Introducing the Ikea Train - Taras Grescoe

Taras Grescoe writes about the SNCF's new TGV M, based on the Alstom Avelia Horizon, that will be the successor of the TGV Duplex. One thing I hadn't put much thought into, until reading the newsletter, was the the amount of space saved while still increasing leg room and increasing capacity from 630 to 740 passengers. Impressive!

Though the [TGV M] is the same length as its predecessor, about 200 metres (656 feet), it manages to fit nine cars where the previous duplex TGV fit just eight. How? The length of the power cars at each end of the train has been reduced by 4 metres, while one metre has been shaved off each passenger coach. Unlike the airlines, they've done this without compressing legs. Somewhat magically, each seat on the TGV M has five centimeters more space at knee-level than seats on the old Duplexes.