Bombardier to Supply 36 Additional Francilien Trains for Greater Paris
French national railway company SNCF has ordered 36 Francilien (SNCF Z 50000) train sets from Bombardier Transportation on behalf of Île-de-France Mobilités, the transport authority for Greater Paris. The order for 270 cars is part of a 2.7 billion euro contract Bombardier signed with SNCF in November 2006 to supply a maximum of 372 trains. This current order is valued at around 261 million euros.
These new electric multiple unit trains will be deployed on the L, J and P lines of SNCF’s suburban Transilien network amid efforts to continue modernizing the fleet. To support this programme Bombardier has said it would accelerate production starting in September 2019.
Upgraded features included on these trains are USB ports, new, more ergonomic handrails and large panoramic screens to make it easier to read passenger information. In addition to these direct improvements to passenger comfort, the Francilien trains also help with the punctuality of all trains running on the lines they service.
The spacious Francielien commuter trains have room for up to 1,000 passengers. They feature large seats, wide doors and open gangways to make passenger flow more efficient.
Finally, they will be fitted with cutting-edge energy-efficiency and ‘smart’ technologies along with upgraded security systems.
Of the 36 new train sets ordered 18 will be short, consisting of 7 cars each (totalling 126 cars). These will operate on lines L and J, which service Paris Saint-Lazare station – Paris’s second-busiest – in the northwest of the city. There will also be 18 long train sets, consisting of 8 cars each (totalling 144 cars). These are designated for line P, which services Paris-Est in the northeast of the capital. All of these trains will be financed wholly by Île-de-France Mobilités.
Laurent Bouyer, President of Bombardier Transport France, said:
“This train, specially designed to meet the challenges of the dense and congested Transilien network, has proven its strengths. Fully adapted to this urban transportation ecosystem, it’s the most reliable fleet operating on the network. The trains offer exceptional energy efficiency, optimized maintenance costs and of course a sleek design with amenities that are particularly appreciated by travellers.”
Île-de-France Mobilités has so far ordered 313 Francilien trains from Bombardier and they are the best-performing trains on the Transilien network. The Francilien trains are produced at Bombardier’s site in Crespin (Nord).
