France Just Launched a New High-Speed Train Model

There’s something striking about France’s brand-new, high-speed train. The latest TGV model, launched on Thursday and due to go into service on the Paris-Bordeaux line in December, comes with a host of likable (if not exactly groundbreaking) new features. Its most unique feature, compared to previous French models, nonetheless lies somewhere else: It’s a lot cheaper.

Not exactly cheap, mind you. It will cost €1.3 billion (about $1.45 billion USD) to roll out 40 new trains—not exactly small change, even for a country that’s famous for going big on fast-train travel. Compared to previous TGV models, it will nonetheless cost 20 percent less to buy and 25 percent less to maintain. In addition, the trains will also have 20 percent greater capacity, meaning that the new model can carry up to 700 passengers, rather than the current 500. All this matters because the current priority for France’s railways isn’t pushing for yet faster trains; they can already reach 357 miles per hour, albeit under very special conditions. Right now, the priority is fighting off fierce competition by keeping down costs.