France’s TGV (whose name is the French abbreviation for ‘high speed train’ got a bit faster this week, with the arrival of a new series of cars and locomotives.
The new trains cut the trip from Paris to Bordeaux from 4 hours to 3, and are capable of cruising along at 320 km/h, or 200 mph. The new series, dubbed “Océane” has a number of other upgrades as well, including
- on-board WiFi throughout
- real-time status displays, including location and speed
- individual AC and USB ports
- more wheelchair accommodations and ‘benches’ for group travel
- increased baggage space
The trains also have more seats…22% more…which will allow the railroad to catch up with increasing passenger numbers on many routes. The increased speed also means faster turnaround; when all the new trains have arrived, there will be 33 roundtrips a day between Paris and Bordeaux.
Photo: First train, decorated by artists at opening ceremony (SNCF photo)
