Conquering Europe at high speed: the TGV as a tool for the internationalisation of the SNCF

Conquistar Europa a alta velocidad: el TGV como herramienta de internacionalización de la SNCF

Iñigo Aguas Ardaiz ()
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Iñigo Aguas Ardaiz: LVMT - Laboratoire Ville, Mobilité, Transport - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - Université Gustave Eiffel

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Abstract: The French railway company, the SNCF, was the first to deploy its own high-speed technology in Europe. This was the result of years of research, abandoning its previous business model and ensuring a chance to beat the intermodal competition. In fact, when they saw what they had, the strategy quickly became international and not just for France. This can be clearly seen in the Channel Tunnel project, which was quickly permeated by the TGV's slogans. In fact, reaching Brussels and Northern Europe, replacing the express trains of the time, was one of the original points of the original high-speed project. To this end, joint ventures were created with the national companies of the countries concerned, although always with a particularly strong technical component on the French side: Eurostar and Thalys. Something similar was done in parallel with the Lausanne and Bern trains, once again picking up the route of a TEE, now TGV Lyria. In parallel with the sale of technological development to countries such as Spain, Belgium and, to some extent, Italy, the SNCF created joint companies with the other neighbouring countries: Artesia with FS and Elipsos with RENFE, companies that have served as a springboard for the SNCF to provide services directly in these countries. The only exception is Alleo, the Franco-German alliance that maintains the balance. This was perhaps the most important formula, as it enabled SNCF to have authorised vehicles, gain first-hand knowledge of the country's network and attract people with the idea of one day launching its own operation, all within the framework of European liberalisation. A long-term business to ensure the good health of the company and which actually takes us back to French ambitions on how to run the railway world, which were very real at the time of the creation of the UIC.

Date: 2026-06-24
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Published in X Congreso internacional de historia ferroviaria, Asociación Ibérica de Historia Ferroviaria; Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles, Jun 2026, Alcázar de San Juan, España

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