LGV Sud Europe Atlantique
The LGV Sud Europe Atlantique (LGV SEA, English: South Europe Atlantic High Speed Rail Line), also known as the LGV Sud-Ouest or LGV L'Océane, is a high-speed railway line between Tours and Bordeaux, in France. It is used by TGV trains operated by SNCF. It is an extension of the southern arm of the LGV Atlantique, with the western extension being LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire . Both extensions to the high-speed line were inaugurated on 28 February 2017, with services beginning on 2 July 2017. The line, which was at the time the biggest European railway construction project, was built by the LISEA consortium, which owns and maintains the line until 2061 and charges tolls to train companies. Trains on this line depart Paris from Gare Montparnasse.
| LGV Sud Europe Atlantique | |
|---|---|
The LGV Sud Europe Atlantique near Pliboux (Deux-Sèvres). | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Operational |
| Owner | SNCF |
| Locale | Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie, France |
| Termini | |
| Service | |
| System | SNCF |
| Operator(s) | SNCF |
| History | |
| Opened | 2 July 2017 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 340 km (210 mi): 302 km (188 mi) (newly built) + 38 km (24 mi) (connection to existing network) |
| Number of tracks | Double track |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Electrification | 25 kV 50 Hz |
| Operating speed | 320 km/h (200 mph) |
| Signalling | TVM 430 / ETCS Level 2 (future) |