Who Invented the TGV? The Engineers Behind France's High-Speed Train

The TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) was not the invention of a single person but the result of a massive collaborative R&D program by the French national railway SNCF in the 1970s, backed by the French government.

Key Figures

• Roger Thévenot: Project director & chief engineer, often called the "father of the TGV."
• Jacques Dupuy: Head of R&D for the project.
• André Coudert: Mechanical engineer, designed high-speed bogies.
• Alain Barret: Aerodynamicist, shaped the train's streamlined profile.

The first prototype was built in 1972; commercial service began in 1981 on the Paris–Lyon line. The TGV became a global benchmark for high-speed rail.