REGIONEO, a joint venture of Paris Transport Authority (RATP) subsidiary RATP Dev and Channel Tunnel operator Getlink, has prequalified for two contracts in the Grand Est region.  

The contract winners will be announced between late 2022 and early 2023, and operation will start in late 2024 or early 2025 after the lines have been modernised. The contracts are for the operation and maintenance of the Nancy - Contrexéville line, and the Bruche-Piémont-Vosges (BLV) network, which covers the Strasbourg - Molsheim - Epinal, Strasbourg - Molsheim - Sélestat and Strasbourg - Molsheim lines.  

For the BLV contract, RégioNéo is partnered by public infrastructure finance company Meridiam and civil engineering group Colas. The BLV contract is estimated to be worth €903m over a period of 22 years, with the operator expected to invest €193m in track renewal and modernisation.  

A 48.9km, single-track, non-electrified section of the Strasbourg-Epinal line between Saint Dié and Arches has been closed since December 2018. Work to reopen the line by 2022 is currently being carried out by SNCF Network at a cost of €21m. 

A 49.5km section of the Nancy - Contrexéville line has been closed between Pont St Vincent and Vittel, except to infrequent freight services at its northern end, since December 2016. Modernisation is estimated to cost €66m. An hourly weekday service is proposed for the line. 

The winners will manage and operate the lines and will take over existing staff. At present the lines are managed by SNCF Network and operated by SNCF’s TER subsidiary. 

RégioNéo was set up in September 2020 by RATP Dev, which holds a 55% share, and Getlink, to bid for French regional passenger service contracts. 

New RATP subsidiary 

RATP also announced the creation of a new subsidiary on February 15 to bid for new operating contracts in the Île-de-France (greater Paris) region, where services are gradually being opened to competition.  

The new subsidiary, RATP CAP Île-de-France, will focus on services in the region including RER and Transilien suburban services, mostly operated by SNCF at present, plus light rail and bus services. RATP CAP Île-de-France will be headed by Mr Pierre Lety, current head of RATP’s RER services, from March 1. 

RATP Dev, the existing subsidiary dedicated to expansion outside RATP’s traditional Paris-based monopoly, will continue bidding for operation of the Grand Paris Express orbital metro services.  

As part of its plans to open up the Paris transport network to competition, the city’s transport authority, Île-de-France Mobilités, will host a virtual information day for potential transport operators on March 10.  

The event will present the allocation of lots, the timetable for opening up passenger rail lines to competition and respond to operators who want to know the conditions required to bid for tenders such as the roles and responsibilities of the various actors, network characteristics and technical specifications.  

Interested parties can register before March 3 by emailing their company name, contact name, phone number and email address to [email protected]