Italian state-owned railway operator FS Group has announced a landmark partnership with U.S.-based investment firm Certares, signaling an ambitious expansion of high-speed rail services in Europe through Trenitalia France.
The collaboration, backed by an initial EUR 1 billion investment, is aimed at accelerating the growth of Trenitalia France, enhancing international connectivity, and reinforcing FS Group’s presence in Europe beyond its domestic network.
“Partnering with Certares represents a significant milestone in FS Group’s international strategy,” said a spokesperson for FS Group. “This agreement enables Trenitalia France to expand its network, improve service frequencies, and offer enhanced travel options for both business and leisure passengers across France and the United Kingdom.”
Trenitalia France: Building on Success
Trenitalia France, headquartered in Paris, currently operates high-speed services along the Paris-Lyon and Paris-Marseille corridors, as well as the cross-border Paris-Milan route. Since its launch, the operator has served over 4.7 million passengers, consistently recording high customer satisfaction ratings.
Under the new partnership, Trenitalia France plans to expand into the Paris-London corridor and additional international routes, positioning itself as France’s second-largest high-speed rail operator. Key initiatives include:
- Expanding the fleet to at least 19 modern trainsets.
- Developing a state-of-the-art maintenance facility near Paris.
- Increasing service frequencies on core routes, including up to 28 daily trips on Paris-Lyon.
- Creating hundreds of new jobs across operations, maintenance, and customer service.
- Enhancing technology, marketing, and branding efforts to attract both domestic and international travelers.
- Targeting entry into the Paris-London high-speed market by 2029.
Driving Sustainable Travel Across Europe
The FS Group–Certares partnership aims to promote high-speed rail as a practical and environmentally friendly alternative to air travel. By integrating bookings and rail-inclusive itineraries, Trenitalia France plans to make rail travel more accessible and appealing for leisure trips while maintaining strong corporate travel services.
Certares brings significant travel industry expertise to the table, with a portfolio spanning American Express Global Business Travel, Marietton Développement (including Havas Voyages and Selectour), Voyageurs du Monde (including Original Travel), and Internova Travel Group (including Barrhead Travel). This network is expected to facilitate commercial arrangements that enhance Trenitalia France’s distribution channels in both France and the UK.
Strategic Growth and FS Group’s Vision
The partnership aligns with FS Group’s 2025–2029 strategic plan, which focuses on accelerated international growth through collaboration with leading financial and industrial partners. FS International, the group’s division overseeing passenger operations outside Italy, currently generates approximately EUR 3 billion in net revenues and employs around 12,000 people. The new investment reinforces the group’s commitment to international expansion and modernizing Europe’s high-speed rail infrastructure.
With this EUR 1 billion investment, Trenitalia France is poised to become a major player in European rail travel, offering faster, greener, and more connected journeys across key cities and international corridors.
