ÎLE-de-France Mobility has selected Keolis to operate the new automated metro lines 16 and 17 of the Paris metro, which are under construction as part of the Grand Paris Express project.
The seven-year contract includes an optional three-year extension as well as operation of the Saint-Denis Pleyel station, the largest on the network, from June 2024 ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, which Paris is hosting.
The metro lines are on course to open in October 2026. As well as operation, Keolis will be responsible for providing travel information, and maintaining rolling stock and stations.
The 29km Line 16 will have 10 stations and 16 municipalities, running from Saint-Denis Pleyel and Nosiy-Champs, offering an end-to-end journey time of less than 30 minutes. The line shares 6.4km section with Line 17, and is expected to carry 200,000 passengers a day when it opens.
The 26.5km Line 17 will serve nine stations and 13 municipalities, running from Sain-Denis Pleyel to Mesni-Amelot in less than 25 minutes. The line is expected to serve up to 60,000 passengers per day. It will also improve access to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and will interchange with metro lines 14, 15, and 16, the RER lines B and D, and T1 and T11 light rail lines.
The contract is the first competitively awarded to operate metro lines in Île-de-France.
“This high-profile contract represents a significant step forward in our journey in Île-de-France and reflects our acknowledged expertise in operating automated metro systems,” says chairwoman of Keolis Group, Ms Marie-Ange Debon. “The Keolis teams are keen to rise to the challenge alongside Île-de-France Mobilités and offer passengers a new experience: the metro system of the 21st century, more efficient, better connected and more human.”
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