April 2026. Let’s go to France. My first idea was going on a midweek getaway to Le Mans in the Sarthe department, in the Pays de la Loire or Lands of the Loire region. But there were no tours available for the Circuit de la Sarthe. So instead I opted for Nantes in the Loire-Atlantique department, but which is historically and culturally the capital of Brittany. And within my stay, I did visit Le Mans and the Circuit Bugatti. 

Part of the appeal of doing this trip to Nantes, is the once day connection from Brussels-South (Midi, Zuid) to Nantes. A ride of 4:47 hours. Bypassing Paris, which is nice. I will travel via Paris-Montparnasse and Paris-North, as the direct train departs Nantes before 6:00 AM. No thank you. 

The TGV family and the development of the Réseau sets

Since their introduction in 1981, the Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV) has formed the backbone of high-speed rail in France and, increasingly, across Western Europe. Developed by Alstom for SNCF, the TGV concept combined dedicated high-speed infrastructure with articulated trainsets and distributed traction concentrated in power cars.

Early generations such as the TGV Sud-Est and the later TGV Atlantique established the technical and operational foundations of the network. However, as the high-speed system expanded beyond Paris-centric routes into a more interconnected national and international network, a more flexible and interoperable train type became necessary. This requirement led to the development of the TGV Réseau.

SNCF TGV Réseau

The TGV Réseau (literally ‘network’), also referred to as TGV-R, was built between 1992 and 1996 as a direct evolution of the Atlantique design. Entering service in 1993, it was conceived to operate across a growing web of high-speed lines and cross-border routes, reflecting the increasing integration of European rail services.

Design and technical characteristics

A total of 90 trainsets were constructed. The first 50 units, numbered 501–550, were dual-voltage sets built between 1992 and 1994 for domestic and near-border operations. These were followed by 40 triple-voltage units (4501–4540), delivered between 1994 and 1996, designed specifically for international services.

The triple-voltage capability allowed operation under multiple electrification systems: 25 kV AC and 1,500 V DC in France, as well as 3,000 V DC networks in neighbouring countries such as Belgium and Italy. This made the Réseau fleet one of the first TGV variants capable of seamless cross-border operation without locomotive changes.

The final ten triple-voltage units were built for Thalys services linking Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. These services are now operated under the Eurostar brand, reflecting the consolidation of international high-speed rail operations in north-western Europe.

Each Réseau trainset consists of two power cars and eight articulated passenger coaches, forming a fixed-length unit of approximately 200 metres. With a power output of 8,800 kW under 25 kV supply, the trains are capable of reaching a maximum speed of 320 km/h. Original seating capacity was around 377 passengers, later reduced slightly following refurbishment.

Engineering adaptations were introduced for international compatibility. In particular, the triple-voltage sets incorporated weight-saving measures such as aluminium components and hollow axles to comply with axle-load restrictions on the Belgian network. In addition, pressure-sealed coaches were introduced to improve passenger comfort in tunnels at high speed, addressing issues identified on earlier lines such as the LGV Atlantique.

Role within the evolving TGV network

The Réseau sets marked a transition from single-route, Paris-focused high-speed services to a more flexible network model. They were widely deployed across multiple LGV corridors and played a key role in expanding international services during the 1990s and early 2000s.

Their versatility allowed them to operate both core domestic services and cross-border routes, helping to establish high-speed rail links between France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. In this sense, the Réseau trains can be seen as a bridge between the earlier, more specialised TGV generations and the later, more modular and international fleets.

Fleet transformation and hybridisation

By the mid-2000s, the introduction of newer TGV variants led to a partial reorganisation of the Réseau fleet. In 2006, the passenger coaches from 19 Réseau trainsets were repurposed to form TGV POS units, equipped with new-generation power cars for services on the LGV Est towards Germany and Switzerland.

Simultaneously, the displaced Réseau power cars were refurbished and coupled with newly built double-deck coaches, creating 19 TGV Réseau Duplex sets. These hybrid units were integrated into the broader TGV Duplex fleet and renumbered 601–619.

This process illustrates the modular nature of TGV design, in which power cars and articulated coach sets can be reconfigured to extend operational life and adapt to evolving service requirements.

Refurbishment and interior redesign

After approximately a decade of service, the interiors of the Réseau sets were considered outdated. A comprehensive refurbishment programme was launched in the early 2000s, closely linked to the opening of the LGV Est.

