Inspired by the speed records of 1955 the prototype TGV 001 was ordered in 1970. This was planned to have a gas turbine as motor. But in 1973 the constructors decided to give electrical power to the TGV due to the oil crisis. Then, in 1981, the first TGV-train frove on the new-built high speed track Prais - Lyon and set up a new record in driving 380 km/h fast.

In 1983 the TGV started its scheduled operations as "TGV Sud-Est". It drove from Paris to Lyon and back. Because on the high speed track there has been an electrical network with 25 000 Volt / 50 Hz A.C. and the track partitions within Paris and Lyon have only had 1 500 Volt D.C. the TGV has been a two-system-train from its beginning.

In 1985 a new generation of TGV was launched which was to drive to the atlantic coast, the TGV Atlantique. In 1989 it started its operations on old tracks in direction to the west and in 1990 parts of the new high speed track could be taken into operations. Now the whole track is in use and from Paris the TGV Atlantique drives to Brest, Nantes, Bordeaux and to other important towns of the coast.

During the 1990s there were further innovations on the TGV network. For journeys to the north and to Belgium the TGV-Nord has been introduced. Some trains are equipped for the network with 15 000 Volt 16 2/3 Hz A.C. These trains circulate as "La Ligne de Cœur" to Switzerland.

As last the TGV-Méditérranné has been introduced in spring 2001. This connects Paris with Marseille and drives this route in less than four hours.