The European Investment Bank (EIB)said it has lent 200 mln French francs to French railways
Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer (SNCF) to extend its high
speed train system.
    It said in a statement that the loan will help finance the
contruction of a 279 km track for high speed "TGV" trains between
Paris and Le Mans in western France and Tours in the south
west. The loan will also help pay for new trains.
    The EIB has already lent a total of 600 mln francs to SNCF
for the high speed train system in 1985 and 1986.
 REUTER