Between 2002 and 2003, several design proposals were presented to the public, combining industrial design with high-profile fashion partnerships. Competing concepts included collaborations involving Christian Lacroix and Kenzo. The final design, developed by MBD Design in partnership with Christian Lacroix, was selected.

Refurbishment work began in 2004 at SNCF’s Hellemmes workshops near Lille and was completed for the dual-voltage sets by 2006, with triple-voltage sets following shortly thereafter. The redesigned interiors introduced a new colour scheme, red for second class, yellow-green for first class, and metallic tones for the bar area, along with updated seating and fittings.

Although concerns were briefly raised regarding material performance at very high speeds, the Lacroix design was ultimately retained and applied across the fleet.

Legacy

The TGV Réseau occupies an important position within the evolution of the TGV family. While visually similar to its Atlantique predecessor, it introduced the operational flexibility and multi-system capability required for a truly interconnected European high-speed network.

Through subsequent refurbishment and reconfiguration, the Réseau fleet has demonstrated the adaptability of the TGV concept. Even as newer generations such as the Duplex and later high-speed units have taken prominence, the Réseau sets continue to operate, forming a lasting link between the early expansion of the French high-speed network and its modern, international role.

TGV inOui as a brand

Introduced in 2017, TGV inOui represents the premium high-speed service brand of SNCF. The name, derived from the French word inouï, meaning “extraordinary” or “unheard of”, was chosen to signal a repositioning of the TGV offer in response to increasing competition from low-cost rail, airlines, and long-distance coach services.

The launch of TGV inOui formed part of a broader restructuring of SNCF’s high-speed portfolio. While inOui was positioned as the full-service, higher-quality offer, lower-cost services were grouped under separate brands such as Ouigo. This segmentation allowed SNCF to address different market segments more clearly, distinguishing between price-sensitive travellers and those seeking greater comfort and flexibility.

Brand positioning and passenger experience

TGV inOui was conceived not as a new train type, but as a comprehensive service concept applied across existing and refurbished rolling stock, including TGV Duplex and upgraded single-deck units such as the TGV Réseau. The emphasis was placed on improving the overall passenger experience rather than introducing entirely new hardware.

Key elements of the inOui brand include redesigned interiors, improved seating comfort, enhanced onboard services, and a stronger focus on digital integration. Carriages were refurbished with more contemporary materials, improved lighting, and clearer passenger information systems. Wi-Fi connectivity, power sockets, and quieter environments were also prioritised.

Station experience was likewise incorporated into the brand, with dedicated signage, streamlined boarding procedures, and enhanced customer service. The aim was to create a consistent, end-to-end travel experience that extended beyond the train itself.

Rollout and implementation

The transition to the TGV inOui brand was gradual, beginning on selected high-profile routes before being extended across much of the TGV network. Existing trainsets underwent refurbishment programmes to align with the new branding, including both interior upgrades and updated exterior liveries.

Older rolling stock, such as the TGV Réseau sets, were progressively modernised to meet inOui standards, ensuring consistency across different generations of trains. At the same time, newer trainsets were delivered with inOui specifications from the outset.

Role within the modern TGV network

Within SNCF’s current high-speed strategy, TGV inOui represents the flagship conventional offer, balancing speed, comfort, and service quality. It operates alongside Ouigo, which focuses on cost efficiency and simplified service, and international brands such as Eurostar.

This dual-brand approach reflects broader trends in European rail, where operators increasingly differentiate between premium and low-cost services. In this context, TGV inOui serves as the primary expression of the traditional TGV ethos—high-speed travel combined with a high standard of passenger comfort—adapted to the expectations of contemporary travellers.

Train to Nantes

My first class seats wear grey, not yellow-green. First class is laid out in a 2+1 configuration. Some are in bays of four, some are two seats facing each other, some are two seats next to each other, some seats are properly solo. I had one of those. 

The seat is comfortable, although 4:47 is long in that seat. The recline is okay but as is not unusual on trains, the recline ‘cheats’. The bottom part goes forward to create some recline. Unlike on planes, it of course is nicer for the person behind you. 

Leg room is fine, but unspectacular. The table is large and sturdy. There’s a footrest, a cupholder and power outlet. Is it too bold to claim this seat is pretty standard for high-speed trains in Europe, and perhaps TGV set that standard a long while ago? 

WiFi worked well to browse and go on social media. The portal offers an array of films and shows to watch, which I didn’t. 

