SNCF Voyageurs, the French state-owned passenger rail operator, has won the first tendered contract to operate Intercités services on France’s conventional rail network.
The tender was announced in January 2019, and SNCF, Renfe, and French startup Le Train applied. The contract award was announced on 28 January. The contract will run for 10 years from December 2026 and cover the Nantes-Lyon and Nantes-Bordeaux routes.
SNCF Voyageurs will create a dedicated subsidiary to operate these lines and is committed to improving service quality and increasing frequencies and passenger numbers.
Among the planned improvements, the Nantes-Bordeaux service will be increased to five daily return trains, with six on Fridays and Sundays. The Nantes-Lyon route will maintain its current three daily services with increased capacity.
In addition, SNCF will modernise the existing fleet of 15 Alstom Coradia Liner trains to improve capacity and onboard services. This contract represents an important step in opening up the French rail market to competition, in line with European directives to liberalise the sector.