from Tours to Poitiers, Angoulême and Bordeaux (France’s 5th largest urban area)(1). The project is cutting down travel time on the 584km route between Paris and Bordeaux, making the door-to-door train journey faster than air travel. Approximately 21 million passengers travelled on the SEA corridor.

In 2011, Meridiam acquired SOJAS, which held at the time 22.34% of the shares in LISEA, the Project Company. Following the acquisition of an additional 2.01% (sold by Ardian) in October 2018, Meridiam owns 24.35% of the shares in LISEA.

The €905m bonds issued as part of the project refinancing were granted the “Green Bonds” label by V.E Moody’s, a global leader in ESG research.

LISEA launched foundations that have subsidized more than 300 projects (eur 10 million endowment) to foster sustainable growth:

Foundation for the Regional Transition (“ Fonds SEA pour la transition des territoires ”). It provides financial support (c. €500k/year) to projects (c. 10 per year) contributing to ecological transition. The first initiative was launched in Q1 2021 with a call for expressions of interest regarding projects aiming to promote local and sustainable agriculture. This initiative has attracted significant interest with 28 applications received. Initiatives will be shortlisted in Q4 2021. This foundation was created in 2020 after the merger between its Biodiversity (supported projects for the preservation and restoration of natural resources) and Carbon foundation (supported the financing of projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions) in one single entity.
LISEA “Sillon Solidaire” foundation to fight social exclusion and foster the professional insertion of people in difficulties.

Stage : 4 years of operation

Learn more about the project:

Green bonds to refinance the Paris-Bordeaux high-speed railway line

South Europe Atlantic High Speed Line

South Europe Atlantic High Speed Line Heat Exchangers

TGV High Speed Trains carry its first commercial passengers between Bordeaux and Paris

Passengers in 2019

from Paris to Bordeaux

(eur 10 million endowment) to foster sustainable growth

TGV high-speed train

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The international TGV services connect France with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy and Spain. There’s also a service between France and Switzerland, operated by TGV Lyria .

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These are the main domestic and international high-speed routes the TGV operates on:

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A life cycle model for high-speed rail infrastructure: environmental inventories and assessment of the Tours-Bordeaux railway in France

ROADWAYS AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Published: 20 January 2020
Volume 25 , pages 814–830, ( 2020 )

Cite this article

Anne de Bortoli ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5401-2985 1 ,
Lina Bouhaya 2 &
Adelaide Feraille 3

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The objective of the study is to progress towards a comprehensive component-based Life Cycle Assessment model with clear and reusable Life Cycle Inventories (LCIs) for high-speed rail (HSR) infrastructure components, and to assess the main environmental impacts of HSR infrastructure over its lifespan, to finally determine environmental hotpots and good practices.

A process-based LCA compliant with ISO 14040 and 14044 is performed. Construction-stage LCIs rely on data collection conducted with the concessionaire of the HSR line combined with EcoInvent 3.1 inventories. Use and End-of-Life stages LCIs rest on expert feedback scenarios and field data. A set of 13 midpoint indicators is proposed to capture the diversity of the environmental damage: climate change, consumptions of primary energy and non-renewable resources, human toxicity and ecotoxicities, eutrophication, acidification, radioactive and bulk wastes, stratospheric ozone depletion, and summer smog. Three characterization methods are used: the “Cumulative Energy Demand” method to quantify energy demand, the EDIP method for waste productions, and the CML method for the rest.

Results and discussion

The study shows major contributions to environmental impact from rails (10–71%), roadbed (3–48%), and civil engineering structures (4–28%). More limited impact is noted from ballast (1–22%), building machines (0–17%), sleepers (4–11%), and power supply system (2–12%). The two last components, chairs and fasteners, have negligible impact (max. 1 and 3% of total contributions, respectively). Direct transportation can contribute up to 18% of total impact. The production and maintenance stages contribute roughly equally to environmental deterioration (respectively average of 62 and 59%). Because the End-of-Life (EoL) mainly includes recycling with environmental credit accounted for in our 100:100 approach, this stage has globally a positive impact (− 9 to − 98%) on all the impact categories except terrestrial ecotoxicity (58%), radioactive waste (11%), and ozone depletion (8%). Contribution analyses show that if concrete production is one of the important contributing processes over the construction stage, primary steel production is unquestionably the most important process on all the impact categories over the entire life cycle.

Conclusions

These results are of interest for public authorities and the rail industry, in order to consider the full life cycle impacts of transportation infrastructure in a decision-making process with better understanding and inclusion of the environmental constraints. Suggestions are provided in this way for life cycle good practices—for instance as regards gravel recycling choices—and additional research to reduce the impact of current major contributors.

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Life cycle environmental impact of a high-speed rail system in the Houston-Dallas I-45 corridor

Including maintenance in life cycle assessment of road and rail infrastructure—a literature review

AFNOR (2014) NF EN 15804+A1 Avril 2014—contribution des ouvrages de construction au développement durable—déclarations environnementales sur les produits—règles régissant les catégories de produits de construction

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Acknowledgments

We would especially like to express our gratitude to LISEA, the concessionaire of the HSR line, which helped us to collect the data relating to the construction works.

This work was funded by the chair ParisTech-Vinci “Eco-design of buildings and infrastructures,” a 5-year collaborative research program started in 2008 and renewed in 2013, conducted by Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, Mines ParisTech, and AgroParisTech thanks to the sponsorship of VINCI.

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Navier Laboratory, Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, University of Paris-East, Marne-la-Vallée, France

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de Bortoli, A., Bouhaya, L. & Feraille, A. A life cycle model for high-speed rail infrastructure: environmental inventories and assessment of the Tours-Bordeaux railway in France. Int J Life Cycle Assess 25 , 814–830 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-019-01727-2

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-019-01727-2

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Bordeaux Travel Guide

Everything You Need to Know About the Paris to Bordeaux Train

Bordeaux Travel Resources

Guide to the Paris to Bordeaux Train in 2 Hours Pinterest Pin

With regular trains from Paris to Bordeaux, you can be easily be sipping Grand Cru Classé in the blink of an eye. Paris to Bordeaux travel is a cinch thanks to the high speed trains in France finally linking the two cities as of 2017. The TGV Paris Bordeaux route reduced the formerly 3.5 hour journey to a fast 2 hours and 4 minutes. It’s such fast trip between Paris Montparnasse and Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean that you barely have time to settle in and queue up in the bar car for a snack, in the best way possible.

While Bordeaux does have the Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport, it’s often less expensive and there are far more flight options when you arrive to France in Paris. Living in Bordeaux, we ourselves often fly to international destinations off the European continent from Paris. The 2-hour fast train to Paris and the fares on low-cost OUIGO make flying in/out of Paris easy and affordable.

If you’re arriving for your trip to Bordeaux via Paris and then taking the train, read on. We know train travel, which never really caught on in the US, can be a bit complex. But train travel is alive and well in France, and it’s the most environment-friendly way to travel these days. We’ve put together this guide with everything you need to know about the Paris to Bordeaux train route and using trains in France.

Sunrise as light streams in to the glass at Gare Bordeaux-Saint-Jean in Bordeaux

Booking Trains in France

We really recommend buying tickets in advance, particularly when traveling TGV routes and OUIGO trains. Other trains like regionally operating TER trains aren’t necessary to book in advance and fares don’t fluctuate, as they have only one fixed fare for the route. But when it comes to the TGV lines like the Paris to Bordeaux train and vice versa, fares are just like airfare. The fares fluctuate, increase in price the closer you get to your date of travel, and fares can vary widely in price depending on the popularity of the route, day of week, and even hour.

A reservation is compulsory on all TGV and OUIGO trains as you have an assigned seat, just like on an airplane. Once you book your reservation, you’re committed to a specific train on a set day and time.