Announcements on the train were elaborate. Passengers are reminded their left luggage can cause the call for bomb disposal experts (don’t forget to label your bags). People are reminded to use earphones and if they want to place or answer a phone call, to go to the platforms.

Catering

Unlike on Deutsche Bahn in first class on ICE trains, there’s no attendant coming for your food order. No Currywurst mit Pommes. You need to go to the Le Bistro car yourself. 

I pre-ordered a lentil salad with mixed vegetables, butternut squash puree and poached egg. But between me pre-ordering it two days in advance and my travel day, it didn’t exist anymore. So I got salad of small spelt from Velay, green asparagus and vegetable matchsticks. Which was good enough. 

So?

There isn’t that much to tell. Using the TGV in France is nice enough. It’s classic, regional trains SNCF struggles with. 

More on cross-border trains

• BASQUE COUNTRY | Talgo leads €105m project to develop high-speed train for Europe.
• ALISA presents modular double-deck concept for Europe’s night trains.
• ÖBB adds international train connections to Germany, Italy, Serbia and Slovakia to 2027 timetable.
• BALTIC STATES | Rail Baltica train tender fails to attract compliant bids.
• Deutsche Bahn expands international train services with new Frecciarossa trains to Italy.
• Paris to Vienna night train could cut emissions equivalent to almost 4,000 people.
• NETHERLANDS | The Hague pushes for direct Brussels train from 2029 with formal manifesto.
• France and Spain revive cross-border rail links as Hendaye broad-gauge tracks are saved.
• VIDEO | Nox Mobility to launch Hamburg to Munich night train on 23 March 2027.
• VIDEO | The Longest Train Journey in the European Union: From Finland to Portugal by train in just 125 hours and 31 minutes.
• Italo interested in running trains to / in Belgium and the Netherlands, after conquering Germany.
• YES TO THE NIGHT TRAIN | A plea for reclining seats and six-berth compartments.
• Back On Track Belgium salutes return of Brussels–Milan night train as “a real feat”.
• Antwerp now linked to Cologne in Germany with direct Deutsche Bahn ICE via Brussels Airport.
• Antwerp-Central sees increase in international train travel.
• Europe’s night-train revival: a real comeback or a false dawn?.
• Dutch and Belgian passenger advocates call for swift reopening of Hamont-Weert railway.
• European Sleeper plans Brussels – Antwerp – Malmö night train service for 2028.
• ‘New’ Amsterdam-Hamburg ICE service is actually a diversion of Berlin trains.
• RAIL IN EUROPE | Off-the-shelf trains to speed up delivery and cut costs.
• GoVolta unveils ambitious expansion with new services to Cologne, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, plus high-speed trains to Paris.
• PASSENGER PACKAGE | European Rail Passengers’ Federation and Back-on-Track Europe welcome EU rail reforms but call for stronger cross-border rights.
• European Sleeper, Nightjet and OUIGO Train Classique services through Belgium to change from September 2026.
• Catalonia and Andorra launch studies for first cross-border Tramvalira project.
• Arriva expands Paris train ambitions with extra The Hague to Belgium connections.
• EUROSTAR | From Brussels to London in Eurostar Plus (2026).
• NMBS / SNCB: International train travel continues to grow in popularity with Belgian holidaymakers.
• Political push in the Netherlands for Eindhoven to Brussels EuroCity.
• TGV inOui Brussels – Strasbourg – Basel from July 2027.
• Deutsche Bahn Cologne – Ostend ICE caters to 700,000 Belgian Coast-loving tourists from Germany.
• RAIL BALTICA  | Tallinn – Valga / Valka – Riga – Vilnius by train.
• SPAIN | Renfe suspends Paris high-speed project amid certification deadlock.
• Finland and Sweden to be linked by rail this summer.
• European Parliament rubberstamps new regulation to upgrade cross-border railway capacity coordination.
• GoVolta launches daily Amsterdam to Paris day train via Antwerp and Ghent, with tickets from €19.
• ÖBB NIGHTJET | New generation carriages to debut on Amsterdam–Zurich route in December 2026.
• 8.7 billion rail trips in Europe in 2024 as Switzerland leads and Belgium’s data remain unavailable.
• Deutsche Bahn, DSB and Vy present direct Berlin to Oslo route, from summer 2028.
• European Rail Passengers Union: EU must act now to make cross-border rail travel seamless, fair, and green: passengers demand guaranteed rights and simpler ticketing.
• European Sleeper sets out vision for 40-route night train network across Europe, including London.
• RAIL BALTICA | Elron, Vivi, and LTG Link launch joint tender for regional trains.
• Trenitalia / FS Group advances Paris hub to power European high-speed expansion, looking at Belgium and the Netherlands in the long term.
• Train Charter Services replaces Keolis as operator for GoVolta trains.
• Trenitalia unveils €2 billion investment plan and orders 74 new Frecciarossa high-speed trains.
• Snälltåget to run Stockholm – Malmö – Copenhagen – Hamburg day trains from May 2026.
• Nox night trains: a smart new cabin concept or just an unachievable dream?.
• How firm are Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn’s “2030s” Germany to London train link plans?.
• Leo Express files plans for extraordinary 2026 Bratislava–Ostend and Venice–Northern Germany services.
• Rail should be functional, not fine art: EU leaders call for standardisation and lower costs.
• Subsidies for night trains? “You cannot fix this until someone builds more sleeper and couchette carriages”.
• Leo Express and Arenaways plan direct train between Prague and Venice.
• Italo targets the German high-speed rail market.
• Trenitalia eyes expansion into Germany’s high-speed trains market.
• European Commission wants to link all EU capitals by high-speed train by 2040… and that’s not going to happen.
• Travellers in Europe increasingly open to choosing trains over planes for short-haul journeys.
• REVIEW | European Sleeper night train.
• Paris Nightjet axed: France’s withdrawal threatens Europe’s night train revival.
• Iron Rhine gets renewed political attention in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
• ÖBB prioritises Railjet over Nightjet: Is the night train revival a False Dawn?.
• EU train travel report sees increase in cross-border passenger trains and easier bookings.
• Brussels to Luxembourg by train under 2 hours by 2030?.
• Eurostar and five more train operators joined the European Agreement on Journey Continuation.
• ÖBB’s new Nightjet sleeper cars accommodate solo travellers with Mini Cabins.
• EUROCITY EC-8 | Basel to Cologne in SBB’s Panoramic Car.
• REVIEW | Trenitalia Frecciarossa 1000 Paris – Milan in Business Executive.
• RAIL TOUR OF EUROPE | How easy is touring Europe by train?.
• Eight train connections between the Netherlands and Belgium by 2030?.
• REVIEW | ÖBB Nightjet Amsterdam – Zurich night train.
• Nightjet Vienna/Innsbruck to Brussels, or how we got thrown off the train in Aachen.
• Why the expensive ÖBB Nightjet is really not that expensive.
• Ticket Distribution: the failure of railways to sell themselves.
• To use night trains in Portugal and Spain or not?.
• Night trains in Europe.
• Low-cost, long-haul trains to conquer Europe?.
• Fly now before it’s taxed and consider using the train instead.

