French high-speed rail operator Proxima has rebranded to ¡®Velvet¡¯ as it prepares to commence services in 2028.
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The?privately-owned rail company, established in October 2024 by former TGV managing director Rachel Picard and rail veteran Timothy Jackson, on Tuesday (1 July) unveiled a new name and brand identity.
The company promises to ¡°reinvent¡± the high-speed rail market in France with plans to operate services between Bordeaux, Nantes, Angers, Rennes and Paris. Average travel time on direct services will be two hours, according to the company, which will offer 10 million additional seats on the above routes each year with a fleet of 12 double-decker trains from Alstom.
The companies confirmed the order of 12 Avelia Horizon trains last October in a deal worth approximately €850 million. Alstom also agreed to provide 15 years of maintenance on lines along France¡¯s Atlantic coast.
The locomotives are currently in production across Alstom's French sites, with testing to begin in 2026 ahead of the commencement of services in 2028.
The nascent rail company is backed by private equity firm Antin Infrastructure Partners, which has raised €1 billion to finance the company¡¯s launch, according to Velvet.
¡°With Velvet, we are going to make high-speed rail more accessible¡ ?a real alternative, the choice for everyone to live a reinvented travel experience,¡± Picard wrote on LinkedIn as she announced her new role as Velvet CEO and co-founder.
Jackson, now Velvet¡¯s development director and co-founder, also shared on LinkedIn: ¡°I could not be prouder that we have put together a new all-French rail company, serving some of France¡¯s most important cities, backed by one of France¡¯s leading long-term infrastructure investors, with a major French rolling stock partner and with a?je ne sais quoi?of?joie de vivre.¡±