• The private group Transdev will operate the Marseille-Toulon-Nice line from 2025, after winning the operation at the expense of the SNCF.

  • It is the end of a historic monopoly in France.

  • "We are in a logic where we carry a regional public service", explains its CEO, Thierry Mallet.

Thierry Mallet is the CEO of Transdev, a company which has just broken the historic monopoly of SNCF in France by winning the operation of the TERMarseille-Toulon-Nice line in PACA.

New trains, more spacious and comfortable, he promises, will be delivered, a command center built in Marseille and a maintenance center built in Nice.

The first trains signed Transdev will run from 2025, while all this is done.

Cost, ticketing, ambition, service… Thierry Mallet, answers the questions of

20 Minutes

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I have a season ticket, will it still be valid on trains operated by Transdev?

To get my ticket, I will go to oui.sncf?

All the ticketing, subscriptions, it does not move.

Because in reality, when you have a ZOU card, you subscribe to the Region.

The fact that it is a train operated by SNCF or Transdev does not change anything.

Afterwards, the use of SNCF cards on this route, on the fact of switching from a TGV to a TER, will depend on agreements between the SNCF and the region.

We remain the operator, we are fully integrated into the system of the region.

When do I realize that I am traveling with Transdev?

When you get on the train.

There may be a “by Transdev” logo at the time of purchase or on the ticket, but it's still a regional ticket.

In the trains, there will be a few places where there will be Transdev logos, but we are in a logic where we carry a regional public service.

So above all, it is the ZOU that is put forward.

That will be seen on the other hand on the agents' outfit and, afterwards, I hope you will see it in the quality of service.

Will you be providing on-board services?

We will have vending machines, so there will be some light catering.

There will be free wifi on board, electrical and USB outlets.

And in terms of travel time?

Doesn't it change?

2:38, that does not change.

So we could go faster, since the train can go at 200 km / h, but the condition of the current line does not allow it.

It would require significant substantive work.

And the price ?

36.20 euros the basic second class fare?

The price does not change, it is the region that sets it.

Besides, I insist: what is expensive is not the ticket, it is to take your car.

The fact of lowering the tariff is not an objective in itself.

If we want more people on the trains, it is not by lowering the prices, it is by offering more trains.

The quality of service is more important than the price in the choice of public transport.

The reason for the price represents 12% of the motivations to take the train, far behind the fact that it is practical (47%) and those who have no other choice (30%).

Transdev operates in 17 countries, mainly in bus lines or urban transport.

With this market you want to increase the share of the train?

We already operate in the rail market in five countries, and for 25 years.

Out of 7 billion euros of activity, we have little more than one billion euros of rail.

We transport between 500,000 and 700,000 people per day on peak days, compared with this line, which has 7,000 people.

All that to say that it is a very beautiful line, and that it is really in our heart of expertise.

Our role has always been to be the alternative to incumbent operators, especially on everyday journeys.

We are number two in Germany, we were number three in Sweden.

Do you plan to open bus lines in connection with Saint Charles or Nice train stations?

We are not a private operator, in the sense that we are not going to open lines if the region or the metropolis does not ask us to do so.

We consider that public transport is the meeting with a political ambition.

It's always a dialogue, because in fact we are in a pattern where prices are set by the region.

Other TER lines will open up to competition, then the time for the Parisian RER will come.

Are you going to systematically position yourself?

We will systematically take an interest in all openings to competition.

We did it with the Paca region, but we decided to go only on the Marseille-Toulon-Nice line - because that was the one on which we were most likely to bring value - and not on the 'Another lot where we considered that the SNCF was better placed than us.

So we will always be selective.

Have you already targeted lots?

The next call for tenders is Grand-Est, then Hauts-de-France, the Pays-de-la-Loire region and the T4 and T11 tram-trains in the Paris region.

We are already starting to work on the two lots in the Grand-Est region.

The Nancy-Contrexeville is quite interesting since there is the renewal of infrastructure.

These are tracks that are no longer in use and that need to be renovated.

It is a line that has been abandoned and must be put back into service.

Railway workers have expressed their concerns, in particular about the fear of losing their status after the legal period of fifteen months ...

There is no loss of status.

After the fifteen months, they keep the acquired advantages and an important part of the statute, which is the guarantee of employment.

Their pension system doesn't change unless the law changes for everyone.

The only thing that changes is the organization of work.

There will be more versatility, but we will pay them better in exchange for that.

We need to bring in 160 people and our goal is to do it on a voluntary basis as a priority.

Because if we don't have enough volunteers, there will be a mandatory transfer.

Our wish is not to get there, and therefore to be sufficiently attractive.

Economy

"A historic step", the SNCF officially loses the operation of the TER Marseille-Nice line

Society

TER Marseille-Nice line: What will the end of the SNCF monopoly change?

  • Train

  • Competetion

  • Society

  • Nice

  • Marseilles

  • TER

  • SNCF