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France’s First Privatized Rail Line Faces Crowds and Delays Despite Modernization Efforts
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A new era in French rail travel promised increased punctuality and modern trains, but just two months after it’s launch, the Marseille-Nice line is grappling with overcrowding and service disruptions, raising questions about the benefits of privatization.
The provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region initiated the operation on June 29th, contracting Transdev to operate the rail service between Marseille, Toulon, and Nice – a landmark move as the first regional train service in France to be run by an operator other than the state-owned SNCF. While initial assessments are still underway, early reports suggest the transition hasn’t been seamless.
Initial Promise Meets Reality
The core promise of the new service centered on upgraded rolling stock and improved on-time performance. Though, passengers have taken to social media to voice their frustrations, reporting packed platforms and meaningful delays. One traveler recounted a recent journey where a delay cascaded into a three-train ordeal, while another described waiting an hour in scorching heat only to board a train terminating prematurely in Antibes, requiring an additional connection.
transdev acknowledges the issues, attributing some of the problems to delays in the delivery of the new trains. To cope with the unexpectedly high demand, the company is currently leasing equipment from other regions. “It is material that is different from that that Transdev ordered from Alstom and therefore it is not possible to couple with two different oars,” explained Gwendal Gicquel,Director of Transdev Rail Sud Inter Métropoles.
Infrastructure Challenges and Competition
Experts suggest the challenges extend beyond the new operator. According to one rail transport economist, the line’s existing infrastructure is a contributing factor. “It is a line that is very busy, along with TERs, there are also TGVs so obviously, when there are problems on this infrastructure, the competitor is concerned likewise as the historic operator and therefore he can have the same concerns of regularity,” the analyst noted. This suggests that even under the previous operator, the line was susceptible to disruptions.
ridership up, But Are Improvements Real?
Despite the complaints, ridership on the line has increased by 15% this summer compared to last year, according to Transdev. A press release from the PACA region, issued on August 20th, highlighted the positive changes: 16 new trains have replaced 45-year-old rolling stock, service frequency has doubled to a train every hour from 5:30 am to 10 pm (15 round trips per day compared to 7 previously), and the punctuality commitment has increased to 97.5% from 94%.
The region’s data indicates a significant improvement in service reliability. As of August 18th, the cancellation rate due to operational issues was just 0.25% – a tenfold improvement from July 2023’s 3.1%. This translates to roughly one train cancellation every three days, with potential delays of up to an hour. The overall regularity rate, attributed to the operator, reached 95.29% as of June 29th, exceeding previous years’ performance.By August 13th, Transdev had served 735,000 passengers on the line.
