Two Intercités routes from Paris put out to tender

An Intercités train on a main line in France. Two long-distance routes from Paris are now subject to a competitive operating tender. Photo: Karelem, Wikimedia Commons.

FRANCE: The French transport ministry has launched a tender for two long-distance Intercités routes from Paris.

The process covers the 419 km Paris–Clermont-Ferrand line and the 713 km Paris–Limoges–Toulouse corridor, with applications due by 30 April.

The future operator will be required to maintain current station coverage and run at least nine train pairs a day on the Clermont-Ferrand route.

What changes for the French long-distance market

The two corridors will move from direct incumbent operation to a competitively awarded contract, with minimum service levels defined in the tender documents.

The tender fixes baseline frequency and stopping patterns while opening the choice of operator to competition.

Paris–Clermont-Ferrand is one of the main radial routes from the capital, while the Paris–Limoges–Toulouse line links Paris with south-west France over a longer distance.

Operators must first qualify by the end-of-April deadline before detailed bids are submitted.