France begins procurement of replacement night train fleet

FRANCE: The government has called for expressions of interest in contracts to supply locomotives and coaches to renew the national night train fleet.

French night trains carried 950 000 passengers in 2024, a 23% increase on the previous year, according to Pierre-Christophe Soncarrieu, deputy director of the transport ministry’s Trains d’Équilibre du Territoire division.

However, the existing fleet of 129 refurbished coaches is approaching the end of its life and needs to be replaced.

Expressions of interest are sought fro…