SNCF selects consortium to supply 255 trains for Île-de-France network

Credit: Alstom

French National Railways (SNCF) has selected an Alstom-Bombardier consortium to replace trains on lines D and E of the Île-de-France network.

Credit: Alstom

The contract for 255 trains – 130 for RER D and 125 for RER E – is valued at approximately €3.75 billion and is the largest contract financed by STIF.

Alstom, in partnership with Bombardier, will design and supply new generation two-tier vehicles for lines D and E of the Île-de-France network, which is operated by SNCF Transilien. The first part of the order will see delivery of 71 trains, comprising of 56 trains 112m long and 15 trains 130m long. This first delivery is valued at €1.55 billion with the trains scheduled for delivery from 2021 onwards.

Île-de-France X’Trapolis Cityduplex trains scheduled for delivery from 2021

Valérie Pécresse, President of the Île-de-France Region and of STIF, said: “SNCF’s decision turns a historic order, placed by STIF in July 2016 to carry out a revolution in transport, into reality. More than 700 trains will be purchased or renovated to modernise the existing rolling stock, which is on average over 30 years old. It is the daily life of the inhabitants of Île-de-France and the passengers on lines D and E that will change. From 2021 onwards, they will discover a new generation of trains, safer and more reliable as well as more comfortable and regular. The order will also have a positive effect on the rest of the network: 15 percent of RER A traffic will be transferred to line E, which will be extended to Nanterre in 2022, then as far as Mantes-la-Jolie in 2024.”

Credit: Alstom

The X’Trapolis Cityduplex trains on order have a fully open interior and are specifically designed for high volumes of passenger traffic in Île-de-France. Each 130m train can transport up to 1860 passengers. With its large doors, the train provides fluid passenger exits and entrances. Furthermore, it offers three distinct travel spaces allowing passengers to choose their space according to their journey time such as platform zones for travelling standing-up when the journey is very short; mixed-use zones (standing or sitting) located lower down for journeys under 20 minutes, and higher up, areas offering regional-style comfort with more seating for longer trips. In each of the end cars, platforms provide wheelchair users with direct and quick access to dedicated spaces.

The train is fitted with 8 motor bogies to provide improved performance compared to previous generations in terms of acceleration and deceleration with regenerative braking.

Commenting on the order, SNCF President Guillaume Pépy said: “today we conclude the largest tender for rolling stock ever launched by SNCF. 255 trains (130 for the RER D and 125 for the RER E) for an amount of 3.75 billion euros is clearly excellent news for our passengers. We will therefore have a train that meets the specific needs of SNCF Transilien and the ultra-dense area of Île-de-France (70% of SNCF customers on 2.2% of French territory). We must be better prepared for yearly increases in traffic (+ 7% of customers between September 2015 and September 2016) and this innovative new-generation train will be an undeniable asset in meeting this challenge in the capital region and in improving the punctuality of lines E and D.”

Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Chairman and CEO of Alstom, said: “We are very proud of the renewed confidence placed in us by SNCF and STIF. The consortium that we have formed with Bombardier has very solid experience of projects in Île-de-France and the requirements of our customer SNCF Transilien. This train represents a major technological leap forward that will improve the travelling experience of every passenger in the Île-de-France region. It also offers the operator a lower cost of ownership over the long term,”

The C2C (City to Coast) franchise operates services between London and Shoesburyness, in the South Essex region.