FRENCH National Railways (SNCF), Paris Transport Authority (RATP), mobile network operator Orange and digital security company Gemalto announced on December 3 that they have formed a joint venture company, Wizway Solutions, to develop integrated contactless ticketing solutions.

THE French government has confirmed that equipment will be installed at stations in France by next month to scan Thalys passengers and their luggage before boarding.

EUROSTAR's new fleet of Siemens Velaro e320 (class 374) high-speed trains entered passenger service on the morning of November 20, when one of the 16-car sets formed the 10.24 from London St Pancras to Paris Nord.

UPDATED NOVEMBER 16 13.50 CET: A TGV carrying out tests on the recently-completed second phase of the TGV Est high-speed line between Paris and Strasbourg derailed in the Bas-Rhin area of Alsace on November 14, killing 11 people and injuring 42, 12 of them seriously.

EUROSTAR moved an important step closer to the launch of its Siemens e320 Velaro (class 374) high-speed trains on October 16, when the French Railway Safety Board (EPSF) granted an authorisation to place into service (APS) enabling the fleet to operate commercially in France.

ALSTOM says that the company is now entirely focussed on rail transport following the conclusion of the sale of its energy divisions to General Electric (GE) under a deal worth €12.4bn.

THE first intermodal terminal for direct loading of lorry semitrailers between rail and ferry in France was inaugurated at the Port of Calais on October 23.

THE Société du Grand Paris, which is responsible for developing the French capital's €22.6bn 205km orbital express metro network, has awarded a second project management contract worth more than €12m to Arcadis.