Air France has announced its intentions to `branch out` and begin providing high-speed rail services within Europe from 2010.
The project, which was announced recently by Air France-KLM, will be undertaken jointly with French transportation provider Veolia, and will see the provision of an international high-speed rail service along routes between London and Paris, and Paris and Amsterdam, cutting journey times by 10-15 minutes.
By operating the new generation train known as the AGV, Air France-KLM claims it can improve the service currently being offered by Eurostar and French company SNCF; the AGV can carry up to 900 passengers at a speed of 224 mph, 38mph faster than the trains currently in service.
These developments come in anticipation of the deregulation of European rail services in 2010, and result from a fall in the fortunes of airlines caused by high fuel prices. In August, BA announced an 88% slump in profits, while Air France-KLM's first-quarter profits were down by 59%.
While airlines have struggled however, the rail industry has experienced a growth in numbers; Eurostar, for example, saw an 18% rise in passengers during the first half of 2008. A spokesman for the operator said: "It's no surprise that airlines hit by high oil prices and congested airports are trying to turn themselves into train operators… This shows that airlines now realise that high-speed rail is increasingly the natural choice for business and leisure journeys across Europe."
Eurostar also dismissed claims that journey times could be improved upon, saying that the current top speed of 186mph had been introduced due to the limitations of the track, as opposed to the capability of their trains. A source involved in the development of St Pancras disagreed however, stating: "It is no longer the track that is holding back train speeds, but the trains… With a few modifications and testing, I see no reason why the new generation of TGV trains cannot run on the track."
While train and airline operators argue over technicalities, there seems little doubt however that deregulation will provide benefits for travel in Europe. Virgin Atlantic is considering setting up a service under the liberalisation plan, and German operator Deutsche Bahn has expressed an interest in running its trains from London to Cologne, opening up possibilities for direct travel links with many German cities.
An industry insider said that deregulation should have the effect of increasing the speed, scope and the affordability of European rail travel. He said: "Just imagine arriving at the station and being able to pick from destinations from all over Europe such as Prague, Cologne and Frankfurt. Competition will be great news for consumers."
Independent, ETA, BusinessWeek
