On Tuesday, May 27, 2026, SNCF Voyageurs, LISEA, operator of the Sud Europe Atlantique high-speed line, and the State announced the establishment of a new arrangement to ensure journeys between Paris and Tarbes, in the Hautes-Pyrénées, by night train.
This arrangement allows conventional night trains, Corail trains whose top speed is 160 km/h, to run on the Sud Europe Atlantique high-speed line, an infrastructure originally designed for trains capable of reaching 320 km/h.
This adaptation required revising the locomotives’ safety systems, as well as targeted training for Intercités crews on the rules of operation on high-speed lines.
This arrangement allows conventional night trains, Corail trains whose top speed is 160 km/h, to run on the Sud Europe Atlantique high-speed line, an infrastructure originally designed for trains capable of reaching 320 km/h.
This adaptation required revising the locomotives’ safety systems, as well as targeted training for Intercités crews on the rules of operation on high-speed lines.
Night train Paris-Tarbes: What roles for the main players?
The State has fully borne the costs of modifying the locomotives’ safety systems, totaling over €700,000, in order to fulfill its promise to guarantee daily transit.
As for SNCF, it has committed to developing this innovative deviation via the LGV whenever the traditional route is inaccessible.
LISEA collaborated to integrate these night trains, ensuring that this does not affect the reliability of daytime TGV movements.
To read: Night train: “we are awaiting decisions worthy of the promises”
As for SNCF, it has committed to developing this innovative deviation via the LGV whenever the traditional route is inaccessible.
LISEA collaborated to integrate these night trains, ensuring that this does not affect the reliability of daytime TGV movements.
To read: Night train: “we are awaiting decisions worthy of the promises”
Night train Paris-Tarbes: The impact for travelers
Thanks to this partnership, nearly 150 Paris-Tarbes night trains will be able to operate each year on Saturdays and Sundays, days when they were previously canceled due to modernization work between Tours and Bordeaux.
Despite the rerouting, journey times remain unchanged and all ten usual stations continue to be served: Paris-Austerlitz, Les Aubrais, Biganos-Facture, Dax, Saint-Vincent-de-Tyrosse, Bayonne, Orthez, Pau, Lourdes, and Tarbes.
To read: Night train: European Sleeper launches a Paris-Berlin link
Despite the rerouting, journey times remain unchanged and all ten usual stations continue to be served: Paris-Austerlitz, Les Aubrais, Biganos-Facture, Dax, Saint-Vincent-de-Tyrosse, Bayonne, Orthez, Pau, Lourdes, and Tarbes.
To read: Night train: European Sleeper launches a Paris-Berlin link
