Paris to Marseille Is About to Get a Double-Decker

France’s new double-decker TGV M trains are scheduled to enter passenger service on November 9, 2026, starting on a limited number of Paris to Marseille services. Each train can carry up to 740 passengers, a big step up in capacity on one of the country’s busiest rail corridors.

The trains are built by Alstom for SNCF, which ordered about 160 of them in a deal valued at 4.6 billion euros. That scale suggests TGV M will become a familiar sight across the network over the coming years, rather than a niche addition to a few routes.

For passengers, the rollout begins small. Only some Paris to Marseille departures will use the new trains at first, so travelers cannot count on getting one simply by choosing that route. Anyone curious should check the train type shown when booking, and expect the mix to widen as more units are delivered.

More seats on popular lines can ease the crush of peak-season demand, when tickets often sell out and fares climb. Whether that translates into cheaper tickets is another question, but added capacity is generally good news for last-minute travelers.

Sources: Andy B Travels