Reservations for SNCF train tickets open 92 days in advance, and a little longer in advance for July and August trains. In a logical world, there would be one website where you can buy all French train tickets since nearly all the trains are operated by SNCF. But that would be too easy! No, there are a number of websites you have to navigate through when looking for the best fares, and they aren’t often easy to use even if you are French.

If you’re a foreigner without a French phone number and French bank card, you can almost certainly forget about using SNCF’s multitude of websites for TGV online booking. I can’t even say how many desperate emails I’ve gotten and people I’ve helped navigate the SNCF and OUIGO sites. OUIGO in particular tends to reject foreign credit cards, and foreigners often have trouble with SNCF accepting cards.

In fact, three entrepreneurial French guys thought that they could sell SNCF tickets better than SNCF. They weren’t wrong. They created the website Capitaine Train in 2009, raised over €2.5 million in funds by partnering with SNCF and a number of other European train lines including Deutsche Bahn, Eurostar and Thalys, before selling their start-up to Trainline in 2016.

We like to use the Trainline to book train tickets in France. Trainline shows all of the different types of trains and fares in one place at the same prices as SNCF, OUIGO and the like. Otherwise, when searching for train tickets from Paris to Bordeaux for example, you might have to jump around to various sites like SNCF and OUIGO . When looking for the cheapest Paris to Bordeaux TGV tickets, Trainline just makes it simple to find the best fare.

You can also book TER trains on Trainline. Just be sure to pay attention because you may have to print out your ticket at a self-service machine at the station when e-tickets aren’t available on the route.

Note that on some routes like purchasing a TGV online ticket, Trainline does charge a small fee of around 3%. It’s totally worth it though, because of the hassles usually experienced with the SNCF and OUIGO sites.

We also like Trainline because we can use it to book train routes all over Europe, not just in France. We’ve never had an issue using any credit or debit card, and we use cards from both our American and French banks. It’s definitely our go-to site when it comes to train travel in Europe.

The Types of Fares

TGV train tickets are sold in three fare classes: Standard (second class), Premiere (first class) and Business Premiere . Standard and Premiere fare classes have the same exchange rules since May 2019, which allow exchange or refund up to 30 days before departure for a fee of €5. From two days before departure until up to 30 minutes before departure, the fee increases to €15. Difference in price between the old and new ticket is added to the fee.

Business Premiere fares are totally flexible, allowing the ticket to be exchanged or refunded free of charge until up to 30 minutes after departure. Typically only around €10 more in price from the Premiere fare, it’s totally worth it to purchase Business Premiere for this flexibility alone. But you do get a few other perks with the fare including lounge access prior to departure, a complimentary beverage and newspaper delivered to you on the platform, express priority lanes for boarding, complimentary wifi onboard, and ability to pre-book a meal and collect it from the bar car with priority service.

With the OUIGO trains, prices start from €10 each way. There’s only one class, which is all second class. The tickets are sold as Standard , with a outlet to charge a phone or device for a few Euros more called Avec Prise , and a seat with an outlet in a quiet car called Tranquille for an additional few Euros. All fares include 1 carry-on and 1 cabin bag. Bicycles, boxes and large packages aren’t allowed on these trains.

TER trains have two fares, a tariff normal for the standard second class fare and first class . The fares are fixed, though depending on the region, you may find that off-peak trains are a little less in price. You don’t have an assigned coach or seat on TER trains beyond first or second class coaches; you simply validate your ticket in the machines and hop on board to find a seat. You may have to stand, though you’re typically only traveling short distances. The ticket is valid for travel on any train on the date the ticket is validated up until 11:59pm.

Children aged from infant to 3 years of age are free on all French trains, but only if they sit on your lap. If you want a seat for the child aged 0-3 years of age, there is usually a small and very reasonable fee for the seat of just a few Euros.

Dogs of all sizes can also ride on all French trains, with one exception. Eurostar does not allow any animals on their trains with the exception of guide dogs. All dogs, no matter whether they are in a carrier or on a lead, need a ticket. The fares vary depending on the train company, but you can expect to pay €7 per pet on SNCF and TER trains, €10 for a dog on a lead on OUIGO and €20 for a dog on a lead on TGVLyria trains. The pet fares are the same regardless of which fare class your tickets are booked in, and there are no designated pet seats or carriages.

Purchasing a ticket for your dog is very easy. You can’t purchase pet tickets in Trainline, but I personally still book my own train tickets using Trainline and then purchase my pet ticket either online or in the station.

The Various Types of French Trains

There’s more than one type of train in the French rail network, and if you’re travel around France by train it’s good to know about the various types.

SNCF is the French National Railway company and is state-owned. It operates nearly all trains the trains in France, including the TGV and OUIGO high-speed trains. You can see a map of the French rail network with all the destinations served in France.

The TGV train network is France’s high-speed train and currently contains more than 2600 kilometers (over 1600 miles) of lines connecting major cities in France and Europe. You can see a map of the TGV destinations served by high-speed train.

TGVLyria trains are specifically the trains connecting France and Switzerland.

OUIGO is France’s low-cost high speed train network. It’s operated by SNCF and runs at the same speed of 270-320 kph (160-199 mph) as the TGV trains, but for a fraction of the cost with fares from Paris – Bordeaux and Bordeaux – Paris starting from €10 each way. OUIGO offers only one standard fare class. You can see a map of OUIGO destinations .

Intercités trains are simply the routes not served by the TGV high-speed train. All Intercités journeys are operated by SNCF.

The TER train, which stands for Transport Express Régional, are the regionally operated trains. They are still operated by SNCF. These trains don’t have assigned seating and have fixed-pricing, so there’s no advantage to pre-booking tickets.

A train blurs by in the Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean

What To Expect When Taking the Paris – Bordeaux Train (And Vice Versa)

As Americans, we’re typically don’t travel by train in the US. The US isn’t that well connected by train even though we do have Amtrack, and travel times can be even up to several days. But train travel in France is generally good, inexpensive and fast. We know it can be a bit daunting using the French railway system. Heck, we regularly even observe other Europeans and French confused about various aspects of using the French rail network, particularly when they don’t use it regularly.

We travel around France and the Nouvelle Aquitaine by train regularly, so using the French train system is practically second nature at this point. We documented a recent Bordeaux – Paris train journey step-by-step from when you arrive at the station through finding your seat on the train to help you understand exactly what to expect.

You should arrive at the train station from 30 – 60 minutes before the departure time of your train. In Gare Bordeaux-Saint-Jean, arriving 30 minutes prior to your train’s departure is plenty. It’s only a couple minutes walk to even the furthest tracks and your train won’t be assigned a track (think of a track like an airport gate) until 20-30 minutes before departure for TGV trains. In Paris, the train stations can be much larger and somewhat confusing. If you’re unfamiliar with the station in Paris, you should arrive from 45 – 60 minutes before departure time.

The departures board showing the train departures in Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean

Just like in an airport, there are arrival and departure boards. These boards list the train number, which is like a flight number that you can use to verify you’re looking at the correct train. Next to the train number is the departure time. The final destination of the train is listed after the departure time, for example: Paris Montparnasse . Finally the track number will be listed, typically 30 minutes before departure for TGV trains.

If you’ve purchased your ticket online, you may be able to download and print it. Or if you’ve purchased through an app like Trainline, you may have an e-ticket right in the app. With print-at-home tickets that have a QR barcode and with e-tickets in your app, you can proceed straight to the train track.

The yellow French train ticket validation machines in the train stations where you validate your ticket

TER trains typically require you to print your ticket from one of the machines in the station. Or if you’ve purchased a ticket from the counter or self-service machines in the station, you need to validate your ticket. You validate your train ticket at a validation machine, which are located around the station. In Bordeaux and Paris Montparnasse stations, the validation machines are bright yellow. Simply insert your ticket and the machine stamps a date and time on it. Without this validation stamp, you can be fined when the controllers come around to check your ticket.

