What year did the first TGV line open?

The first TGV line opened in 1981.

France’s inaugural TGV service ran between Paris and Lyon on the LGV Sud-Est, also known during development as Ligne Nouvelle 1. The line was officially inaugurated by President François Mitterrand on 22 September 1981, and the first paying passengers travelled five days later, on 27 September.

The project grew from SNCF research into faster rail travel during the 1960s. Early concepts considered gas-turbine trains, but the 1973 oil crisis helped push the programme toward electric traction. Construction of the first dedicated high-speed line began after the French government approved funding in 1976.

1981 is the standard quiz answer because it marks the start of commercial TGV service. Some accounts distinguish the ceremonial inauguration from the first public operation, but both occurred in 1981. The line dramatically reduced Paris–Lyon travel times and established the model for France’s expanding high-speed rail network.