Interior designs of the new TGV Océane revealed

First class

French National Railways (SNCF) has unveiled interior designs of the new TGV Océane at Paris-Montparnasse Vaugirard station.

First class

The ceremony, attended by Guillaume Pepy, Chairman of SNCF’s Executive Board and Rachel Picard, CEO of Voyages SNCF, showcased the Alstom built TGV 2N2 Euroduplex Atlantique train which will serve the new Tours–Bordeaux High-Speed Rail line – also known as the South Europe Atlantic high-speed rail (SEA HSR).

The first four trains will be available for service at the end of December this year with the inaugural service running between Paris and Toulouse on 11 December.  Seventeen trainsets will be available for service once construction of the high-speed rail line is complete. The entire fleet will be delivered by the end of 2019.

TGV Océane interior

Travelling at speeds of up to 320km/h, the new Océane model has 22 percent greater capacity than the current TGV Atlantique, seating 556 travellers – 158 of which are first class and 398 second class. Seating in both passenger classes has been designed for greater passenger comfort and privacy.

The TGV first class design aims to provide passengers with ergonomic seat that can pivot in the direction of travel. Approximately 90 percent of seats will be able to rotate to ensure forward facing travel. This action will be carried out by staff prior to passenger boarding.

Each seat has lumber support which automatically adjusts the backrest angle to provide passenger comfort whilst working or relaxing. In addition, the seat delivers a number of features to aid the overall customer experience including, jacks, USB port, variable lighting and useful features such as a reading light, hanger, fixed mirror and luggage space under the seat.  A mini table also unfolds to allow travellers to connect their smartphone without having to pull down the additional larger table.

Second class of travel will also benefit from ergonomic seating with an extra wide tray table, USB ports and 220v power points for electronic devices. Use of wood textiles and leather is also aimed to provide an optimised sense of well-being.

Second class

On-board services

Additional features will include:

• New luggage spaces including under-seat space for carry-on bags
• A new two seat option for those travelling with bicycles, allows passengers to sit nearby
• Enhanced accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility, including call buttons to summon a conductor.
• From July 2017, enhanced WiFi connectivity will be available via the latest fibre optic technology and 4G. Internet connectivity will be available for free using an on-board portal.
• An on-board passenger information system, including screens displaying speed, travel times, disruptions and stops.
• An information desk where the train manager can meet with customers during the journey