The fleet will underpin a new Paris-London service due to launch in 2029, with the trains also set to strengthen existing Paris-Lyon, Paris-Milan and Paris-Marseille services from FS subsidiary Trenitalia France.

For UK travellers, the investment will create a new operator on the Channel Tunnel, with FS positioning the Paris-London route as a key part of its international expansion, opening up additional capacity between the UK and continental Europe.

The investment is double the €1 billion FS previously outlined for its cross-Channel ambitions, with FS Group chief executive Gianpiero Strisciuglio saying the Paris-London link was "a central project" in its vision of a "European Metro" connecting major European cities.

"This order strengthens our presence in France, a key market for international growth, and supports the development of increasingly efficient, sustainable and competitive high-speed services," he explained.

Trenitalia France has also finalised commercial partnership agreements with Certares' distribution partners, with the aim of expanding distribution, supporting business and leisure travel, and helping "develop future international connections".

The new trains will feature redesigned interiors, a new bistro concept and Wi-Fi, while FS says they will also offer "improved environmental performance" and a "recyclability" rate of up to 97.1%. 

The operator also claims each train will deliver a further reduction of around 120,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions compared with the previous generation.