https://www.proz.com/kudoz/french-to-english/transport-transportation-shipping/6548831-trains-d%E2%80%99%C3%A9quilibre-du-territoire.html&phpv_redirected=1
Aug 7, 2018 11:30
5 yrs ago
5 viewers *
French term

trains d’équilibre du territoire

French to English Tech/Engineering Transport / Transportation / Shipping
L’EPIC SNCF Mobilités, et plus précisément les Activités Voyages SNCF et Intercités en charge des trains à grande vitesse et des trains d’équilibre du territoire...

Proposed translations

8 hrs
Selected

trains classified as providing vital links between France's regions (TETs)

An attempt at an explanation: something will need to be provided even if as polygot45 states, it may be untranslatable.

Consider also adding polygot45's 'intercity', as these trains do start and end in fairly sizeable cities (Nantes, Bordeaux), even if they pass often pass through little-known towns (Luçon).

Hopefully 'TET' will nicely counterbalance 'TGV'.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks!"

Reference comments

16 mins
Reference:

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercit%C3%A9s

trains d’équilibre du territoire (TET) - not translatable - you'll have to explain:

Les Intercités étant pour la plupart des trains déficitaires de la SNCF, celle-ci espérait, dans un avenir proche, un cofinancement régional pour leur maintien. La convention d’exploitation des trains d’équilibre du territoire, signée le 13 décembre 2010, a répondu à cette crainte d’une extinction à long terme. L’État, désormais autorité organisatrice des TET, a pour mission de suivre la bonne exécution de la convention d’exploitation des TET (en termes d’exécution du service, de respect du plan de transport, de rénovation du matériel roulant et de suivi budgétaire).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2018-08-07 11:50:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

https://www.sncf.com/sncv1/ressources/reports/bilan_concurre...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 28 mins (2018-08-07 11:59:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

intercity trains subsidised by the regions
Note from asker:
Thank you!
Peer comments on this reference comment:

agree ph-b (X)
1 hr
agree Thomas Miles : Yes to 'intercity trains subsidised by the regions'.
8 hrs
Something went wrong...
1 hr
Reference:

L'État... a pour mission de suivre la bonne exécution de la convention d’exploitation des TET

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-strategic-visio...
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/23/chancellor-t...

I realize that these are UK sources while your translation may be for a different English-speaking country, not to mention that the French and UK rail networks are run along different lines (no pun intended!), but the topic is similar to that discussed in French in polyglot's reference and you may find some of the paragraphs or the terminology useful for the explanation that s/he rightly recommends, e.g."We are also consulting on the future of... a local partnership approach","Speaking as he announced plans aimed at improving transport links and devolving more power to the regions", etc.
Something went wrong...