With the Paris to Bordeaux high speed train, a controller checks your ticket before even entering the track. It’s not a security scan like airport security, but just ensures that everyone boarding the train does in fact have a ticket.

A screen shot of an e-ticket for a TGV Bordeaux Paris train

Your ticket has the information about your train coach number and your seat number. It’s generally easier to board the train at your coach (car), otherwise you may need to walk up and down stairs and between cars.

A screen on the platform displaying the layout of the train with the location of each coach

Once on the track platform, you’ll see another digital display showing the layout of the train. While it might seem like it would make sense that coach 1 would be the very first car and then each coach number would follow in numerical order, the train isn’t always laid out like that. The digital display shows where the coaches are, making is easier to know where your assigned coach is located.

A digital displaying showing coach 18 on the OUIGO Bordeaux Paris fast train

Each coach also has a digital display showing the coach number, the train number, and the departing and final arrival destinations. Verify your coach number before boarding the train.

A little sign in the car either on the wall or on the doors themselves will show which seat numbers are to the left, right or upstairs. Also pay attention for these signs to easily find your seat. Then the seats themselves are again numbered. As in the example above, seat 863 is the aisle seat and 864 is the window seat.

Once you’ve found your seat, you can sit back and relax for the short journey with a Paris to Bordeaux train time of just 2 hours 4 minutes. A controller may come around again to check your ticket, so always have it handy.

A SNCF TGV train is parked at a platform in a train station

Tips for Train Travel in France

Now that you generally know how to book train tickets and how to use trains in France, there are a few final tips for making train travel in France a breeze.

Print your print-at-home tickets out or download an app like Trainline to use e-tickets on your smart phone in advance.
Some tickets like for TER trains are not available to print-at-home or as e-tickets. You’ll need to collect these tickets at the self-service kiosks in any French train station. If you booked on Trainline, you only need the reference number and the lead passenger’s surname to print the tickets from the kiosk. If you booked on SNCF’s website , you need the original credit card in order to access the booking. The kiosk’s only work with European-format chip and PIN cards, so if you’ve managed to book on SNCF with an American card you’ll likely need to visit the ticket counter to have an agent print your tickets for you.
Don’t forget to validate any tickets you had to print at the kiosks in the yellow validation machines. You simply put the barcode end of the ticket face up, which looks very similar to an airplane ticket, in the gray “mouth” of the machine. It will stamp a time and date code on to the ticket. You may be fined by the controller if you don’t validate your ticket.
Most TGV trains have a bar car serving snacks, sandwiches, coffee and beer and wine. TER trains do not have a bar car. You can bring any food and drink on to the train with you, and many people do this. There are usually a selection of cafes and shops selling take-away food items and drinks in the larger train stations. And yes, you can even bring a bottle of wine if you like!
There are no baggage fees, size restrictions or weight limits when traveling by train as there are with airlines – with the exception of OUIGO . But remember that you don’t check bags in and there are no baggage handlers to manage your bags for you. So be sure you can easily lift your bags up the stairs and into the cars on your own.
Regional TER trains allow you to travel with a bicycle for no charge. There are several Bordeaux châteaux you can reach by regional TER trains , and some we recommend taking a bike with you to easily travel between the train station and wineries. There’s a small fee for taking bicycle’s on TGV trains and some routes you’re even required to place your bike in a bike bag. So be sure to check restrictions when traveling longer distances with bicycles.
Dogs are beloved in France and they are allowed on all French trains. Smaller dogs that fit in a carrier bag pay just a small fee starting from €7 depending on the train company. Larger dogs must wear a muzzle and be on a leash. After a successful petition in 2021 to make pet train travel more accessible to all, larger pets now pay a small fee starting from €7 depending on the train company. Find all the regulations for traveling with your pet on the SNCF site . Pet tickets aren’t available to book on Trainline. You have to book pet tickets directly on the various train company websites, at kiosks in the station or in the boutique at the station.

Helpful Words and Phrases to Know When Taking Trains in France

Here’s some helpful terminology to known when using trains in France. But don’t worry: train stations in France, especially in major cities like Paris and Bordeaux, are like international airports. There are usually signs in both French and English.

Gare : train station in French

SNCF : France’s state-owned national railway network, which is short for Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer

TGV : France’s high-speed train network, which is short for Train à Grande Vitesse, and operated by SNCF

OUIGO : France’s low-cost high-speed rail network operated by SNCF

TER : France’s regionally operated rail network servicing villages, and short for Transport Express Régional

Compostez votre billet : validate your ticket, which you do at the yellow machines

Coach : the train car

Place : your seat number

Billet : ticket in French

How to Navigate Train Strikes in France

While the French rail network is very well connected and generally a fantastic way to explore France, protesting is also the national sport. Sometimes trains in France go on strike, and it can be both stressful and a hassle for tourists and locals alike.

Though a major inconvenience, you generally don’t have to worry about if and how a French train strike might affect your trip to France. The most important thing to know about train strikes in France is that they are scheduled in advance, with dates and times posted online in advance. Generally train strikes are announced at least 10 days in advance, and train strikes in France don’t always affect all French trains.

Be Informed of Upcoming Strikes in France

If you’re planning a trip to France, and especially if protests have been making world news recently, you’ll want to bookmark the website C’est la Grève . This website lists most scheduled strikes and protests. The website is in French, but you can pop the site in to your Chrome Browser to translate. You’ll want to be aware of any “grève générale et nationale” as these are national general strikes, and typically some trains such as SNCF and RAPT (regional Paris trains) and public transport is affected. You can also search for transport specific strikes.

The C’est la Grève website is a good start, but you’ll also want to look at the Traffic Info section of your specific train company website. The Traffic Info section will list upcoming disruptions. You can find the most up-to-date Traffic Info for SNCF and TGV trains within France, TGVLyria and Thalys trains to see if your trip is affected.

What To Do If There is a Train Strike in France During Your Trip

So what do you do if there’s a train strike in France and your trains are affected?

Train strikes generally last only one day on the planned strike day. Train strikes in France also do not affect all trains operating in France.

Once a strike is scheduled, SNCF blocks any further booking for the strike day in their reservation system. If your travel plans are flexible, just book your trains for either the days before the strike or the days following the planned strike. Know that trains will more full and busy on the day immediately following a strike.

If you’ve already booked and are mid-travel, a train strike could be much more of a hassle. Generally, SNCF informs customers about the trains or train lines impacted 1-2 days before the strike date by email. Passengers are notified by email and given opportunity to re-book at no additional cost or get a refund if your train is cancelled due to a strike.

If your train is not cancelled, you don’t have to worry. The train will operate (there may be some delays or disruptions), but you won’t just be left stranded last minute.

If your train arrives at your destination late due to a strike you may be entitled to compensation. This even includes your dog, as they also require a ticket to ride all French trains! For TGV, Intercités, OUIGO, and international lines, passengers are entitled to compensations ranging from 25% to 75% of the ticket price depending on the length of the delay with a minimum delay for compensation of 30 minutes.

You can make your requests for compensation for delayed TGV and Intercité trains on this website: https://garantie30minutes.sncf.com/s/?language=en_US

This article contains affiliate links. When you book on Trainline , SNCF or OUIGO through our affiliate partner sites, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Loved this post? We love when you share our content! ~ Jen & Tim

About Jennifer Dombrowski

Jennifer Dombrowski is an independent travel publisher and an American expat who has lived in Bordeaux, France since 2016. She previously lived in Northern Italy in a small village near Venice for seven years where she fell in love with wine and wine tourism. She is an award-winning travel writer. She is also a travel correspondent on Traveling on the American Forces Radio Network. Luxe Adventure Traveler was named one of the top travel blogs to watch by the Huffington Post and TripAdvisor, and has been featured by top publications such as National Geographic, CNN, Buzzfeed, and Business Insider. Jennifer's photography has also been featured on publications such as USA Today and Travel + Leisure and on the Travel Channel.

