This is a moment we’ve been waiting for. The very first train from Velvet, the new French high-speed rail company, rolled off the assembly line in La Rochelle. It’s a milestone that’s as symbolic as it is concrete in a project aimed at launching service in 2028.
Behind this pine-green train adorned with a lilac ribbon lies more than just a new player in the rail industry. It is a promise: that of 10 million additional seats per year on lines that are already at capacity. But then, is this really a revolution?
On the ground, the message is clear: “Make the train a winner.” That’s what Rachel Picard, co-founder of Velvet, emphasized on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Behind this slogan lies a broader ambition: to offer “more options for planning your trips”, and even, eventually, “redefining the boundaries between work and personal life”. A vision that goes beyond simply launching a new carrier. We'll explain everything.
Our on-the-ground analysis in video:
Since the health crisis, train ridership has risen sharply. According to Velvet, there are now nearly 15% of potential travelers who cannot find a seat on the most popular routes. That share could reach 25% by 2030, according to projections released by Velvet at its launch in June 2024.
In this context, Velvet positions itself as a a direct response to this saturation, focusing on routes in particularly high demand, such as Paris–Bordeaux, Paris–Nantes, Paris–Rennes, and Paris–Angers. These are routes where demand is already very high, especially during peak periods such as weekend getaways and school vacations.
The rollout of this first Velvet train in La Rochelle marks a concrete step forward in a project that, until now, might still have seemed a long way off. Less than twelve months after the announcement in June 2024 of a €1 billion fundraising round, production has begun at Alstom, the trains are being manufactured, and the production schedule is on track.
The launch will take place in phases. Velvet plans to start with four trains on the Paris–Bordeaux route starting in mid-2028, before expanding its offerings to other lines. This ramp-up is constrained by the pace of train deliveries, estimated at about one train per month.
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In practical terms, this means that rolling out the network will take time. For example, there will be a gap of several months between the opening of the first line and that of subsequent lines, while enough trains are made available to ensure regular service.
Nevertheless, in an industry where timelines are often long and uncertain (particularly during the testing and certification phases, when projects can fall behind schedule), this rapid ramp-up is already a significant sign.
To gain a detailed understanding of Velvet's goals, its future routes, and its market positioning, you can read our in-depth analysis of the company:
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At first glance, the debut of the first Velvet train in La Rochelle might suggest a major change in the onboard experience. In reality, the change will likely be more subtle. The trains that have been ordered are Avelia Horizon models, a new generation of high-speed trains developed by Alstom, the the same model as the future TGV INOUI (or TGV M) ordered by SNCF Voyageurs.
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These double-decker trains, designed by Alstom, promise more space, brighter interiors thanks to larger windows, and improved energy efficiency. From a technical standpoint, they are a natural evolution of the most recent high-speed trains deployed in France.
Velvet emphasizes a point of differentiation that lies more in the onboard experience, with a interior design inspired by other industries, such as the hotel and airline industries, and a design that would have incorporated user feedback from the very beginning of the project. It remains to be seen how these intentions will play out in practice once the trains are in service
Velvet Motorcar © Tolt - HOURRAIL!
Velvet summarizes this experience in a few simple principles: a seamless journey, clear services, and “useful amenities on board.” Here, the train becomes the brand’s primary means of expression—both a showcase of technology and a living space designed with meticulous attention to detail.
Even the train’s livery is designed to be a statement. The green evokes performance and technology, while the lilac stripe conveys a sense of fluidity and movement. It’s Velvet’s way of asserting a “resolutely striking” visual identity, designed to leave a lasting impression as soon as the train pulls into the station.
This trend also raises broader issues. Today, the rail model relies in part on a balance between profitable routes and less-traveled routes, with the former helping to fund the latter. It is the principle of revenue equalization that allows less popular routes to remain accessible, as Alain Krakovitch explained to our reporter.
This model relies heavily on the incumbent operator. SNCF Voyageurs is currently the main contributor to the network’s financing, particularly through the rail tolls it pays, but also more broadly through its contribution to the system’s economic balance.
By focusing exclusively on the routes in highest demand (and the most lucrative ones), Velvet is following a coherent economic strategy—but one that raises questions: What happens to this balance if competitors focus on the most profitable segments? This is, in fact, a question that has been raised by the opening of the market to competition in Europe over the past several years, with responses varying widely from country to country.
One specific point of contention already illustrates this debate: the SNCF is pushing for new operators to also serve less profitable stations, known as land-use planning. Velvet is declining this request for now, choosing instead to focus on its four busiest routes.
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At the same time, certain measures may be in place to facilitate the entry of new operators, for example through tailored network access conditions during the first few years of operation. This is another issue that fuels the debate over fairness among operators.
One might also wonder to what extent this new service will actually influence prices. The example of Trenitalia on the Paris–Lyon and Paris–Marseille routes since 2022 shows that the arrival of a competitor can indeed drive down fares on certain routes.
But while the entry of a new player may stimulate competition, it does not eliminate the sector's structural constraints, particularly the cost of network access or infrastructure congestion during peak hours.
