SYSTRA France has been appointed by SNCF Réseau to provide general and technical project management assistance for the New South-West Line (Ligne Nouvelle Sud-Ouest, LNSO), a major high-speed rail development linking Bordeaux with Toulouse and Dax.
Awarded by the GPSO Agency, the nine-year contract will see SYSTRA involved in all phases of the project until 2034. Around 100 staff, mainly in Bordeaux and Toulouse, will support work on technical planning, environmental and financial oversight, and implementation of innovative, sustainable solutions.
The project is funded by the French government, local authorities, and the European Union.
Christophe Huau, Director of the GPSO Agency within SNCF Réseau said:We are counting on the recognized expertise and excellence of SYSTRA to help us implement this large-scale project, which is focused on innovation, environmental ambition and performance.
The LNSO will extend the Tours–Bordeaux line southwards, forming a 418-kilometre Y-shaped corridor. This infrastructure is designed to reduce journey times, improve frequency, and increase capacity on existing lines for regional and freight services. Three new stations and two stops will be added, with 110 towns affected and 10,000 jobs created.
Estimated travel time reductions include:
- Paris–Toulouse: from 4h10 to 3h10
- Bordeaux–Toulouse: from 2h01 to 1h05
- Bordeaux–Barcelona: from 4h50 to 3h50
The Bordeaux–Toulouse section is scheduled to open in 2032, followed by the Sud-Gironde–Dax segment.