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Reader Interactions

July 25, 2021 at 4:03 am

This is super helpful! The only question it leaves unanswered for me is how to get to the TGV from CDG airport when I arrive (in a few weeks).

Jennifer Dombrowski says

July 28, 2021 at 4:17 pm

You can take the train from CDG in to Paris. You’ll need to also use the metro or take a taxi to change train stations.

Pookie says

August 9, 2021 at 4:57 pm

A question – I’m thinking of taking the TGV from CDG to Bordeaux St. Jean in early November. My flight gets into CDG at 8:00 am. The earliest TGV out of CDG around noon requires one change at Massy Station, with about 50 min to spare, which I assume is plenty of time. Is the Massy Station easy to navigate with a carryon suitcase for someone who doesn’t speak French? Or should I wait around at CDG until 6:00 pm for a direct train to Bordeaux?

August 11, 2021 at 1:42 pm

Hi! With 50 minutes, you have plenty of time in the train station. The stations are very simple to use. You likely will need to change platforms when you change trains, but it only takes a few minutes to walk from one platform to another.

November 3, 2021 at 11:18 pm

I am a bit confused about the the most efficient way to get to Bordeau St. Jean from Paris CDG via the TGV. Should I take a local train from CDG to Gare Montparnesse and then pick up the TGV from there? Or can I take it directly from CDG?

Thank you for your help.

February 8, 2022 at 12:34 pm

There is a train you can take directly from CDG, but it doesn’t often line up with the flight times the best. I always find it best to just transfer to Montparnasse and then get the direct train to Bordeaux from there as there are trains just about every hour.

Katie Lamb says

November 9, 2021 at 9:35 pm

How many times does the TGV run from CDG each day directly to Bordeaux. From what I can find it appears to run twice per day… 8:10 am and 6pm. There are many other trains but TGV runs twice. Is that accurate?

February 8, 2022 at 12:32 pm

No, it runs many times. There are trains every 1-2 hours.

Jacqui Carter says

June 14, 2022 at 7:23 pm

Hi Jennifer My bloke and I are travelling by train to Paris from the Aude on 20th June, changing at Bordeaux, and with only 14 minutes to switch trains. As the timing feels a little tight, I’m wondering whether the Paris train always leaves from the same platform, and if so if you know what number platform it is? Grateful for any/all help comments! All the best Jacqui et Chubb Carter

June 14, 2022 at 7:29 pm

Hi Jacqui, the trains depart from all different platforms. The platforms are often only assigned shortly before the train departure. But 14 minutes will really be plenty of time. There is typically a screen in the cars showing connecting train info, so you can know which platform you need to get your next connecting train from. Or you can also look on the website https://www.garesetconnexions.sncf/fr/gare/frboj/bordeaux-saint-jean to see the connecting train info.

Bordeaux is not a massive train station. Likely it will take maximum of 5 minutes to go from the arriving platform to your connecting train’s platform.

June 16, 2022 at 12:20 am

Thanks, Jennifer – this is reassuring and very helpful!

Katie Momo says

August 3, 2022 at 2:55 pm

This is so helpful!! I’ve been to France (and different places in Europe) several times and only heard about about Trainline from your blog! ALWAYS had trouble getting train tickets, I’m excited to try this. Thank you so much!!

Suzanne Walsh says

August 23, 2022 at 4:47 am

Jennifer, My question is similar to the one above. In September, my partner and I will take the TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Bordeaux. We then have only 11 minutes to find and board our TER train to Perigueux. We are unfamiliar with the Bordeaux station and are afraid that we will miss our local train. I like your suggestion that the arriving TGV will probably show connecting train information. Do you have any further guidance in navigating the station from the TGV arrival area to the TER departure area? Thanks in advance for your help! Suzanne

August 23, 2022 at 6:44 am

Hi Suzanne,

TGV and TER trains are all in the same area. As an example, you might be arriving on track 5 and your connecting train departs from track 8. You just get off, walk down the stairs to the underground passageway where all the stairwells to the tracks are and go up the entrance to the track. It only takes a few minutes.

You can look at the arrivals and departures online, or also on the train there will be a video screen with this information. Tracks aren’t assigned until a few minutes (usually 15-20 minutes) before as it’s a constant coming and going of trains.

Ann Spencer says

December 13, 2022 at 12:53 am

We are planning to take the TGV from GDG to meet our cruise ship in Bordeaux. How far is the port from the train station? What is the best way to make this connection,,

February 2, 2023 at 2:34 pm

You can hop right on a tram outside the train station here in Bordeaux. There is a tram stop very near where the ships dock. Tram is definitely the best way!

January 8, 2023 at 6:30 pm

I normally never leave comments but I have to say this article is extremely helpful and detailed, thank you! I’ve taken trains in S Korea, Czech, Japan, London, Austria, and Hungary and all were fine but for some reason I’m really stressed about the France trains (and my French is pretty good) 😀. I think it’s the Thalys then TGV then TER that got me as they are different stations but your article helped clarify. Merci!

January 14, 2023 at 2:38 pm

Hi Heidi! Don’t worry about the different TGV, TER etcétéra. It’s all part of one network. I’m so glad you found the article helpful and I hope you have a great trip!

Laurel Lachesnez-Heude says

January 30, 2023 at 9:30 pm

Hi Jennifer, Excellent information but need to ask about Paris-Bordeaux TGV accommodations for a full size piece of luggage.I need to keep it with me. Is this possible? Many thanks! Laurel

February 2, 2023 at 2:32 pm

Luggage has to go on the rack or fit under your seat on the train. If it’s a large bag that you absolutely have to keep with you in your seat, you could purchase 2 seats. Otherwise, there won’t be guaranteed space for the bag. And it can’t block the aisle. You could also book a seat near the luggage racks so you can keep an eye on your bag.

The good news is that if you have a direct train with no other stops, you can relax once the train starts moving. If you’re worried, you could stand near the luggage rack until the train doors are closed and you’re on your way. Then go stand near the luggage again about 10-15 minutes before your arrival.

Hope that helps!

Frank Corcillo says

February 6, 2023 at 12:13 am

looking to go from paris to Bordeaux for a day trip taking the TGV train. Is it mandatory to buy a rail pass or can you just buy a ticket?

February 6, 2023 at 9:04 pm

A rail pass is not needed, but you will want to buy a ticket in advance!

February 6, 2023 at 10:49 pm

Thanks, for some reason the rail pass is being automatically included in the ticket order. Also, way more expensive than I expected, 350 euro round trip for 2 people!

March 2, 2023 at 5:37 pm

Hi Jennifer, I have a huge hockey bag to carry! We arrive CDG and then need to travel to Bordeaux via train. Will this bag be an issue? Is there a place to pay and store the bag at Montparnasse if we want to leave it and travel the city for the day? Thank you

March 11, 2023 at 1:06 pm

Yes, you can bring the bag on the train. There is a luggage area to place bags. Sometimes, like on OUIGO, there is an additional fee for large pieces of luggage like you are describing. But it is a nominal fee – on OUIGO there is an option called OUIGO Plus. It is 7€ to add OUIGO Plus on to your reservation and it includes a piece of hand luggage, a carry-on piece that you can place either under your seat or on the rack above the seat and a large piece of luggage you can place on the rack.

And yes, there are luggage storage options right in the Montparnasse station if you want to store any bags for the day while exploring before your train.

Julie A says

March 6, 2023 at 7:08 pm

Thank you for this information. one question I have is when traveling Ouigo. What do you do if you have a full size suit case from your travels?

March 11, 2023 at 1:04 pm

With OUIGO, you have an option called OUIGO Plus. It is 7€ to add OUIGO Plus on to your reservation and it includes a piece of hand luggage, a carry-on piece that you can place either under your seat or on the rack above the seat and a large piece of luggage you can place on the rack. You also get a choice of seat included and access to the Fast Pass line when traveling from Paris. I use this option myself when I have a few bags. Hope that helps!

