“Botox” undertaking: SNCF needs to increase the lifespan of 104 TGVs

SNCF Voyageurs needs to increase the lifespan of 104 TGVs from two to 10 years particularly with a purpose to “reply to a requirement from ever-increasing numbers of vacationers selecting the practice”, this SNCF group firm liable for passenger rail transport stated on Thursday. This “Botox” undertaking to “lengthen the lifespan” of 104 TGV trains will probably be added to “strengthen the TGV supply” to the order positioned for 115 new new technology TGV Inoui trains (TGV M), improve within the variety of TGV Ouigo trains (from 38 to 50 trains) and “the intensification of using rolling inventory”, defined SNCF Voyageurs in a press launch.

With “Botox”, the target is to “lengthen the lifespan of those TGVs past forty years”, declared Christophe Fanichet, CEO of SNCF Voyageurs, throughout a press convention. These are “practically a 3rd of our TGVs which could be prolonged”, he added, whereas the TGV fleet at the moment has 363 trainsets.

Security and luxury

The corporate is already renovating its trains at mid-life, however “from 2026, 104 TGV trainsets will see their lifespan prolonged from two to 10 years (…) past what’s traditional” and, “clearly , this have to be executed with 100% safety, but in addition consolation” for vacationers, underlined Alain Krakovitch, director of TGV-Intercités.

These 104 trains “eligible for the Botox program will probably be assessed” and their renovation will final “till 2033”, he specified. Amongst these trains, round “1 / 4 are two-level and three-quarters are single-level, the oldest”, he detailed. “Solely double-deck trainsets will probably be prolonged for as much as ten years,” he famous. “The opposite trains will probably be prolonged from two to 6 years,” reported Vincent Lahillade, director of business operations.

A price of “a number of hundred thousand euros”

The general value of this renovation program entrusted to the SNCF workshops ought to attain “a number of hundred million euros”. “There are nonetheless assessments to be carried out”, based on Alain Krakovitch. To renovate these trains, trainsets will probably be used as “shops” for spare elements and “very trendy methods, for instance the 3D copy of elements” will probably be used, he famous. “We’re within the course of of making a form of materials useful resource,” he summarized.

The period of the extension of the lifetime of the trains will depend upon the outcomes of the assessments, i.e. one to 3 years of research relying on the trains. The renovation work may take between two weeks and 6 months. The primary renovated trains will run in early 2026, with this system on account of finish in 2033.