Lyons

A city of 1.5 million inhabitants located at the heart of a region of high economic and tourism activity, Lyons wished to improve the image and efficiency of transferring to Lyon Saint Exupéry airport. It also became vital to alleviate pressure on main Lyons train station and improve access to national and regional rail links through the high-speed station in the airport.

• Identify a flexible and inventive public-private partnership to deliver the project.
• Create a fast, attractive and efficient transfer solution with the tram-train.
• Deliver Veolia Transdev's mobility expertise in the conception, construction and operation of the project.

The first direct express rail airport transfer service in France, Rhônexpress is a Tram Express able to reach high commercial speeds (up to 100 km/h); but also travel on the existing urban tram network to reach the heart of the city.

Result: Only 7 km of the 22 km line is a new construction. The tram-train shares the same operations and control center as the urban tram network.

With tracks shared by both the tram-train and urban light rail transit, special segments of the line have been devised to allow Rhônexpress priority over the urban tram network, which stops more frequently. A joint traffic control system and operational center was developed to:

• coordinate departures of both lines,
• manage three places in each direction to overtake the urban tramway.

Result: guaranteed transit time and reduced infrastructure costs.

Veolia Transdev's mobility and customer focus has been applied at each stage of the project.

• Departures from 5 am until midnight, with services every 15 minutes for the majority of timetabled hours. Last departure is guaranteed, even in case of air travel delays.
• Passengers have quick easy access to high-speed rail, bus, air, metro and light rail services from the route.
• Tram-train vehicles have been especially designed with the airport traveler in mind, including comfortable seating, electricity outlets for chargers and laptop computers, extra baggage space and overhead racks and tables.
• Tickets can be purchased on-board, at self-service kiosks at stations, on-line or through a multitude of partners.

• Rhônexpress is permanently staffed on-board with a customer care and sales agent to provide additional information and orientation.
• Staff are trained in Veolia Transdev's customer care program, "going for green", and our customer feedback and complaints management system, "Listen", has been applied across the operation to improve the reactivity and level of customer care to passengers.

Result: One million passengers in first 11 months of operation, ahead of predictions.

Information screens on board give passengers up to the minute details on departures/arrivals for high-speed train links and airlines, as well as infotainment such as news and weather.