Le Train
Le Train is France's first private high-speed rail operator, founded in 2020, planning direct services between Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, and Paris using Talgo Avril trainsets for business and leisure travelers in western France.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersL'isle-d'espagnac, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Le Train does
Le Train is France's first private high-speed rail company, founded in 2020 in Nouvelle-Aquitaine as a Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS). The company's purpose is to operate direct high-speed passenger services between major French cities — Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, and Paris — on corridors currently underserved by the incumbent SNCF network, notably creating a direct Bordeaux–Rennes link and adding capacity on the saturated Rennes–Paris and Bordeaux–Paris routes without detouring passengers through Paris. It targets both business travelers (early-morning departures, same-day trips) and leisure travelers (eco-friendly, family- and pet-friendly, bike-accessible) in the Grand Ouest and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions.
The company's core product is high-speed passenger rail service, delivered through an industrial partnership with Spanish manufacturer Talgo for the supply of Talgo Avril next-generation trainsets — single-level, low-floor, 100% electric trains featuring generous luggage and bicycle spaces and on-board staff on every service. French homologation of the Talgo Avril platform is underway following Spanish homologation in 2024. Operationally, Le Train has adopted Wiremind's PAXONE SaaS platform as its launch customer, providing integrated ticketing, inventory management, and CRM. The company also holds a railway undertaking licence (granted 2022), has signed framework agreements with SNCF Réseau (March 2026) for the Rennes–Paris and Bordeaux–Paris corridors, and has been shortlisted as a finalist in both the Intercités (2024) and TER Poitou-Charentes (2025) competitive tenders.
Le Train's business model is direct-to-consumer ticket sales via its own website (letrainvoyage.fr) and a planned mobile application, with no third-party distribution. Pricing is described as "simple and transparent" but has not been publicly disclosed. A secondary revenue stream may emerge from public service rail contracts if the company wins TER or Intercités tenders. The company is currently pre-revenue, with commercial operations pending train homologation completion and full funding close. Key shareholders include Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, Crédit Agricole Charente-Périgord, and four additional investors from the July 2023 €8M funding round; individual investors were onboarded via the Tudigo crowdfunding platform in March 2023.
Le Train firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Le Train
- Legal name
- LE TRAIN SAS
- Website
- https://letrainvoyage.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Le Train is France's first private high-speed rail operator, founded in 2020, planning direct services between Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, and Paris using Talgo Avril trainsets for business and leisure travelers in western France.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Le Train industry classification
Industry- Product category
- High-Speed Rail Services
- NAICS
- Rail Transportation (4821), Commuter Rail Systems (485112)
- SIC
- Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Open-Access Intercity Rail Operators (Private) (THAIAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- High-Speed Rail Passenger Operators (THAIAAAC), Private/Open-Access Intercity Rail Operators (TLAFADAC)
Keywords
Where Le Train is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- L'isle-d'espagnac
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Le Train business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- High-speed passenger rail tickets: LE TRAIN will generate revenue primarily from ticket sales for its high-speed passenger rail services across four planned routes: Bordeaux–Nantes, Bordeaux–Rennes, Rennes–Paris, and Bordeaux–Paris. Ticket sales will be direct-to-consumer via the company's website and mobile application. Revenue model is usage/consumption-based — passengers pay per journey, with pricing described as simple and transparent. The company has not yet disclosed specific pricing tiers or fare structures as commercial operations have not launched.
- Public service rail contracts (Trains du quotidien / TER / TET): LE TRAIN has submitted bids and been shortlisted for regional (TER Poitou-Charentes) and national (Intercités) public service rail contracts. These contracts represent a potential second revenue stream — government-funded rail services connecting medium-sized cities and everyday commuter routes. The company aims to bring the same quality standards to these conventional services as to its high-speed offering.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Le Train product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Le Train is a private passenger rail operator that will run high-speed intercity services in France using Talgo Avril electric trainsets on routes such as Bordeaux–Nantes, Bordeaux–Rennes, Rennes–Paris, and Bordeaux–Paris. The company also plans to operate everyday regional rail services ("trains du quotidien") connecting secondary cities in western France. Ticketing and dynamic pricing are managed through its own direct channels and the Wiremind PAXONE revenue management platform.
Product overview
LE TRAIN is France's first private high-speed rail company, founded in 2020 in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The company operates a unified platform combining high-speed intercity services (Talgo Avril trains) with everyday regional rail services. Key products include: (1) High-Speed Rail Services connecting Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, and Paris via direct routes on Talgo Avril trainsets; (2) Everyday Rail Services (Trains du quotidien) for regional connectivity; and (3) Wiremind PAXONE, an integrated ticketing, inventory and CRM platform that powers passenger-facing sales and service operations across all routes. The company positions itself as a complement to SNCF, not a replacement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- High-Speed Rail Services (TGV France) Planned private high-speed passenger rail service in France using Talgo Avril 100% electric trainsets, targeting direct intercity connections on Bordeaux–Nantes, Bordeaux–Rennes, Rennes–Paris, and Bordeaux–Paris routes for individual travelers seeking an alternative to SNCF TGV/inOui offers.
- Everyday Rail Services (Trains du quotidien) Planned regional/commuter rail service ("trains du quotidien") in western France, designed to connect secondary cities and serve daily commuters and regional travelers as a complement to Le Train's high-speed services.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50x less polluting than air travel (per ADEME data)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Le Train
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Le Train technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature4 records
Le Train partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SNCF RéseaucoreLE TRAIN signed framework agreements with SNCF Réseau for the Rennes–Paris and Bordeaux–Paris corridors in March 2026. These agreements formalise reciprocal commitments between LE TRAIN and the rail infrastructure manager, securing LE TRAIN's access to the French high-speed network on two of the country's busiest corridors. The agreements acknowledge that demand exceeds supply on these routes, and LE TRAIN will provide additional trains with complementary timetables.
