While rumours a few weeks ago suggested that Transdev might win the contract, it was ultimately SNCF that was chosen on April 20th by the elected officials of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region to operate the lines in the Poitou-Charentes sector until 2037. The call for tenders, planned as part of the opening up of rail services to competition in the regions, was launched in 2023. This first regional lot put on the market includes the management of six lines: Châtellerault-Poitiers-Angoulême, Angoulême-Bordeaux, Poitiers-Niort-La Rochelle, La Rochelle-Saintes-Bordeaux, Angoulême-Saintes-Royan and Niort-Saintes-Royan. They represent a daily traffic of some 14,000 people, or nearly 5 million passengers annually.
A commitment of 22 additional trains per weekday
To achieve this, SNCF Voyageurs will create a subsidiary based in Saintes with SNCF Voyageurs Terre Atlantique, which will be responsible for operating the various lines and maintaining the 44 trains from December 2027. The company has particularly committed to increasing the transport offering with 22 additional trains each day (158 per week) on this network, an increase of 20% in services. This ramp-up should be particularly noticeable during peak hours, with also more trains running earlier in the morning and later in the evening.
SNCF also intends to offer more direct services (between Bordeaux and Royan, from Angoulême to Châtellerault or Royan) and improve connections with TGV and Intercités trains to Paris, Nantes, or Bordeaux. Around 400 people, transferred from SNCF, will be dedicated to this rail service. The entire contract amounts to nearly one billion euros for ten years, representing a saving of nearly 17%compared to the current costs incurred by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region. To avoid penalties, SNCF Voyageurs Terre Atlantique will have to maintain the quality of the service and a passenger satisfaction rate of at least 95%. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region will therefore monitor the regularity and punctuality of trains, as cancellations will be attributable to the operator.
A significant victory for SNCF Voyageurs
The SNCF threw its full weight behind securing the contract against its competitors, Transdev (which has taken over the operation of the Marseille-Nice line from SNCF) and Le Train (a potential future high-speed train operator on the Atlantic coast). The loss of this contract would have represented a significant setback for SNCF Voyageurs and possibly encouraged other regions to follow suit within the framework of liberalisation of competition which is due to take place for TERs before 2033.
" Our offer is based on an in-depth analysis of the Region's expectations and travellers' needs. It aims to precisely meet the specifications, by combining a significant strengthening of the rail service, a high level of service quality, and a controlled economic trajectory. », notes the carrier in a statement. We are very pleased with this first tender won in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It reflects the commitment of our teams who have successfully challenged our processes to build an ambitious offer, with a significant increase in the number of trains which will meet the growing need for rail mobility in Poitou-Charentes. "– is delighted, for his part, Jean-Aimé Mougenot, the delegated regional express train director for SNCF Voyageurs. Three other lots are yet to be put out to tender in Nouvelle-Aquitaine with the Limousin-Périgord lines, the Bordeaux star, and the South Aquitaine network.