April 18, 2023 at 3:22 am

Hi! This post is so helpful! My family is going to France this summer and going to visit friends in Amsterdam. We used Trainline per your advise and found a route. It does say 2.5 hours “to change stations” between Paris Montparnasse and Paris Gare du Nord. So the train does not take us to Paris Gare du Nord? We have to find our own way? Another train?

Thank you! Sarah

Sharon says

June 10, 2023 at 12:05 am

Your information is very helpful! I am still uncertain EXACTLY how to land in Paris and get to the train station to get to Bordeaux. Thank you!

June 16, 2023 at 1:40 am

I bought a ouigo ticket online on the SNCF website going from Montparnasse to Bordeaux. (No problem with the US credit card by the way). I did not realize that I had to pay extra for more than one piece of luggage. I have a full-size suitcase and a box. Is it possible to surplus the surplus charge at the train station?

July 9, 2023 at 11:20 am

You can just add extra luggage in your booking.

July 9, 2023 at 8:40 pm

I didn’t bother and was able to bring both pieces of luggage anyway. No one was checking. There was plenty of space. Incidentally, I payed extra to change my seat after booking to be close to my friend which I didn’t need to do either. There were extra seats and I could have easily swapped seats.

amy lebowitz says

July 28, 2023 at 12:38 pm

This is super helpful. We are flying in to Paris at the end of August and need to take a train to Bordeaux. We just realized that the trains from the airport don’t run very often and ofter very few direct trains. How far is the Montparnasse train station from the airport? Is it easy to get a taxi from the airport to Montparnasse to catch the TGV direct to Bordeaux? Thanks!

August 7, 2023 at 10:22 am

Yes, it is very easy to get a taxi from the airport. Paris taxis have a fixed rate of 55€ to travel to the Right Bank of Paris, and 60€ to travel into the Left Bank. Montparnasse is on the Left Bank.

John Civic says

January 4, 2024 at 5:45 pm

So, I have read the above questions and I still do not see an answer as to how one gets from CDG airport to the train station. Also how does one know what to book on Trainline Aéroport Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle CDG T2 or Aéroport Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle CDG?

March 28, 2024 at 12:07 pm

Which train station are you asking about getting to? There is a train station in CDG airport. If you’re traveling from another of Paris’ many trains stations, then there are a variety of transport modes to get from CDG to that particular station that could include taxi, metro, RER, bus or a combination of several modes.

Elizabeth Preuss says

January 10, 2024 at 9:42 pm

This is such good information and I think we might use the train to go from Paris to Bordeaux. The questions I have are regarding seats and storage. I did not read or see any pictures on the seats and where we will store our luggage. Are the seats individual like an airplane? Do we all face the same direction? Or are we facing other people? Will our knees be touching? Or are they a bench seat like a bus? Will our luggage sit in the floor between our legs or in upper compartments and is that a problem with the amount of availability? Thanks in advance.

March 28, 2024 at 12:05 pm

There are luggage racks in each train compartment. This is where larger pieces of luggage go. There is a small rack running above all the seats on each side of the train, and you can place things like a jacket or a small backpack or tote back above.

As for seats, there are seats facing both directions. In standard class, it is typically two seats on either side of the aisle. There is usually two tables with four seats around the table in each train car, and these are the only seats where you would be facing other passengers.

January 31, 2024 at 2:50 am

Very useful info, thank you. We are planning to take a TGV from Paris to Bordeaux on Friday 7th June to link up with a river cruise starting Sunday 9th June. If there is a strike on the Friday, how likely is it that there will be sufficient seats available on the Saturday for us to change to, or failing that, the Sunday?

March 28, 2024 at 12:02 pm

You would know at a minimum several days in advance if your particular train is going to be affected. Even on a strike day, not all trains are impacted. Some still run. So it’s not something to exert a lot of worry over. In the worst case scenario, there are other modes of transportation from buses like Flixbus or a car rental.

Carlin says

March 18, 2024 at 12:30 am

Hi, This information is so helpful! Family friends and I will be traveling from Paris to Bordeaux in May and then renting a couple of cars to head to the Dordogne for a week. Do you have a recommendation on booking a rental car near Bordeaux St Jean or at the Bordeaux airport? Also, when selecting seats on the train is there a way to tell if you are facing forward or backward? Thank you!

March 28, 2024 at 11:59 am

Hi! It depends on which train you’ve booked. With OUIGO for example, there’s no way to know the direction of travel when reserving seats. For rental cars, I’ve rented cars both from the train station and airport. Either are very easy to access by tram, and I usually find the prices a bit cheaper from the airport. I always recommend sticking with the major worldwide companies like Budget or Sixt.

Liz Pierce says

March 20, 2024 at 3:04 am

My husband and I will be traveling from Paris to Bourdeaux this September along with two family members. We’re all on the “mature” side, and the thought of carrying our bags onto and off the TGV is daunting. I know you said there are no porters–is there any way to get baggage help there and, later, at Bourdeaux for the trip back to Paris?? We’re willing to pay, of course. Thanks!

March 28, 2024 at 11:57 am

There is luggage porter service at all major train stations, however, this service is only available for disabled passengers holding a disability identification card. Otherwise, you need to be able to handle getting all your luggage on and off the train. If you have large luggage and this is of concern, you might consider a luggage shipping service to send your luggage from Paris to Bordeaux so you don’t have to manage it.

Elaine Hammer says

March 22, 2024 at 4:28 pm

This website is incredibly helpful! I am traveling to Bordeaux the end of June and we are flying into Orly; what would you recommend as the best way to get to the Montparnsse Station; metro or taxi?

March 28, 2024 at 11:50 am

Hi! The metro stations have a lot of stairs, which can be a real hassle when you’re carrying luggage. Escalators and elevators are not available in every station. Honestly, a taxi or Uber is worth it when dealing with luggage.

Ana Aceti says

March 27, 2024 at 2:33 pm

Hoping you can help as all the above information is a bit overwhelming. On Sept 18 we need to travel from Bordeaux to Munich. It seems that the best option is to take the train to Paris then fly Lufthansa from Paris to Munich.

I’m trying to figure out the train and metro schedules to determine if we can make a 2:30p flight out of CDG to Munich. Can you please help me?

March 28, 2024 at 11:47 am

To go the distance from Bordeaux to Munich, it is best to fly. You can fly from Bordeaux to Munich. Even with the connection, which is usually in Amsterdam via KLM, it will be far less expensive, faster and remove all the stress of getting to Paris to transfer to the airport for a flight.

Jan Singer says

April 16, 2024 at 2:35 pm

Great information on this site. Much appreciated. I will be traveling by train from Paris Montparnasse to Bordeaux and then changing trains with Angouleme as my final destination next month. Although I have a coach and seat number on the Paris to Bordeaux train, all I have is a train number and barcode for the Bordeaux to Angouleme ride. My ticket was booked through RailEurope. Does no coach and seat number mean that I can take any coach and seat on the ride to Angouleme? I look forward to your reply. Thank you in advance.

April 22, 2024 at 10:33 am

The OUIGO train between Bordeaux and Paris often already makes a stop already in Angouleme. I’m a bit confused. Are you staying in Bordeaux to visit and then going to Angouleme? Otherwise, Angouleme is in between Paris and Bordeaux, so there would be no reason to go all the way to Bordeaux to then go back north to Angouleme.

April 22, 2024 at 1:02 pm

Hi Jennifer. My final destination is Angouleme. Apparently there is no direct train from Paris to Angouleme on the day of my travel (5/18/24). So I have to go to Bordeaux and then change trains and go from Bordeaux to Angouleme. I have about 10 minutes to make that transfer. And there is no coach or seat number on my ticket. Can you offer any advice on a change of trains in Bordeaux? And because I do not have a seat number, can I assume that I can sit anywhere? Thanks again.

April 22, 2024 at 2:22 pm

There are a lot of French holidays in May and that is a Saturday, so the direct trains are likely already sold out. I had a look and presumably you have one of the trains booked that changes in Bordeaux. You change to a TER train, which is a regional train. These don’t have assigned seats. So when you change, you just get on and find an empty seat. And don’t worry about the amount of time to change – 10 minutes is plenty of time! I’ve even taken my dog out to potty quickly with 10 minutes time. Gare Bordeaux Saint Jean is actually quite a compact train station.

What I advise is about 10 minutes before you are due to arrive in Bordeaux, gather your things and go to the door of the car to be ready to hop right off. You can just stand in the entrance area of the car, and you won’t be alone doing it. You can also look on the app or the website for Gare Bordeaux Saint Jean https://www.garesetconnexions.sncf/fr/gares-services/bordeaux-saint-jean/horaires ahead of your arrival to see which track your connecting train is on by clicking the Horaires tab. It will show you arriving and departing trains like an airport arrivals and departures board. There are also screens all over the station – on the tracks and in the hall connecting the tracks – which you can look at to see which track your train is on.

Hope that all helps!

April 22, 2024 at 2:27 pm

That is such a great help Jennifer. Thank you so much!!

April 21, 2024 at 2:27 pm

Hi, to take the train from CDG to Bordeaux, which train station should we use at CDG? There appears to be 2. If our flights don’t line up, is there a train from CDG to Montparnasse? I saw a reference to a taxi. Thanks

April 22, 2024 at 10:31 am

There are 2 stops at CDG, one for Terminal 1 and one for Terminal 3. The same train lines run from both stops, so it only matters which Terminal you will be in. There is not a train from CDG to Montparnasse. You can take the RER and metro to reach Montparnasse or a taxi.

Michelle says

April 28, 2024 at 2:59 pm

This is such a great website, thank you! I have a timing question about getting from CDG to Montparnasse. Traveling with family including our mother who is in her early 80s so needs to be leisurely paced. We arrive CDG around 12:35 on a Friday (August) and there is a train leaving Montparnasse at 15:11 but worried that will be a little tight since we are unfamiliar with everything, or possible flight delays. Thinking we would taxi/uber to Montparnasse. There are not many tickets left so hoping to book soon. Otherwise there are later options around 16:06 on a longer train, and 17:00 again a short one but then we have a long delay. Suggestions? Also, is it much cheaper to buy round trip since we are still figuring out our return plans, wondering if we could just get teh outbound now or if it will cost a lot more. Thank you!

April 29, 2024 at 12:53 pm

Hi Michelle,

In a best case scenario of your flight arriving on time, planning around 1 hour for passport control and collecting your baggage, plus the travel time by taxi to Montparnasse, you’ll arrive within 2 hours of landing at CDG. So I feel like a train at 15:11 is very much cutting it close and there is a real possibility you would miss the train. I would opt for the 17:00 train to give you some cushion of time, and I honestly think you will be waiting to board for a much shorter amount of time than you think. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes and shops in Montparnasse. The station is almost like a shopping mall.

Also, train tickets are sold by one way. Buying round trip doesn’t make the fares any cheaper. But as August and September are pretty much the peak travel times – and even more so this year with the Olympics and Paralympics during that period – I would suggest purchasing your train tickets as soon as possible once you figure out your return plans.

April 30, 2024 at 6:21 pm

Hello! Great blog – thank you. Forgive the slight deviation, but would you be able to advise if an hour and 5 minutes would be sufficient to get from Gare du Nord to Montparnasse? We’ll be coming from the UK and hoping to get the SCNF from Montparnasse to Bordeaux – although I can’t see many options on Trainline/Eurostar with a longer transfer time.

Many thanks! Sakib

May 1, 2024 at 10:46 am

Yes, you should be fine! From Gare du Nord, you can take the M4 line to Montparnasse. It should only take 20 minutes as it’s a direct metro line between the stations. Just don’t waste any time in between. I’d also book the flex ticket that allows you to make changes in case of any delays on your Eurostar train.

May 1, 2024 at 7:47 pm

Amazing, thank you!

A first view of what the high-speed rail to Las Vegas might look like

A rendering shows the Brightline West high-speed rail project from Southern California to Las Vegas.

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Efforts to get high-speed rail from Southern California to the Las Vegas Strip are gaining steam, with the first images of what the trains might look like being released this week.

Brightline West, the company constructing the $12-billion project , unveiled renderings of the electric-powered American Pioneer 220 trains that Siemens Mobility hopes to build as the preferred bidder for the planned opening in 2028. The high-speed trains will go up to 220 mph, officials said, allowing passengers to ride from Rancho Cucamonga to the Strip in less than two hours.

Although Siemens’ contract is yet to be finalized, it has agreed to build a new U.S. facility that will deliver the fleet of 10 sets of seven-car trains, in a location yet to be announced. A division of the German conglomerate, Siemens AG, the bidder already has a 2,700-person manufacturing hub in Sacramento where it builds light rail train cars, passenger coaches and locomotives including its “Venture” series trains , which debuted on Brightline’s Florida system in 2018.

As part of the agreement, Siemens will perform maintenance and repairs on the cars at a future Brightline West facility in Sloan, Nev.

Both companies, along with federal transportation officials, hope this will signal the start of a new era in U.S. high-speed rail manufacturing and transportation.

“The momentum we are building will culminate in new jobs and a new supply chain that will establish the foundation for a high-speed rail industry from coast to coast,” said Michael Reininger, chief executive of Brightline Holdings, which oversees Brightline West.

Last month, Brightline West broke ground on the 218-mile Las Vegas to Southern California system, bolstered by $3 billion from the Biden administration, along with access to $3.5 billion in tax-exempt bonds. But the company is still trying to raise funds on the private market to build the system along the median for Interstate 15, and through the Cajon Pass , a stretch of terrain that experts say could prove particularly challenging for engineers.

The trains will carry up to 450 passengers, with plans to connect it, via a high-speed rail alignment in the high desert, to the California High-Speed Rail Authority system planned between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Last month, Rail Authority officials announced they were also seeking bid proposals from Siemens Mobility and the French-owned Alstom Transportation to build six train sets capable of operating at 220 mph, and tested to 242 mph. The latter is developing a high-speed train for Amtrak’s Northeast corridor. Efforts are also underway to build high-speed rail in Texas and in Seattle.

High-speed rail to Las Vegas is coming as soon as 2028. Here are more details

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A construction worker exits the future Wilshire/Fairfax metro station during an event celebrating the completion of tunneling operations for the Metro D Line Subway Extension Project in Los Angeles, California, USA, 01 April 2024. The event marks the successful completed tunneling for the entire 9-mile underground alignment between the current Wilshire/Western D (Purple) Line station terminus in Koreatown and Westwood/VA Hospital. (Etienne Laurent / For the Times)

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Rachel Uranga covers transportation and mobility for the Los Angeles Times. She previously reported for the Los Angeles Business Journal, Reuters in Mexico City and Southern California News Group, where she later served on its editorial board.

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Work has finally begun on a new high-speed train line that will cut journey times from Bordeaux to Toulouse to just 1 hour 5 minutes, and Paris-Toulouse to three hours 10 minutes by 2032.

Current train times can be around double this.

The €14 billion project - dubbed the Grand Project Sud-Ouest (GPSO) - began on May 7 after years of planning, in a ceremony attended by local officials from Occitanie and Toulouse - and the prefect on behalf of the state.

The team, wearing hard hats, helped to symbolically install the line’s first overhead mast.

Multi-billion railway project

The new ligne à grande vitesse (LGV) is the first step in a project that will include 220km of track, two new stations (in Agen and Montauban), intervening stops, and connections between the train and local metro, bus, and bike systems.

The line is set to enter service in 2032.

