French railway news
News about railway, metro and tram infrastructure, operations, policy, projects and the supply industry in France, from Railway Gazette International.
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In depthComment: Singapore metro ‘scandal’ shows the grass is always greener
A furore over metro reliability in Singapore has shone a light on the complex question of how railways are perceived. There is evidence that users and policymakers across the world feel railways abroad are somehow ‘better’ than their own, but as our Industry Editor Benjámin Zelki argues, such criticism — whether justified or not — will always be the price of doing business.
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NewsBooking platform Kombo acquires KelBillet
FRANCE: Rail, bus and air ticket booking platform Kombo has acquired multimodal travel price comparison website KelBillet.
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NewsWork starts to reopen railway to Contrexéville using novel delivery model
FRANCE: A ceremony marks the start of civil works to reopen the railway from Nancy to Contrexéville via Vittel using a novel delivery model.
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NewsSNCF Voyageurs orders 15 more high speed trainsets
FRANCE: National passenger train operator SNCF Voyageurs has approved a €600m firm order for Alstom to supply a further 15 Avelia Horizon high speed trainsets.
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NewsChannel Tunnel ERTMS deployment project gets underway
EUROPE: Channel Tunnel concessionaire Eurotunnel and signalling company Compagnie des Signaux have begun the first phase of the roll-out of ERTMS across the fixed link.
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NewsNouvelle-Aquitaine trains ordered
FRANCE: National passenger operator SNCF Voyageurs has placed a €80m order for a further 10 CAF-Alstom Régiolis trainsets on behalf of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine région.
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NewsFrench night train rolling stock order delayed
FRANCE: The government has postponed a planned order for locomotives and rolling stock to renew the national night train fleet.
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NewsNexrail orders DE18 SmartHybrid locomotives with updated specification
EUROPE: Leasing company Nexrail has ordered 20 Vossloh Rolling Stock DE18 SmartHybrid locomotives with updated specifications, taking its total order to 50 of the type.
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NewsMontpellier tram Route 5 links people and nature
FRANCE: Revenue services started on Montpellier tram Route 5 on December 20, with the 14·2 km line including two newly-built sections serving 27 stops.
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NewsInvestor backs Trenitalia’s ambition to launch Paris – London train service by 2029
EUROPE: Support for the Italian national railway’s €1bn European high speed rail expansion plans including the proposed launch of Paris – London train services is included in a strategic partnership agreement signed by FS Group and investment group Certares.
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In depthAutomation: Futurail sees autonomous trains within six years
Co-founders Alex Haag and Maximilian Schöffer tell Andrew Grantham how Franco-German start-up Futurail is aiming to bring automation technology from the road sector to rail, where they see a great opportunity to build a Europe-based global champion.
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In depthComment: Demography is destiny
The demographic challenges facing many countries around the world mean that rail’s ability to cost-effectively deliver benefits in low-density regions such as rural Japan or much of France is in the spotlight, our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley warns.
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NewsSNCF Voyageurs orders CAF trainsets for Région Sud contract
FRANCE: SNCF Voyageurs has confirmed an order for 22 CAF Régiolis electric multiple-units for use on the Marseille – Aubagne – Toulon – Hyères and Marseille – Toulon – Les Arcs-Draguignan routes.
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In depthEurope: Franco-Italian Mont Cenis base tunnel project forges ahead
A key element in the east-west Mediterranean Corridor, the Mont Cenis base tunnel will be a cornerstone of the TEN-T network, as well as offering an improved link between the French and Italian capitals. Reinhard Christeller reports from the construction site.
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NewsSète rail motorway terminal inaugurated
FRANCE: SNCF’s rolling motorway subsidiary VIIA has formally inaugurated its Autoroute Ferroviaire terminal at the Port of Sète.
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NewsCSEE commissions its first Argos digital interlocking
FRANCE: A consortium led by MerMec subsidiary Compagnie des Signaux, working with Eiffage Energie Systemes and Systra, has commisioned its first Argos digital interlocking on the Réding – Saverne pilot line in the Grand Est region.
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NewsLyon – Bordeaux link leads SNCF’s Ouigo expansion drive
FRANCE: National operator SNCF has unveiled a further expansion of its Ouigo low-cost passenger operation, including a service linking Lyon with Bordeaux.
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NewsConstruction of Dunkerque rail-road transhipment terminal gets underway
FRANCE: Modalis Group and Dunkerque-Port have laid the foundation stone for the €25m Western Port rail-road transhipment terminal.
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NewsEcoTrain launched to target very light rail opportunities in France and Belgium
FRANCE: Dynamic testing of a lightweight trainset for secondary lines is underway follwing the unveiling of the EcoTrain.
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NewsParis metro fleet renewal reaches milestone as first MF19 trainset enters traffic
FRANCE: The first of up to 410 next-generation trainsets worth €3bn has entered service on Paris metro Line 10. Jérémie Anne reports.