French national rail operator SNCF is gearing up to offer high-speed domestic train services in Italy from 2026, according to a statement released on Wednesday (12 June).
The move will rival local players Trenitalia and the privately-owned Italo as SNCF plans to offer up to 13 daily high-speed TGV services across Italy.
The French group already operates a cross-border Paris-Milan service, with TGV Intercités managing director Alain Krakovitch saying the company intends to “combine this with entry into the domestic market”, according to a report in Italian newspaper il Corriere della Sera.
This progressive rollout will include high-speed services between Turin, Milan, Rome and Naples, as well as services between Turin and Venice. “We have the ambition to cover 15 per cent of the [local Italian] market by 2030,” Krakovitch said.
SNCF’s Italian routes will be serviced with its new TGV M model train, the first deliveries of which are due in late 2025. The next-generation trains are expected to consume 20 per cent less energy and reduce carbon footprint by 37 per cent compared to existing models, according to the rail operator.
SNCF has formally submitted a plan to Italy’s rail infrastructure manager RFI (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana) for an agreement lasting 15 years.