Rail market liberalization for Transilien and RER lines
Île-de-France Mobilités, the Paris region’s rail mobility authority, is phasing in competitive bidding for its train services following a timeline adapted to the network’s density and operational complexity.
Custom timeline for the Paris region network
While other metropolitan areas in France have been authorized to open their rail services to competitive tendering since December 2019, the Paris region follows a specific timetable. Legislation introducing France’s New Rail Pact in June 2018 recognized the unique nature of the French capital’s rail network, the world’s second busiest by daily ridership.
Reflecting this, on 17 October 2025, Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM)—the Paris region’s mobility authority—adopted a specific timeline for opening its Transilien and RER lines to competitive bidding. New operating contracts will be phased in from December 2026 through late 2039, depending on the line.
SNCF Voyageurs wins first contract
Line L—the first Transilien route opened to tendering—will continue to be operated by SNCF Voyageurs from 2027 to 2035. The decision, taken at Île-de-France Mobilités’ board meeting on 20 May 2025, confirms SNCF Voyageurs’ competitive edge as rail market liberalization becomes a reality in the Paris region. Subsidiary SNCF Voyageurs Cœur Ouest IDF will manage Line L, which transports some 297,000 passengers a day.
Keolis and SNCF Voyageurs consortium to operate tram-trains
At the end of 2023, IDFM awarded the Transilien network’s first tram-train contract to Stretto, a consortium formed by Keolis and SNCF Voyageurs. Since 22 March 2025, Stretto has operated line T4 (linking Aulnay-sous-Bois and Bondy, north of Paris) and T14 (the former Line P branch connecting Esbly and Crécy-la-Chapelle). A tram-train is a tramway vehicle adapted to run on both urban tram tracks and the mainline rail network. Together, lines T4 and T14 carry around 71,000 passengers a day.
Timeline for opening routes to competitive tendering
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