Keolis and SNCF Voyageurs, operators of the first section of the Île-de-France railway network put out to tender

To support Île-de-France Mobilités, Keolis and SNCF Voyageurs have joined forces under the Stretto consortium to offer a renewed ambition: that of the tram-train, which combines the speed of the train with the flexibility of the tram, providing the very highest service standards.

Stretto benefits from Keolis’s experience as the world’s leading tram operator worldwide, Transilien SNCF Voyageurs’s public transport expertise as the leading mobility operator in Île-de-France , and both companies’ experience of running tram-train lines in the region.

As a result, Stretto has committed to taking a major step forward in terms of punctuality, operating performance and passenger information, bringing the three lines up to the highest standard of service. These improvements will be possible thanks to the recent modernisation of the rolling stock on the T4 line and the Esbly-Crécy branch of Line P. Stretto will also be responsible for the maintenance of the T4 infrastructure and the operation control of both T4 and T11, including managing the line’s points.

Transilien SNCF Voyageurs and Keolis: successful tram-train operators

Transilien SNCF Voyageurs pioneered tram-trains in Île-de-France: since 2006, it has operated the T4, the region’s first tram-train, which was opened on the route of the old Les Coquetiers line between Aulnay-sous-Bois and Bondy. In 2019, an urban branch of the line between Gargan and Clichy-Montfermeil was opened, calling at nine new stations and increasing passenger numbers from 10,000 per day to 50,000. The T4 tram-train now operates on 13.5 km of lines and calls at 20 stations, with a fleet of 30 Citadis Dualis tram sets making a total of 530 journeys per day.

The Esbly-Crécy-la-Chapelle branch of Line P, which was inaugurated back in 1902, saw the arrival of the first Avanto tram-train sets in 2011. In 2022, Île-de-France Mobilités and Transilien SNCF Voyageurs deployed new Citadis Dualis trains, which are more reliable and comfortable for passengers.

Keolis and SNCF Voyageurs continue to strengthen their role as experts in rail transport on behalf of Île-de-France Mobilités, with two lines already in operation and another currently being prepared.

Keolis and SNCF Voyageurs have been running the T11 tram-train since 2017 via their Transkeo subsidiary which is 51% owned by Keolis and 49% owned by SNCF Voyageurs. The T11 runs between Epinay-sur-Seine and Le Bourget, located north of the capital. Each day, 35,000 passengers travel on the line, which calls at seven stops over 11 kilometres, with connections to Transilien and RER stations. For residents of the Seine-Saint-Denis department, this crucial service provides inter-suburban journeys without having to travel through Paris.

Since July 2022, Keolis and SNCF Voyageurs have also been operating the T13 tram-train between Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole in the Yvelines department, which serves 12 stations over 19 kilometres, with connections to multiple rail lines (RER A and RER C, along with Transilien lines L, N and U).

Finally, Keolis and SNCF Voyageurs are building on these experiences to prepare for the launch of the T12 tram-train between Massy and Evry-Courcouronnes, scheduled for December 2023.