Small rural lines account for a third—about 9,000 km¹—of the French rail national network. Operating these largely non-electrified lines successfully is a major challenge for France’s regions, which are eager to offer more decarbonized-mobility options in small communities while keeping transport costs under control.

TELLi is part of the solution. Together with partners in industry and the public sector, we’re harnessing cutting-edge technologies to expand our TER offer in suburban and rural communities. 

Today, some of these lines are very lightly trafficked and barely profitable. France’s regions, acting as their own mobility authorities, are looking for ways to cut overall costs while expanding the transport offer on these lines.

• support the green transition by offering decarbonized transport solutions
• protect the right to mobility in rural communities
• offer economically viable mobility options

The TELLi Project aims to give French regions a solution that cuts total costs over the rail system’s life cycle. With more frequent service on small lines, local residents are more likely to choose rail. And as rural lines come back into the black, regions will want to run even more trains and add new services tailored to local needs.

Jacques Berling: “It’s an incredible adventure, serving a vital goal for community life and the green transition.”

• protect the environment
• use innovation to cut costs
• preserve connections between small rural lines and the national network
• increase service frequency
• create a modular interior that can adapt to local needs

TELLi offers a new approach, incorporating rolling stock, infrastructure and operations into a systemic whole. 
Our research is centred around 6 key components:

• a modular platform

• ecodesign of the whole TELLi system

• battery and/or hydrogen power

• suspension system

• a digital driver’s cabin

• digitalized signalling, command and control, monitoring, infrastructure and rolling stock

To make this ambitious project a success, we formed a consortium of 11 partners with complementary skills. Some are major industrial groups (Thales, CAF, Wabtec, Alstom and Capgemini), while others are specialized SMEs (Texelis and Ektacom) or public entities (Railenium, Ferrocampus and Cerema). All are helping to energize their home communities, in the Paris region and beyond, and each has a specific mission.

SNCF Group is the architect and coordinator for the TELLi project. We keep the partners working together smoothly, generating synergies and making the most of their complementary skills. We’re also responsible for cost control. This holistic, systemic approach covers rolling stock, operations and infrastructure.

Spanish rolling stock manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) is responsible for designing and producing a new rolling stock platform that is lighter and less costly. CAF will integrate the consortium’s innovations and develop a high-yield, low-carbon autonomous powertrain.

Texelis will design and develop an innovative suspension system that sharply reduces the weight of the train’s undercarriage. This will save energy and reduce track wear, while keeping passengers comfortable. Maintenance costs will also be lower, giving rural rail service a future and improving local mobility for all.

Thales is contributing to the project’s R&D effort and developing intelligent onboard solutions for resource-efficient signalling and operations. These include a digitalized driver interface, autonomous positioning systems, driver support, and monitoring and supervision of infrastructure, track and lineside areas.

Ektacom will offer a video solution for remote driving, with adaptive transmission to handle the full range of network conditions and help identify signalling. It will also propose a reinvented human-machine interface (HMI) as part of TELLi’s onboard software.

Capgemini is using its Design-to-X methodology to do preliminary studies. It’s also developing a digital twin of the TELLi system, which will act as a platform for co-simulating and pre-approving innovative concepts ahead of physical testing.

Wabtec Corporation is contributing a suite of rolling stock features. These include braking and safety technologies, plus solutions for accessing the train, capturing and managing energy, and monitoring and informing passengers.

Alstom is helping to develop specifications for an optimized, automated signalling system, and to increase the train’s range by reducing hydrogen consumption and storage space. Alstom is also searching for a digital alternative to conventional mechanical coupling.

The non-profit Ferrocampus—backed by its host region, Nouvelle-Aquitaine—has granted access to its rail research centre, including test trains and lines, and a data platform to test, measure and evaluate the innovative solutions proposed by the project.

The Railenium Test and Research Centre has offered its expertise to the project. This includes a decision-making tool (rural line investment strategy), railway dynamics (suspension system design), energy management, surveillance of infrastructure and rolling stock, shunting functionality, a digital twin, rolling laboratory and remote driving (HOF and safety).

Cerema balances the technical and regional mobility challenges against the expectations of users and local communities to determine what it will take for light rail systems to succeed.

The TELLi project has also received financial support from ADEME² and from the General Secretariat for Investment (SGPI)³, under the Investments for the Future Programme (PIA)⁴, the France 2030 national investment plan⁵ and CORIFER⁶.