Provence-Alpes Cote dAzur has launched a competition for 10-year concessions to operate TER regional rail services.
Deadline for bids submission is by March 31 to operate the Marseille Toulon Nice TER service and the Azur network in the Nice area, together representing 33% of TER services in the region. Both are operated by French National Railways (SNCF) which has a monopoly of passenger rail services in France apart from a handful of cross-border long-distance services.
The Marseille Toulon Nice concession has an estimated value of 870m. The regional government expects awarding of the contract in summer 2021 with the new operator taking over the service in summer 2025. The winner will have to procure its own trains and build a maintenance depot in Nice.
The 1.5bn Azur concession includes three services: Les Arcs-Draguignan Nice Ventimiglia, Italy; Nice Breil-sur-Roya Tende (on the Italian border); and the Cannes Grasse branch. This contract will also be awarded in summer 2021 however it will be effective in December 2024. The new operator will be allocated trains and depot facilities.
The regional government expects operating costs to be lower with the new concessions, while the Azure concession calls for higher train frequencies.
Deadline for bids submission is by March 31 to operate the Marseille Toulon Nice TER service and the Azur network in the Nice area, together representing 33% of TER services in the region. Both are operated by French National Railways (SNCF) which has a monopoly of passenger rail services in France apart from a handful of cross-border long-distance services.
The Marseille Toulon Nice concession has an estimated value of 870m. The regional government expects awarding of the contract in summer 2021 with the new operator taking over the service in summer 2025. The winner will have to procure its own trains and build a maintenance depot in Nice.
The 1.5bn Azur concession includes three services: Les Arcs-Draguignan Nice Ventimiglia, Italy; Nice Breil-sur-Roya Tende (on the Italian border); and the Cannes Grasse branch. This contract will also be awarded in summer 2021 however it will be effective in December 2024. The new operator will be allocated trains and depot facilities.
The regional government expects operating costs to be lower with the new concessions, while the Azure concession calls for higher train frequencies.