Proxima is the name of the new high-speed rail company that Antin Infrastructure Partners (ANTIN.PA) proposes to establish in France. The French private equity group announced on Thursday that it would invest a total of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in the project at first.

The state-owned behemoth SNCF had long held a monopoly on high-speed TGV train services in France, but in 2021 Trentalia, a division of the Italian state rail operator, joined the market.

Proxima, the nation’s first privately-owned operator in this industry, will increase competition.

According to a statement from the firm, the new trains would link Paris with four cities in western France: Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, and Angers. This will bring 10 million new passenger seats annually to routes that are in high demand.

“Travel between key cities in France has increased over the last 10 years, reflecting new ways of living. High-speed rail is the answer favored by the French, and train occupancy levels are at all-time highs,” the company added.

Additionally, Proxima has started exclusive talks to purchase 12 of Alstom’s (ALSO.PA) premier Avelia Horizon trains, with the possibility of purchasing additional at a later time, from the French train manufacturer.