Velvet is the first independent French high-speed rail company, aiming to add 10 million annual seats on direct routes linking Angers, Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes and Paris, with around 2-hour journeys. It prioritizes a pleasurable, simple travel experience and positions itself as a greener, more efficient alternative that helps travelers travel more while polluting less and better balancing work and life. Led by Rachel Picard and Tim Jackson and financed by Antin Infrastructure Partners, Velvet has ordered 12 French-made Alstom Avelia Horizon high-speed trains and plans to launch commercial service in 2028 after obtaining its railway operator license.
AI named Velvet from March 2026 to June 2026.
Brand page for velvet-fr