LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse: what you need to know about the line now on track
A long-term project
The first public debate on the LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse project took place between June and November 2005. On December 26, 2007, the State, the Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrénées regions, and RFF signed a framework protocol to formalize the organization as well as the methods of carrying out and financing the GPSO studies.
June 13, 2014 is the price of the ministerial decision authorizing RFF to present the operations constituting phase 1 of the GPSO to the public utility inquiry.
On July 2, 2017, the LGV Tours-Bordeaux was put into service over 302 km. On April 12, 2018, the Council of State rejected the appeals for annulment of the DUP on the new Bordeaux-Toulouse and Bordeaux-Dax lines. On April 23, 2021, rejection of the appeal in Cassation to the Council of State against the DUP of Railway Developments north of Toulouse. On April 27, 2021, the State pledged 4.1 billion euros for the high-speed line between Bordeaux and Toulouse.
September 3, 2021. Appointment of the prefect of the Occitanie region Etienne Guyot by the Prime Minister to carry out the LGV Sud-Ouest project and ensure its implementation.
On March 2, 2022, the Council of Ministers adopted the ordinance creating the “Société du Grand Projet du Sud-Ouest”. Finally, on March 14, 2022, signing of the financing protocol for the Grand Projet du Sud-Ouest (GPSO).
Funding of 14.6 billion euros
The cost of the LGV project (Toulouse-Bordeaux and Bordeaux Dax) is 14.3 billion euros, with funding provided for 40% by the State, 40% by local authorities in Occitanie and of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and 20% by the European Union. The financing plan signed in Toulouse yesterday records the financial participation of 25 communities (5.6 billion euros) including Toulouse Métropole, the Departmental Council of Haute-Garonne and the Regional Council of Occitani, but not that of the Departmental Council of Lot-et-Garonne.
A colossal construction site
The railway project is colossal and should last eight years. Yesterday Prime Minister Jean Castex, who in February mentioned a start of construction in 2024, was more optimistic. “The first works are planned for 2024, but if we could launch them at the end of 2023, that would be ideal”. declared yesterday in Toulouse the Prime Minister, indicating that “The first trains were running in 2032”.
Real time savings
With the future LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse, journey times will be significantly shortened compared to today. 3 h 10 between Paris and Toulouse (1 hour saved), 3 h 25 between Paris and Bayonne (20 minutes), 4 h 20 between Bordeaux and Marseille (1 hour), 3 h 50 between Toulouse and Bilbao (1 h 40) , 3h50 between Bordeaux and Barcelona (1 hour).
With a new TGV
The Bordeaux-Toulouse line should accommodate the future TGV presented last year by Alstom. This TGV “M” should be put into service at the end of the first half of 2024, just before the Olympic Games. between Paris and the South East of France. This fourth generation of TGV will carry 20% more passengers than the current equipment and in maximum configuration will be able to accommodate 740 people per train. The TGV M will be an ecological train with 32% less CO2 emissions per passenger than current TGVs.
The new trains consist of 97% recyclable materials. The TGV M. will be an economical train: thanks to more efficient aerodynamics and motorization, consumption will be less than 20%. Maintenance costs will also be reduced by 30% and this train should not break down thanks to a self-diagnosis of all the components carried out in real time. Finally, this TGV M. will be the first 100% connected TGV with an optimized on-board internet network, capable of integrating all future technical progress. Those who simply want the landscape will benefit from 10% more glass surface.
What about the Montpellier-Perpignan LGV?
On March 2, in addition to the ordinance for the creation of the Société du grand projet du Sud-Ouest (GPSO); my government has taken the decision to create the Company for the new Montpellier-Perpignan line with the same distribution key for financing: local authorities undertake to finance 40% of the sites, the State 40% and Europe 20% . Thus, for the Montpellier-Béziers section, eleven communities will participate up to 40% of the cost displayed at 2.04 billion. The New Montpellier Perpignan line (LNMP) “will play a major role in opening up the territory by facilitating its connection with Paris and Spain, […] and will make it possible in particular to connect Perpignan to Paris in 4:20 a.m. compared to 5:10 a.m. today”, explained the Occitanie Region when signing the financing protocol at the end of January.