- WiremindcoreLE TRAIN is the first customer of Wiremind's PAXONE SaaS platform — an integrated ticketing, inventory management, and CRM solution purpose-built for rail operators. PAXONE enables dynamic pricing, inventory control, and customer relationship management for LE TRAIN's future services. The partnership was announced in July 2023 when Wiremind officially launched the platform.
- TudigominorLE TRAIN partnered with equity crowdfunding platform Tudigo in March 2023 to open its share capital to individual investors, allowing future passengers to become shareholders in the company. This was a community-building and fundraising initiative rather than a commercial product partnership. In March 2023, LE TRAIN offered its future passengers the opportunity to become shareholders through the Tudigo platform.
- TalgocoreLE TRAIN signed a major industrial agreement with Spanish train manufacturer Talgo for the supply of Talgo Avril next-generation high-speed train sets, maintenance services, and technical support. The partnership covers the full lifecycle of the trains including homologation support. Talgo Avril trains feature low-floor single-level design for accessibility, generous luggage and bike spaces, and are designed for passenger comfort. The trains were homologated in Spain in 2024, with French homologation underway as of 2026. Visuals and illustrations credit: LE TRAIN SAS / Talgo / All rights reserved.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Le Train competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ouigo (SNCF low-cost): SNCF's low-cost high-speed rail product serving similar price-sensitive business and leisure travellers on the same French corridors. Directly comparable as a low-fare HSR alternative and the most likely competitive response to LE TRAIN's entry.
- Iryo (ILSA): Spanish private high-speed rail operator launched in 2022 as a competitive alternative to Renfe AVE. Directly comparable as a European open-access HSR entrant with a similarly positioned value proposition (modern fleet, direct-to-consumer, complementary to incumbent).
- FlixTrain: European private low-cost long-distance rail operator operating in Germany, Sweden, and expanding elsewhere. Comparable as a digitally-native, direct-to-consumer private rail challenger using a different commercial model but addressing similar price-sensitive passengers.
- Italo (NTV): Italy's first private high-speed rail operator, now owned by MSC and Lufthansa. Directly comparable as the European private HSR precedent that demonstrated the open-access model can work in a state-dominated market — LE TRAIN's closest European analogue.
- Trenitalia France: Italian state operator that has announced entry into the French high-speed market. Directly comparable as an open-access competitor pursuing the same liberalisation opportunity and targeting overlapping cross-border and domestic French corridors.
Broad incumbents
- Renfe (AVE): Spanish national rail operator running AVE high-speed services and exploring international expansion. Comparable as an established European HSR operator whose Talgo S-100 fleet shares technology lineage with the Talgo Avril trainsets LE TRAIN will operate.
- Eurostar: International high-speed rail operator connecting France with the UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Comparable as an established private operator on French high-speed network infrastructure with cross-border passenger expertise relevant to LE TRAIN's planned Paris services.
- SNCF (TGV inOui): The incumbent French national rail operator running TGV inOui high-speed services on the same Bordeaux–Paris and Rennes–Paris corridors LE TRAIN plans to enter. Directly comparable as the dominant operator whose network and pricing LE TRAIN is designed to complement.
- DB Fernverkehr (Deutsche Bahn): German national rail operator running ICE high-speed services across Europe. Comparable as a major European state-owned HSR operator exploring liberalised market entries and as a benchmark for fleet utilisation and network economics.
- Thalys (now Eurostar): High-speed rail operator connecting France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, merged with Eurostar in 2022. Comparable as an established cross-border HSR service sharing French track access constraints and passenger overlap on the Paris axis.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Le Train social profiles
Digital presenceLe Train compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Le Train financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Le Train leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Le Train funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Le Train M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Le Train
What does Le Train do?
Le Train is a private passenger rail operator that will run high-speed intercity services in France using Talgo Avril electric trainsets on routes such as Bordeaux–Nantes, Bordeaux–Rennes, Rennes–Paris, and Bordeaux–Paris. The company also plans to operate everyday regional rail services ("trains du quotidien") connecting secondary cities in western France. Ticketing and dynamic pricing are managed through its own direct channels and the Wiremind PAXONE revenue management platform.
Is Le Train a public or private company?
Le Train is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Le Train founded?
Le Train was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Le Train based?
Le Train is headquartered in L'isle-d'espagnac, France, in the Europe region.
How does Le Train make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. High-speed passenger rail tickets are the primary driver. The others are public service rail contracts (Trains du quotidien / TER / TET).
Who are Le Train's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ouigo (SNCF low-cost), Iryo (ILSA), FlixTrain, Italo (NTV) and Trenitalia France. Broad incumbents are Renfe (AVE), Eurostar, SNCF (TGV inOui), DB Fernverkehr (Deutsche Bahn) and Thalys (now Eurostar).
Does Le Train have an API?
No public API is recorded for Le Train.
What industry is Le Train in?
Le Train's product category is High-Speed Rail Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAIAAAB, Open-Access Intercity Rail Operators (Private), with a secondary code of THAIAAAC, High-Speed Rail Passenger Operators. Its NAICS code is 4821 and its SIC code is 4100.