On #CrossBorderRail earlier this week I saw this TGV on test, and immediately scrambled to work out what it was! It's a new SNCF brand, the TGV MaxOui - taking the OUIGO brand to the max, I suppose? Based on what I found out, each TGV will have 20 carriages, and a capacity of over 1600 passengers!
The only stops on the new service will be Paris, and the destination, such as Lorraine TGV, Belfort - Montbéliard TGV and Tourcoing. There will not be any interim stops Each TGV will have only 2 doors - this will slow down boarding, but will up capacity, I presume to the benefit of SNCF executives?
As most passengers just spend their trips reading their mobiles, there are no windows in the train - to save weight. Perhaps most extreme of all, passengers are only allowed one small piece of luggage - the rest has to be sent ahead using a new service called "co-baggage" - for everyone's comfort.
Last but not least, there are no regular tickets - each passenger will wear a label showing their name and telephone number, and this will allow them to board, with non compliance resulting in a call to the security police. Honestly SNCF, are you really trying to make rail travel THIS grim? 🤬