(Reuters) -French rail operator SNCF Voyageurs has approved a 1.4 billion euro ($1.63 billion) order for 30 additional very high-speed trains from Alstom intended for international service under the Eurostar banner, the trainmaker said on Wednesday.
The order is part of a broader framework agreement between SNCF and Alstom, which now covers 145 trains. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2031, Alstom said.
The deal includes options for up to 20 additional trains, the group said.
The new trains will operate under the Eurostar brand across five countries: France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, reaching London via the Channel Tunnel, it said.
This marks the first time double-deck, high-speed trains will run on the Channel Tunnel route.
($1 = 0.8575 euros)
(Reporting by Alban Kacher; Editing by Joe Bavier)
