Overview

• Velvet, formerly Projet Proxima, unveiled its green-and-lilac identity at Alstom’s Saint-Ouen facility on July 1 as France’s first fully private high-speed rail operator.
• The startup raised €1 billion from Antin Infrastructure Partners and will allocate roughly €200 million each year to pay rail infrastructure fees.
• Velvet has ordered 12 Alstom Avelia Horizon trainsets, aligning with SNCF’s next-generation fleet, with test runs planned in 2026 and initial deliveries set for mid-2028.
• Services will cover Paris–Bordeaux, Paris–Angers–Nantes and Paris–Rennes routes, aiming to provide ten million seats annually to relieve chronic demand.
• Lisea is funding a dedicated maintenance depot at Marcheprime to support Velvet’s planned operations.