The project - which will cost €8 billion for the Bordeaux-Toulouse section alone - will also see a €4 billion line between Bordeaux and Dax.

Yesterday, construction began specifically on a new €1 billion junction.

It will double the number of tracks over 19 km at the northern entrance to Toulouse.

With four tracks instead of two, the goal is to eliminate the current bottlenecks that stop the station from operating more trains at the same time.

More TER and express train services

The project will notably allow for more TER regional services, which are designed to enable more workers to commute from the surrounding areas into Toulouse city centre more easily.

This will include more services from the future Service Express Régional Métropolitain (SERM), which is aiming to run services from 05:00 to 23:00, and trains every 10 minutes at rush hours.

A funding application for this part of the Toulouse RER was made in January by the region, Toulouse Métropole and Haute-Garonne departmental council.

This SERM will not be the only such service in France; President Macron has said that he is aiming to roll out 10 SERMs nationwide.

The government will provide €700m worth of funding for them, with extra investment coming from local authorities.

Metro and other transport links aiming to reduce cars on roads

A survey in April found that almost 8 out of 10 (76%) of people in France support the construction of the new line, despite considerable opposition in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie from critics.

Overall, the plans are intended to work together to reduce individual journeys between Toulouse, Bordeaux, and Paris, and discourage people from taking cars or planes (although critics of the new A69 motorway , which also connects to Toulouse, have disputed this overall goal).

Read also: Strong public support for new TGV lines in south-west France

Read also: Controversy erupts around Bordeaux-Toulouse high-speed train line

For example, in Toulouse, local transport network Tisséo is currently building 27 km of new metro track, including a new east-west, north-south line across 21 new stations, which will help to improve connections to the new LGV line. This €3.1 billion Metro project is set to open in 2028.

The Occitanie region has also voted in favour of a new €4 billion investment agreement with SNCF over the next 10 years, for 110 extra regional trains per day (a 24% increase compared to the current offer).

The aim is that - working with the LGV project - these added train and metro services (along with new car sharing lanes and express bike routes) will reduce the number of cars on the road in the Toulouse area by 90,000 per day, significantly reducing carbon emissions and road pollution.

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High-speed rail improves travel, economy in Balkans

The railway linking the Serbian capital Belgrade and the Hungarian capital Budapest dates back to 1883, when the Orient Express traveled between Paris and what is now known as Istanbul at an average speed of about 40 kilometers per hour.

More than 140 years later, a 342-km high-speed railway linking the capitals will travel at a top speed of 200 km/h and upon completion will shorten the trip to three hours from the current eight.

In Serbia, the 80-km Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the railway began operation on March 19, 2022, and has facilitated the movement of people and even brought a new commuter lifestyle.

More than 7 million passenger trips have been made, according to China Railway International.

An average of 62 passenger trains operate every day, with peak daily passenger volume reaching 15,059.

"The safe, efficient, convenient and comfortable high-speed railway has created a better travel experience for passengers, and has been widely favored by people along the line. The volume of passenger trips has continued to increase significantly, with the train occupancy rate remaining at a relatively high level," the company said.

"As the line shortens travel time between the two cities, more and more people are embarking on a new commuter lifestyle as they travel between the two cities," it said.

The railway facilitates the movement of people, cargo, capital and information, driving the development of commercial and tourism industries.

The number of passengers traveling to historical and cultural attractions along the line is increasing, creating a large number of job opportunities, bringing development opportunities to more enterprises and greatly promoting socioeconomic growth in the region, according to the company.

Twenty-seven-year-old Aleksandra Radovanovic lives in Belgrade and works in Novi Sad. The operation of the Belgrade-Novi Sad railway section has shortened her commute from 90 minutes to about 30.

Serbian engineer Milan Banovic, an engineer with the Hungary-Serbia Railway, now commutes to work every day on this line.

"It has brought revolutionary changes. With the high-speed railway operating at 200 km/h, the difference compared to the past is incomparable. People are satisfied, the train's occupancy rates are high, and the passenger volume continues to increase," Banovic said.

Marko Jeremic, an engineer at Serbian Railways, said the ticket prices are affordable.

He said that collaboration with China Railway International on the high-speed line made it possible for Serbia to be the railway leader in the western Balkans.

"In that way, we became the leader because no other neighboring countries — Croatia, Hungary and Bulgaria — have high-speed lines over 160 kilometers per hour," he said.

The 108-km remaining leg of the line in Serbia — between Novi Sad and Subotica — completed tracklaying work last month, a step in preparation for the line's operation in Serbia by the end of this year.

The 342-km Serbia-Hungary Railway is an important Belt and Road Initiative project in Europe. Upon completion, the Serbian section of the railway will total 183 km, with a designed top speed of 200 km/h. The Hungarian section will be 159 km and have a top speed of 160 km/h.

The Serbian section is expected to be operational by the end of this year. The Hungarian section is under construction. Upon completion, travel time between Belgrade and Budapest will be reduced from eight hours to about three.

The railway is the flagship cooperation project between China and Central and Eastern European countries, and the first project to align China's railway technology and equipment with the European Union's technical specifications for railway connectivity.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

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Can India leapfrog the high-speed rail story with Hyperloop?

Satyanarayan Chakravarthy, faculty in the Department of Aerospace Engineering Department at IIT-Madras believes that reports about the death of Hyperloop technology are highly exaggerated.

We are one year behind the world. Else, we are on par with the Hyperloop developments across the globe, says Satyanarayan Chakravarthy, faculty, IIT-Madras

The growing skepticism around Hyperloop ever becoming a viable mode of transportation notwithstanding, Satyanarayan Chakravarthy, faculty in the Department of Aerospace Engineering Department at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Madras), believes that reports about the death of this technology are highly exaggerated.

"We have got to a point where we can probably demonstrate the full Hyperloop stack including a vacuum tube at about 400-meter length in our new campus," he said, referring to the demo that Avishkar Hyperloop will give at the ‘Global Hyperloop Competition’, which IIT-Madras will host next January.

Conceived by Elon Musk in 2013, the Hyperloop is a low-pressure tube in which magnetically-levitated pod-like vehicles can use to ferry cargo and passengers, sometimes at speeds in excess of 1,000 kmph.

While Musk's companies did not commercialize the technology, two firms had picked up the guantlet--Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc. (HyperloopTT) and Hyperloop One.

Hyperloop Italia, a licensee of HyperloopTT, is currently exploring the feasibility of a hyperloop operating prototype named ‘Hyper Transfer’ to carry cargo and passengers, which it hopes will lead to the construction of the world’s ﬁrst commercial hyperloop system in Italy. It's doing so in partnership with two Italian companies--WeBuild and Leonardo.

Hypeloop One was not as lucky. The startup received a major setback when Virgin founder Richard Branson pulled out two years back, following which Hyperloop One shut down operations in December 2023.

Consequently, when Branson's plans to develop the Pune-Mumbai, Bengaluru city-Kempegowda airport, and Amritsar-Chandigarh hyperloop corridors in partnership with Dubai-based logistics company DP World, were shelved, it added to the disillusionment.

Also read: Can Hyperloop transform how Indians travel?

But Chakravarthy, who is a faculty advisor to the IIT Madras student team at Avishkar Hyperloop, remains optimistic. He underscores that the Avishkar Hyperloop 70-odd revolving student team has been developing "the full Hyperloop stack of contactless propulsion, contactless braking with linear induction motor and levitation and a vacuum tube, and so on, since 2017".

India’s ministry of railways is a key partner in this Hyperloop technology development initiative at IIT Madras. Other research institutions including Hyperloop IITB, the official hyperloop team of IIT Bombay; the student hyperloop from IIT Delhi; and Team Vegapod Hyperloop, a student-led research team from MIT World Peace University, have been consistently participating in global hyperloop competitions and are pitching in with their pilots.

