PARIS – New French rail operator Velvet plans to enter the French high-speed rail market in 2028. The company will operate twelve new Alstom Avelia Horizon high-speed trains, connecting Bordeaux, Nantes, Angers and Rennes with Paris.
Velvet describes itself as France’s first independent high-speed rail operator. With its new services, the company plans to add around ten million seats annually on routes serving France’s Atlantic coast.
The new trains are expected to provide additional capacity on what Velvet describes as highly sought-after connections between the four cities and Paris.
Planning with IVU.rail
Velvet has selected IVU.rail, developed by German company IVU Traffic Technologies, for the planning and day-to-day management of its trains and personnel.
The software will be used for timetable planning, vehicle and staff scheduling, as well as operational dispatch. Through its control centre, Velvet will also be able to closely monitor daily operations and respond quickly to disruptions.
IVU.rail will be provided as a Software-as-a-Service solution and, according to IVU, can be flexibly adapted as Velvet’s rail operations grow.
Preparations for 2028 launch
“We offer climate-friendly transport to people in France,” says Rachel Picard, President and Co-Founder of Velvet. According to Picard, the new operator aims to redesign high-speed train travel in France, focusing on customer needs and new ways of travelling.
She says IVU.rail will allow Velvet to prepare the processes required for its future operations well ahead of the launch of its services.
Martin Müller-Elschner, Chief Executive of IVU Traffic Technologies, says the company is proud to support Velvet as it prepares to launch its new high-speed rail services. The agreement gives IVU another customer in the French rail transport sector.
Twelve Alstom Avelia Horizon trains
Velvet will use twelve Alstom Avelia Horizon high-speed trains for its new services. From 2028, the trains are expected to connect Paris with Bordeaux, Nantes, Angers and Rennes.
With Velvet’s planned entry into the market, France is set to gain a new independent high-speed rail operator.