While no specific stance has been announced regarding dynamic pricing, it would be surprising if Velvet were to forego it. This type of mechanism, already widely used in the rail and airline industries, remains a key tool for optimizing train occupancy.
Rachel Picard herself is tempering expectations: Velvet won’t be able to offer rock-bottom fares, given the costs of tolls paid to SNCF Réseau, energy, salaries, and equipment. This is a useful clarification in light of the optimistic estimates currently circulating.
First Avelia Horizon - © Velvet
Beyond the issue of pricing, the challenge also lies in passenger load factor. To achieve financial stability, Velvet will need to gradually attract a diverse range of travelers. This could involve segmented offerings or more innovative distribution models, although few details have been provided at this stage.
The company acknowledges that this growth will take time. As with any new entrant, it will take several years to achieve a sufficient load factor and stabilize the business model.
When it comes to distribution, Velvet has a clear strategy: to be present on as many booking platforms as possible, in order to make its trains accessible to as many people as possible. This is a key challenge for a new entrant, which must both build brand awareness and fill its trains quickly.
On the ground, Velvet also emphasizes its commitment to establishing a long-term presence in the regions it will serve—a key factor in supporting the opening of the market to competition.
The arrival of Velvet could help improve access to train service on certain heavily trafficked routes. More seats could mean fewer passengers left behind at the platform, a more diverse range of service options, and welcome downward pressure on prices during peak hours. For regular travelers between Paris and the Atlantic coast, this is a concrete and imminent prospect.
This commitment also involves establishing a strong local presence. The company plans to recruit across all the regions it serves, with a goal of hiring approximately 300 employees by 2028. This is one way for the company to become an integral part of the French rail landscape beyond the lines it operates.
But it would undoubtedly be an overstatement to view this as an immediate transformation of the rail system. Infrastructure constraints remain the same: high-speed lines are shared, train path capacity is limited, and Parisian stations are already at capacity during rush hour. Velvet will run on the same tracks as the TGV Inoui, under the same rules for network access.
So Velvet signs up more in line with a process of evolution than one of rupture, but that doesn't mean it isn't good news for travelers.
Velvet has just reached a new milestone—this time a regulatory one. On September 1, 2026, the company obtained its railroad operator license, issued by the Ministry of Transportation (DGITM). This authorization now allows the company to reserve train paths with SNCF Réseau, access essential infrastructure, and organize its operations. It still needs a second mandatory authorization, the Single Safety Certificate, which will cover risk management and operational safety. The stated goal remains the same: commercial service launch in the summer of 2028.
With the launch of this first Velvet train in La Rochelle, the company is entering a decisive phase. Technical testing, certification by the EPSF (Public Railway Safety Agency), the production of the 12 trainsets ordered, and preparations for operations will now set the pace for the coming years leading up to the train’s entry into service.
The real test will therefore begin with the first commercial runs on the Paris–Bordeaux route, followed by a Gradual expansion of the network as deliveries come in. A phased launch, which stands in contrast to the impression—sometimes that of an instantaneous event—that the arrival of a new operator can create.
To achieve this, Velvet is guided by three stated objectives: meeting the production schedule, creating a travel experience that lives up to expectations, and successfully establishing a presence in the regions. These three challenges alone illustrate the scope of the project.
In the meantime, the project will still have time to evolve. But one thing is certain: the French rail landscape is changing. And this time, that change is no longer just an announcement. It takes the form of a very real train, rolled off the assembly line at a very real factory in La Rochelle.
Rachel Picard and Timothy Jackson, co-founders of Velvet - © Velvet
Velvet is unlikely to revolutionize the French rail system overnight. But with this first train rolling off the assembly line, the project is finally moving from the realm of plans into reality.
In a strained system where demand already exceeds supply, every additional seat counts. And in this regard, the arrival of Velvet could make a real difference for travelers, especially on the busiest routes.
The fact remains that rail service is not simply a matter of adding more trains. It relies on a complex balance between profitability, accessibility, and regional planning. The opening of the market to competition—of which Velvet is a new example (following Trenitalia on the Mediterranean route)—could reshuffle the deck. Other French projects are also in the works, though they are less advanced: Le Train (Bordeaux–Nantes, Bordeaux–Rennes) and Kevin Speed, which aims to provide a high-speed shuttle service between Paris, Lille, Strasbourg, and Lyon.
Between now and 2028, we’ll need to keep a close eye on how the project unfolds. More than just another promise, Velvet asks a simple question: What should the train of tomorrow look like?
Issue du monde de la communication et des médias, Sophie est Responsable éditoriale chez HOURRAIL ! depuis août 2024. Elle est notamment derrière le contenu éditorial du site ainsi que La Locomissive (de l'inspiration voyage bas carbone et des bons plans, un jeudi sur deux, gratuitement dans ta boîte mail !).
Convaincue que les changements d’habitude passent par la transformation de nos imaginaires, elle s’attache à montrer qu’il est possible de voyager autrement, de manière plus consciente, plus lente et plus joyeuse. Son objectif : rendre le slow travel accessible à toutes et tous, à travers des astuces, des décryptages et surtout, de nouveaux récits.
