ALSTOM celebrates 25 years of the TGV* and develops the
latest generation of very high speed trains

Alstom has gained unrivalled experience since the TGV was
introduced in 1981: TGVs have clocked up in excess of 2 billion
kilometers traveled (50,000 times around the world), carried
over 1.2 billion passengers, seen in-service operating speeds
rise from 260 kph to 320 kph, set the world speed record for
rail at 515.3 kph, and over 560 units have been sold.



This wealth of experience ensures that Alstom can continue to
research the boundaries of very high speed rail transport. The
challenge at present is to reach in-service speeds of 360 kph
so that the 1,000-kilometer barrier can be reached inside 3
hours, further enhancing the attraction of rail over other
forms of transport. This performance will be made possible
thanks to progress in the fields of power electrics (IGBT
inverters) and electromechanics (permanent magnet motors), the
use of composite materials to drive down trains mass,
and aerodynamic modeling. For example, in France a journey from
Paris to Toulouse may take just 2 hours 30 minutes, instead of
the five hours it takes today; and in Russia, the Moscow to
Saint-Petersburg journey, which currently takes 8 hours, could
fall to 2 hours 30 minutes.



In addition to the technical prowess that higher speeds
represent, there is the further challenge of meeting
passengers rising expectations: optimizing space,
outside and inside design carefully developed by Alstom
Transports Design division, on-board CCTV and
information, maximum acoustic comfort, seats designed for
comfort during journeys of over 3 hours, new fiber-optic-based
lighting solutions, etc.



The combination of high energy prices and exponential urban
growth will ensure that railway transport continues to grow its
market share over the coming decade. As part of its
determination to best provide for a market estimated at 1,000
high- and very high speed trains in the next few years, Alstom
is continually working to decrease trains energy
consumption. This reduction is achieved through the use of
composite materials to make trains that weigh less, and by
improving the efficiency of traction systems and rolling stock
articulation architecture. This has already resulted in lower
mass units that offer a 10 to 15% reduction in energy
consumption.


Press contact:

Clotilde Provost


Tel: + 33 (0)1 41 66 91 43

clotilde.provost@transport.alstom.com


*TGV is a registered trademark of French rail operator SNCF