The SNCF Mobilités Board of Directors met this Thursday, 23 February and was able to approve the order of 15 double-decker Océane TGVs. This order is in addition to an order of 40 Océane TGVs currently being delivered by the same manufacturer. These 15 new trains will be put into service in 2019 and 2020 on the Paris-Bordeaux route.
TGV Océane will now have a fleet of state-of-the art trains with the highest possible capacity (556 seats).

These 15 TGVs will replace older trains, some of which are more than 35 years old. This will allow SNCF to save €150 million, which was set aside for the renovation of 24 existing trains.

The 15 trains will be equipped with a new automatic speed control system, in line with the very latest European standards (ERTMS) currently being developed by ANSALDO on behalf of ALSTOM. This system will naturally have to be approved by the French Railway Safety Authority (EPSF). This is a standard procedure for all new technological innovations.

The first six trains will be delivered in 2019, and the following nine in 2020. As of this time, the old trains will be removed from the TGV Atlantic fleet.

(Source: SNCF)