FS Italiane Group has unveiled a major €2 billion investment programme that will see its French subsidiary, Trenitalia France, acquire 19 new high-speed trains from Hitachi Rail, reinforcing its long-term ambition to expand across France and establish a direct high-speed service between Paris and London by 2029.
The investment covers both the construction of the new train fleet and a long-term package of maintenance and technical support services. The order forms a central part of FS Group's international growth strategy, supporting increased capacity on existing French and cross-border routes while creating the foundation for future European expansion.
The new trains will enable Trenitalia France to strengthen operations on its established Paris–Lyon, Paris–Milan and Paris–Marseille routes through higher frequencies, improved passenger experience and increased capacity. Crucially, the fleet will also support the launch of the company's planned Paris–London high-speed service, which remains targeted for 2029.
Designed for operation across Europe's major high-speed rail networks, the trains will enhance cross-border interoperability and support FS Group's wider ambition of creating a truly connected European rail network.
Alongside the fleet expansion, work is continuing on schedule at the new Maisons-Alfort Pompadour maintenance facility near Paris. The depot will provide the maintenance capacity required to support a larger fleet and future international services.
The combined investments in rolling stock, infrastructure and maintenance are expected to generate around 2,000 jobs across France, Italy and the United Kingdom, both directly and throughout the wider rail supply chain.
“This order represents a strategic milestone for FS Group: it strengthens our presence in France, a key market for our international growth, and supports the development of increasingly efficient, sustainable and competitive high-speed services. The new trains and the new Maisons-Alfort Pompadour maintenance hub are also fundamental elements for the launch of the Paris–London connection, a project that is central to our vision of the ‘Metro of Europe’, the integrated high-speed network that will increasingly connect Europe’s major cities”, said Gianpiero Strisciuglio, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of FS Italiane Group.
The investment also marks another step in the strategic partnership between FS Group and Certares, with both organisations highlighting strong investor confidence in the future growth of European high-speed rail.
“The potential of this partnership is exceeding our expectations. We have seen extraordinary interest from investors of all types who want exposure to the European high-speed rail market and are excited to participate alongside us in the sector’s development. It is a powerful validation of the investment opportunity ahead of us: combining FS Group’s operational excellence with our global travel distribution assets to build a world-class international high-speed rail platform”, said Greg O’Hara, Senior Managing Director and Founder of Certares.
For Hitachi Rail, the contract strengthens its position as a key supplier of next-generation European high-speed technology.
“With this project, we are strengthening Hitachi Rail’s role as a technology partner for the new generation of high-speed rail services in Europe.”
“The trainsets will be designed to deliver high standards of sustainability, operational efficiency and cross-border interoperability, which are increasingly essential to support the growth of international rail traffic. The expansion of Trenitalia France’s services represents a further step towards a more integrated and sustainable European mobility system”, said Giuseppe Marino, Group Chief Executive Officer of Hitachi Rail.
Passengers travelling on the new fleet can expect a significantly upgraded onboard experience. Features will include next-generation Wi-Fi connectivity delivering speeds of up to 10Gbps, a redesigned bistro concept, enhanced catering options and completely new interior layouts aimed at improving comfort across all travel classes.
Sustainability has also been prioritised in the train design. The new fleet will achieve a recyclability rate of up to 97.1% while delivering further environmental benefits through lower emissions. FS Group estimates each trainset will reduce CO₂ equivalent emissions by approximately 120,000 tonnes compared with the previous generation fleet.
Trenitalia France has also completed commercial agreements with Certares' distribution partners, which will be introduced progressively over the coming months. The partnerships are expected to broaden sales channels, support growth in both leisure and business travel, and strengthen the commercial foundation for future international routes.
The announcement represents one of the most significant investments currently being made in European high-speed rail and signals FS Italiane's intention to become a major cross-border operator as demand for sustainable, international rail travel continues to grow.
Image credit: Gruppo FS
