ROME — Italy’s state rail group Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane is moving ahead with plans to expand its high-speed fleet with Hitachi Rail trains as it prepares to launch a Paris-London service through the Channel Tunnel, targeting 2029, according to company plans and industry sources.
Trenitalia, FS Group’s passenger operator, has committed to expanding its Frecciarossa fleet to 74 new-generation trains by 2031. In March, it signed a contract worth about 260 million euros with Hitachi Rail for nine additional trainsets, following a 2023 agreement covering 36 trains and an option for 10 more.
The latest-generation Frecciarossa trains are built by Hitachi Rail at its Italian plants in Naples and Pistoia. They can operate at up to 300 km per hour and are designed for use across seven European rail networks, making the platform suitable for FS Group’s wider international expansion.
FS Group has been preparing to challenge Eurostar on the Paris-London corridor, with the company targeting an initial service from 2029. Its plans include a fleet expansion in France and a new maintenance facility near Paris. The UK Office of Rail and Road has previously recorded Trenitalia’s proposal to operate 10 trains in each direction between Paris and London, with the service planned to reach full frequency within six months of launch.
FS Group Chief Executive Stefano Donnarumma said in 2025 that the group intended to invest about 1 billion euros to establish a high-speed service between London and Paris, using trains based on the Hitachi-built Frecciarossa 1000. The group has also said it wants to develop a broader European high-speed network linking major cities.
Trenitalia already operates Frecciarossa services in France between Paris and Lyon, Marseille and Milan. Its expansion plans are being pursued alongside a partnership with U.S. travel investment firm Certares, announced in late 2025, aimed at developing Trenitalia France and supporting international growth.
The proposed London service still requires the necessary infrastructure, regulatory and operational arrangements for cross-Channel operations. Trenitalia’s plans also face competition from other prospective operators seeking to challenge Eurostar’s long-standing position on the route.
For now, FS Group’s confirmed fleet programme calls for 57 new Frecciarossa trains to be in service from 2029, rising to 74 by 2031, while the Paris-London launch remains targeted for 2029.
