Nouvelle-Aquitaine, in southwestern France, is a vital transit route for traffic between Spain and northern Europe. Rail Logistics Europe is making transportation more sustainable in the region by reducing road traffic by 200,000 lorries each year, including 100,000 fewer trucks on the Bordeaux ring road.

Backed by Greater Bordeaux, the French department of Gironde, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region and the French State, the Regional Metropolitan Express Service (SERM) is transforming daily travel and commutes. This initiative offers a convenient alternative to personal vehicles, improving mobility for locals. The project has a €175 million budget for engineering works through 2030, including 3 rail lines, 300 km of track and 54 railway stops and stations.

It aims to:

• expand rail services to more communities
• create direct intercity links
• create new express coach lines
• open 2 new stations at Bouscat Sainte-Germaine and Talence-Médoquine
• roll out a combined transport ticket for both Greater Bordeaux and TER services

SNCF Réseau is improving the region’s rail infrastructure for enhanced safety and reliability, and to deliver new services to local communities.

Key projects include:

• upgrading tracks, performing hydraulic works, reconditioning engineering structures, and removing level crossings between Niort and Saintes. Cost: €78.7 million.
• upgrading tracks and performing hydraulic and drainage works between Poitiers and Limoges. Cost: €70.4 million.
• preparatory works for the future storage siding tracks at Arcachon station as part of the SERM project. Cost: €57.6 million.
• renewing overhead wires between Bénesse-Maremne and Boucau on the Dax-Bayonne line. Cost: €190 million, co-funded by SNCF Réseau (86%) and the European Union (14%).

To offer customers an alternative to road transport, GEODIS launched a new rail-road transport hub in Puyoô in September 2023, cutting pre- and post-shipment road journeys by half. The new platform cost €1 million. GEODIS operates 4 weekly rotations (2 return trips) with a load capacity of 240 Intermodal Transport Units (ITU) between Puyoô and Lavera.

At Rochefort station, bike specialists La Maison du Vélo provide a convenient and comprehensive bike rental service for both travellers and residents. This includes luggage storage and personalized tips on the best routes around town. The initiative is part of our Place de la Gare programme, which repurposes unused station spaces for local businesses offering valuable services to the community.

TAPAJ is a new State-backed medico-social initiative that helps very vulnerable young people rebuild their lives. It offers them medical, psychological and social support, plus day-to-day paid work opportunities. In Cognac, we give young people meaningful daily work experiences at SNCF Réseau sites to help them get back on their feet through jobs and personal growth.

During the 2023-24 school year, SNCF employees in our IMS school outreach programmes taught rail safety to 7,298 students in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, from primary to secondary school. That’s 71% more students than in the 2022-23 school year.

In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, we promote skill-sharing through a volunteer programme. Around 150 SNCF employees have joined in, and many of them are contributing to a permaculture and organic vegetable farming project for asylum seekers. We also raise young people’s awareness of the green transition and teach them media skills through initiatives that are both educational and hands-on.

Watch this clip and discover how we’ve helped members of a non-profit called Insite.