History and archives
Our legacy—tangible and intangible—spans nearly two hundred years of railway history. Stations, engineering works, iconic trains, depots, workshops and archives together paint a vivid picture of the incredible number of innovations that have revolutionized both the rail industry and our own Group since our founding in 1938.
La Minute Declik: our video series takes you behind the scenes of rail history.
We explore quirky train terminology, uncover why French trains run on the left, explain how trains are assigned odd or even numbers, and reveal how rail travel put all of France on a single standard time.
What makes train numbers odd or even?
Ever wonder why trains—and the tracks they arrive on in stations—are numbered odd or even?
Why do French trains run on the left?
Unlike cars, French trains run on the left—and have done so since the very beginning of rail travel. It all dates back to the Middle Ages.
How trains gave France a single standard time.
Today, 3:04 pm in Brest is exactly the same as 3:04 pm in Paris or Marseille, all thanks to the development of railways. It wasn’t always so.
Watch out! Words aren’t always what they seem.
For French rail professionals, “crocodiles”, “kangaroos” and “mushrooms” are everyday terms. But they have nothing to do with reptiles, marsupials or forest foraging.
What's hidden under the Gare de l'Est in Paris?
A cinema theatre
Track 9 ¾
A bunker
We own
90
listed buildings and engineering works
Our rolling stock collection has
600
historic trains
We maintain over
50 km
of public archives of national importance
Our history
France’s first railway line opened in 1827—the birth of the rail industry. We look back at nearly 200 years of history, from railway workers, the creation of SNCF, our darkest hours, electrification and high-speed rail.
Our archives
SNCF has the largest corporate archive in France. SARDO is the working memory of our railway operations and those who created them, with historical and legacy documents available on request.
La Cité du Train
La Cité du Train in Mulhouse is Europe's largest railway museum, offering a variety of themed tours. Visitors can explore trains ranging from the oldest steam locomotive—built in 1844—to the 2013 Euroduplex TGV.
The Orient Express
The legendary Orient Express was launched in 1883 at the Gare de l’Est in Paris. A timeless icon of the art of travel, it ranks among the crown jewels of France’s rail legacy.
SNCF & history
Past articles
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