Hitachi Rail has secured a new framework agreement with SNCF, the French national railway company, valued at up to €77 million. The agreement covers the supply of on-board digital signalling equipment, known as bi-standard ERTMS/TVM, for the latest generation of TGV trains (TGV-M) as well as existing TGV trains operating on the French and European high-speed rail networks. This state-of-the-art equipment will increase the reliability and availability of train services, thus improving the connectivity of Europe through sustainable transport.
Under the agreement, Hitachi Rail's factory in Riom, central France, will manufacture the equipment. The framework agreement includes an initial order of at least €25 million, potentially increasing to up to €77 million over the next five years. The bi-standard ERTMS/TVM equipment features an advanced computer system with greater processing capacity, enabling it to cope with future developments in signalling technology and European standardization. It combines TVM (Transmission Voice-Machine), a French legacy ATP system, with ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) technology to ensure the safe operation of SNCF's high-speed trains on both the French and cross-border networks.
“This new framework agreement follows the recent contract signed in November 2022 for the fitment of E300 Eurostar trains, and will see passengers benefit from cutting-edge digital technology through increased reliability and capacity of the service. We are proud and grateful to SNCF for their continued confidence in Hitachi's rail technologies,” said Gilles Pascault, President of Hitachi Rail in France.
The bi-standard ERTMS/TVM equipment has been widely adopted since its launch in 2007, with more than 1,000 units installed on various types of trains throughout Europe (including France, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, and Germany) and Asia (South Korea and China). In addition, this in-cab signalling equipment is compatible with ERTMS technology and can be used internationally with different types of trains and operations.