Channel Tunnel updates

• Dutch rail passengers pay for London border checks while air travellers do not.
• Virgin unveils cross-Channel train design, but Alstom order remains unclear.
• Eurostar promises double-decker cocktail bar for new Alstom Celestia trains.
• Eurostar to offer direct, no-train-changing London to Antwerp services from December 2026.
• EUROSTAR | From Brussels to London in Eurostar Plus (2026).
• TRENITALIA | FS Group orders 19 high-speed trains for expansion in France and Paris – London route.
• A loop as a creative solution for serving Cologne Main Station on a Frankfurt to London route?.
• Switzerland – United Kingdom direct train moves closer as SBB-CFF-FFS, SNCF Voyageurs and Eurostar sign memorandum of understanding.
• A London-bound Eurostar terminal at Antwerp-Central? Highly unlikely!.
• #CROSSCHANNELRAIL | Expanding UK-Europe train links most realistically leading to Switzerland.
• Gemini Trains partners with Uber for Stratford to France Channel Tunnel route.
• Eurostar and St. Pancras Highspeed back major station expansion to double capacity amid growing international demand.
• EUROSTAR | London – Frankfurt, London – Geneva and Amsterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Geneva from 2030?.
• Alstom wants its double-decker trains to ride through Channel Tunnel.
• London St. Pancras Highspeed pledges financial support for cross-Channel rail services.
• London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink aspire to to triple train services to France, Belgium and the Netherlands and add services to Germany and Switzerland.
• Heuro wants to operate high speeds trains between Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Paris and London from 2028.

Nantes & Le Mans 2026

1. 10 AUGUST 1826 – 10 AUGUST 2026 | 200 years of ‘omnibus’ public transport.