Italian state-backed Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS or FS Group) is accelerating its expansion into Europe’s high-speed rail market, confirming plans for a major maintenance hub in the Paris region that will underpin its growing operations in France and support future services to London in the United Kingdom.
Trenitalia France has signed a 35-year lease with SNCF Réseau for a site at Maisons-Alfort Pompadour in south-east Paris. The €80 million facility, expected to enter service by the end of 2029, will act as the operational backbone for the company’s Western European ambitions, including its planned Paris to London services via the Channel Tunnel.
The depot will operate around the clock and include three maintenance tracks, allowing simultaneous servicing of three trainsets. It will also feature washing, cleaning and stabling facilities, with capacity for up to 25 high-speed trains. This marks a reduction from earlier plans, which envisaged capacity for around 30 trainsets, but still leaves room for expansion beyond Trenitalia France’s current fleet of 19 Frecciarossas.
The site is designed not only to improve maintenance efficiency and operational flexibility, but also to support a broader network strategy. Rather than treating Paris–London as a standalone route, FS intends to integrate Channel Tunnel services into a wider system of domestic and international high-speed operations radiating from the French capital. Trains will be cycled between French domestic routes and cross-border services, enabling a more efficient use of rolling stock.
The project represents a strategic shift following FS’s unsuccessful attempt to secure access to the Temple Mills maintenance depot in London, currently the only UK facility equipped for Channel Tunnel-compatible high-speed trains. After losing out on capacity at the site, the group pivoted towards a France-centred operating model, positioning Paris as the core hub for its international services.
Since outlining its initial plans earlier in 2026, several elements of the project have evolved. The confirmed location differs from earlier ambitions to base the depot closer to Gare du Nord, the main Paris terminus for London services. Instead, the Maisons-Alfort Pompadour site sits on the LGV Sud-Est high-speed line, suggesting a more network-oriented approach to operations, while also reflecting the practical constraints of entering a market dominated by SNCF.
Beyond infrastructure, the depot is a key component of FS Italiane’s wider industrial strategy, which aims to expand sustainable rail connections between Europe’s major cities and compete more directly with short-haul aviation. Backed by a broader €1 billion investment programme involving Certares, the group is targeting significant growth in cross-border traffic, where a large share of journeys is still made by air.
Paris is expected to function as the central hub for this expansion, potentially supporting new high-speed links beyond France. While no additional routes have been formally confirmed, Belgium and the Netherlands are seen as logical next steps for further network development.
FS Italiane chief executive Stefano Antonio Donnarumma said the investment strengthens the group’s industrial presence in France and supports the development of European rail mobility. He added that the new maintenance centre is a strategic infrastructure to support Trenitalia’s growth in the country and future high-speed connections between Paris and London, helping to make rail an increasingly central pillar of sustainable transport in Europe.
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