Corail is the name given to a class of passenger rail cars of the SNCF that first entered commercial service in 1975. When introduced, the Corail carriages had improved passenger comfort, featured air-conditioning, and better levels of suspension and sound-proofing compared with previous InterCity carriages.

The Société nationale des chemins de fer français is France's national state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the country's national rail traffic along with Monaco, including the TGV, on France's high-speed rail network. Its functions include operation of railway services for passengers and freight, as well as maintenance and signalling of rail infrastructure. The railway network consists of about 35,000 km (22,000 mi) of route, of which 2,600 km (1,600 mi) are high-speed lines and 14,500 km (9,000 mi) electrified. About 14,000 trains are operated daily.