Air France KLM has confirmed that it will move into the high speed passenger rail market in a new venture with Veolia, a French transport company.
The two will make their move after rail passenger traffic in Europe is liberalised from January1, 2010.
The two companies have been in talks since the summer but it is understood no formal deal has yet been signed between them.
Most high speed rail travel is currently run by train operating companies (TOCs) which are owned by the state, like the French network, SNCF and the German Deutsche Bahn which is being prepared for privatisation.
Companies like Eurostar which runs services form London to the continent, and Thalys which operates in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, are owned jointly by other TOCs.
Visit www.airfrance.com.
Stanley Slaughter
Related stories: Click here for more on Air France KLM.