Operated by the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer français (SNCF), it was the last new Trans Europ Express (TEE) to be introduced, in 1980.

Starting in autumn 1983 the westbound train ran as a TEE on Mondays through Thursdays only and was replaced by a two-class Rapide on Fridays.

Prior to that change, made in autumn 1983, the Jules Verne had been the last train in the TEE network to be regularly diesel-hauled.

[1] The train's original formation of rolling stock was a rake of SNCF Mistral 69-type DEV Inox coaches [fr], being an A4Dtux, two A8u, two A8tu, one A3rtu and one Vru.

[2] Throughout the Jules Verne's existence, its dining car was staffed by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL).