Find the French routes and SNCF trains in Train Simulator Classic, from LGV Marseille–Avignon and its Lyon extension to TGV and BB-series DLC.
Train Simulator Classic’s core French route is LGV: Marseille–Avignon, with the Rhône-Alpes & Méditerranée extension continuing the high-speed railway north to Lyon. The base route includes a TGV Duplex; separate SNCF DLC adds TGV Réseau/R-Duplex sets and several BB-series electric and diesel locomotives. Cross-border, third-party and Workshop routes add broader French coverage.
Which official French routes are available?
The main official French offering is the Marseille–Avignon LGV and its northward route extension. Train Simulator Classic does not provide a nationwide French network, and its edition bundles change, so French content should not be assumed to come with every base-game purchase.
| Route | Coverage | Key requirement or limitation |
|---|---|---|
| LGV: Marseille–Avignon | Marseille-Saint-Charles to Avignon TGV, including the high-speed LGV Méditerranée | The foundation French route; includes the TGV Duplex |
| LGV Rhône-Alpes & Méditerranée | Extends the high-speed railway north from Avignon towards Lyon | An extension rather than a substitute for Marseille–Avignon; both are needed for the longer Lyon–Marseille run |
| Bahnstrecke Strasbourg–Karlsruhe | Cross-border railway from Strasbourg through Kehl into Germany | Useful for Alsace and international operations, but it is not a general French route pack and its supplied stock should be checked separately |
| Workshop and freeware routes | Conventional, regional, suburban and historical French lines | Quality and completeness vary; many require several separately installed asset packs |
Our country-by-country route catalogue explains how these fit alongside the simulator’s UK, German, American and other route families.
Which SNCF trains can you drive?
The TGV Duplex is the principal French train supplied with a route, while most other SNCF locomotives and units are separate products. The best-known choices are:
- TGV Duplex — included with LGV: Marseille–Avignon and built around high-speed operation with TVM cab signalling.
- TGV Réseau and TGV-RDuplex — separately sold high-speed variants for expanding the TGV fleet and scenario selection.
- BB 7200, BB 22200 and BB 26000 — SNCF electric locomotives covering DC and dual-voltage passenger or freight work, depending on the class and scenario.
- BB 67400 and A1A-A1A 68000 — diesel traction better suited to conventional passenger, engineering and freight scenarios.
- Community stock and reskins — additional SNCF liveries, coaches, wagons and multiple units, often requiring an original commercial model.
A locomotive add-on normally does not provide a route. It may include scenarios, but those scenarios can require Marseille–Avignon, its extension or another route sold separately. For a closer comparison of the TGV options, see our guide to high-speed trains and compatible routes.
Which French route should you choose?
Choose the route according to the type of French railway operation you want, not simply the amount of track advertised.
- For TGV driving: start with LGV: Marseille–Avignon. It supplies both the route and the TGV Duplex needed to use it.
- For the longest continuous high-speed run: add the Rhône-Alpes & Méditerranée extension to create the broader Lyon–Marseille experience.
- For Strasbourg and cross-border traffic: choose Strasbourg–Karlsruhe, then check that any desired French locomotive has scenarios or Quick Drive consists compatible with it.
- For conventional regional or branch-line driving: investigate community routes. Do not buy the Marseille LGV expecting a detailed Provence stopping-service network; most of its mileage is purpose-built high-speed railway.
When adding a route from outside the normal DLC manager, follow our route and expansion-pack installation procedure before installing scenarios or reskins that depend on it.
Why does a French route have missing scenery or trains?
Missing assets usually mean the route itself is installed but one or more dependencies are absent. Train Simulator Classic stores the route definition separately from the models and textures in Assets, so installing the files under Content\Routes alone is not enough.
- Confirm the parent route. The Rhône-Alpes & Méditerranée extension needs the Marseille–Avignon route rather than functioning as a completely independent line.
- Read every dependency list. Community routes commonly reuse track, signals, buildings and vegetation from other routes or asset packs.
- Check reskin requirements. A repaint supplies textures, not the original locomotive model, cab or sounds.
- Look for legacy European assets. Older French community content may depend on the European Loco & Asset Pack and its shared library.
- Reload the simulator after installation. Use its cache-clearing command if correctly installed assets still fail to appear, but do not treat clearing the cache as a replacement for missing files.
Can French trains run on other Train Simulator Classic routes?
French trains can be placed on other routes through Quick Drive or the scenario editor, but correct operation is not guaranteed. The route needs suitable electrification, loading clearance, platform lengths and signalling; a TGV placed on an ordinary route does not gain TVM cab signalling or French speed-control infrastructure.
Some scripted electric locomotives may refuse to take power on incompatible track, while others will run but produce an unrealistic combination. For credible scenarios, match the locomotive’s real voltage capability and duties to the route, then confirm that the required provider and product assets are enabled in the editor.