RÈGIONS de France, an association representing 18 French regions, unveiled a paper on January 9 setting out regional governments’ priorities for the liberalisation of the regional passenger rail market.

ALSTOM announced on January 8 that the regions of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Grand Est have exercised options for 14 additional Coradia Polyvalent multiple units under a framework contract signed in 2009.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) has exercised an option from a contract awarded to Bombardier in 2010 for an additional 32 Omneo Premium double-deck 200km/h EMUs for operation on three so-called Balance of Territory (TET) inter-city services radiating from Paris.

THALYS announced on December 22 that ridership on its services will exceed seven million in 2017, the first time in the operator’s 20-year history that passenger numbers have reached this figure.

A ceremony was held at Grasse station in southern France on December 21 to mark the completion of a €39m upgrade of the 16.6km line from Cannes.

NEW Bombardier commuter trains have entered service on two lines of the Paris suburban network: Regio 2N double-deck EMUs on Line R and Francilien EMUs on Line L.

FRENCH National Railways’ (SNCF) low-cost high-speed service, Ouigo, launched services from central Paris for the first time with the start of the new timetable on December 10.

A new SFr 87m ($US 87.7m) tram link between the Swiss city of Basle and the French town of St Louis in Alsace was officially opened on December 9 after two years of construction, reviving a cross-border tram service which closed around 60 years ago.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) has awarded a contract to Mitsubishi Electric to supply prototype traction transformers for Z2N EMUs and T4 tram trains operating in Paris.