TuTr Hyperloop

IIT-Madras-incubated TuTr Hyperloop, on its part, will work on "commercializing these developments--it can earn revenue from cargo (by providing services to ports, mining industries, and logistics service providers) and eventually from passengers", according to Chakaravarthy, who is an advisor to the startup.

He insists that TuTr Hyperloop is making steady progress. For instance, it has partnered with IIT-Madras to develop Intellectual Property (IP) in hyperloop technology.

In December 2022, the startup signed an agreement with Tata Steel to jointly work on development and deployment of the Hyperloop technology, and leverage Tata Steel's expertise in design and development of steel and composite materials.

This January, ArcelorMittal said it is working with Avishkar Hyperloop and TuTr Hyperloop to provide 400 tonnes of steel for the fabrication of the 400-metre vacuum tube, as well as engineering, design and project management expertise to support the creation of India’s and Asia’s first Hyperloop test track at IIT Madras’ 163-acre Discovery Campus at Thaiyur on the outskirts of Chennai. The autonomous, levitating pods will be tested at speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour in the vacuum tube.

In March, Swiss transportation technology company Swisspod signed a deal with TuTr Hyperloop to help design and fund a testing centre in India that will serve as a hub for testing and refining hyperloop technology in real-world conditions. TuTr Hyperloop also has a partnership with Hardt Hyperloop, a top European hyperloop technology firm, to achieve interoperable hyperloop technology between Europe and India.

Quintrans Hyperloop

Pune-based Quintrans Hyperloop, co-founded by Pranay Luniya and Kartik Kulkarni in 2021, too is currently developing a "couple of pilots, and the plan is to develop these technologies in India itself to make it as cost-effective as possible".

"I think we are just getting started," says Lunia, whose startup is “currently working on a pilot on a small 15-meter setup in Pune. The idea is to prove magnetic levitation as well as linear motor propulsion. We are working to levitate roughly around 1 tonne in terms of payload. If we are able to do that, we will be the first private company in India to levitate any sort of payload".

Once that goal has been achieved, Quintras plans to develop a 100-meter full-scale pilot setup along with the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) in Pune.

Lunia underscores that while many focus on speed as one of the advantages of a hyperloop, "a lot of people miss the fact that a Hyperloop has tubes on which one could lay solar panels (since most of the corridors would be elevated rather than underground). Basically, you could power the Hyperloop with a renewable energy source, which is extremely important given the rising amount of carbon emissions and the government's targeting for net zero".

Why Hyperloop projects are taking long to commercialize

First, according to Chakravarthy, the technology is in its nascent stage around the world, and "newer and better solutions" consistently crop up.

"For example, I could use a linear synchronous motor instead of a linear induction motor. And I could place it on the track instead of putting it on the board, and I could use electrodynamic suspension instead of electrostatic suspension. I could use a concrete tube instead of a mild steel tube. Further, I can levitate from the top or I could levitate from the bottom. Hence, there are many different technology choices to put the full stack together and it is not very clear which is actually going to be the most cheapest," he explains.

Second, technology proof-of-concepts are not robust. For instance, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) Hyperloop, for instance, conducted the first passenger ride under vacuum conditions on July 10, 2023 at TUM's Ottobrunn/Taufkirchen campus near Munich. But, then, it was only a 24-meter-long test tube.

As Chakravarthy points out, if a company like TuTr Hyperloop works on a "commercial scale where passengers can sit and ride, they will have to ensure that the technology stack that they are developing is the most affordable" The reason: "If you make a wrong choice of technology, you are going to pay the price for a fairly long time--it is like a sunk cost that will have to last for the next 10-15 years."

Third, according to Chakravarthy, it's very difficult to raise money for an unproven technology like Hyperloop. "Investors will ask: where is the concept, and who is going to be the customer, among other things?"

Qunitras, too, is getting "funding right now from multiple government schemes, government grants and schemes". Lunia concurs with Chakravarthy that raising money from venture capitalists (VCs) in India is very difficult since "for Indian VCs, this is kind of a high-risk, high-appetite stuff. Hence, we have been trying to focus on some sovereign funds".

Fourth, global standards are lacking for this technology. "It requires multiple different standards to come together. For example, the track standards could be metro standards. The tunnel standards could also be metro tunnel standards. The lane switching could be railway standards. But the cabin and the pod could actually have automotive standards. The cabin could have airplane standards. The vestibules could have space standards, and so on," says Chakravarthy.

Global companies

To be sure, global hyperloop companies including Hardt, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Nevomo, TransPod, Swisspod Technologies, and Zeleros came together to form The Hyperloop Association.

Based in Brussels, the association hopes to work with bodies including the European Commission, the European Parliament, Europe`s Rail Joint Undertaking, research centers, and academia "to advance the progress and facilitate the widespread implementation of the innovative transportation system across Europe and globally".

Canada-based TransPod, which is developing the FluxJet hyperloop, led the process of writing EU standards for “reference architecture" of vacuum transportation. Chakravarthy, though, insists that "developing the designs is one part of the story; developing the prototypes is the second part of the story. But doing a huge amount of testing is where the proof of the pudding exists".

Also Read: Will the Hyperloop become the future of ground transportation?

Chakravarthy, meanwhile, hopes that the Global Hyperloop Conference that IIT-Madras will host in January, will boost the fortunes of Hyperloop technology. "The prospect looks extremely bright, particularly for what we are doing in India. People coming from around the world are astonished at the level of progress we have made and the level of maturity that we have attained. All this gives us a lot of confidence that in about a 10-year time frame, we should actually have Hyperloop tracks running--at least in some parts of the country."

"If I were to be modest, I would say we are one year behind the world. Else, we are on par with the Hyperloop developments across the globe," says Chakravarthy. Hyperloop, he concludes, can allow India to "leapfrog past the high-speed rail story that the Western countries as well as China have gone through in the recent past. It's like directly jumping onto the smartphone. We can lead the world, we can show by example."

Also Read: Mint Explainer: Why black holes are on India’s radar

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Tours-Bordeaux High-Speed Rail
The Tours-Bordeaux high-speed line is expected to be operational by 2017. The €7.8bn ($10.06bn) Tours-Bordeaux high-speed line will extend the south-western LGV Atlantique from Paris up to Bordeaux. Also known as the South Europe Atlantic high-speed rail (SEA HSR), Tours-Bordeaux high-speed rail is a massive project under development in ...
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Train timetables Tours-Bordeaux Friday 3 May 2024 Train timetables Tours-Bordeaux Friday 3 May 2024; Departure Arrival Duration Carrier; 6h 54m: 9h 02m: 2h 08m: TER, TGV INOUI: 1 connection Booking. 6h 54m. Tours TER 60842. 6h 59m. St Pierre Des Corps 08 min ...
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SEA
The high-speed rail line provides a c. two-hour journey time for passengers between Paris and Bordeaux, making it faster door-to-door than air travel. Approximately 60 million passengers travelled on the SEA corridor between 2017 and 2021. In 2011, Meridiam acquired SOJAS, which held at the time 22.34% of the shares in LISEA (the Project Company).
LGV Sud Europe Atlantique
The LGV Sud Europe Atlantique (LGV SEA, English: South Europe Atlantic High Speed Rail Line), also known as the LGV Sud-Ouest or LGV L'Océane, is a high-speed railway line between Tours and Bordeaux, in France. It is used by TGV trains operated by SNCF. It is an extension of the southern arm of the LGV Atlantique, with the western extension ...
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High-speed rail between Tours and Bordeaux Réseau Ferré de France and
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VINCI wins concession to build high speed rail line between Tours and
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SEA
A 50-year concession for a 303km high speed rail line between Tours and Bordeaux. In operation since 2017.
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High-speed rail between Tours and Bordeaux - Réseau Ferré de France and VINCI sign world’s biggest rail concession contract

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A life cycle model for high-speed rail infrastructure: environmental inventories and assessment of the Tours-Bordeaux railway in France

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