France Opens Tender for Paris–Clermont and Paris–Toulouse Rail Routes

The French transport ministry has launched a competitive procurement process to find a new operator for two major intercity rail routes, with the application deadline set for April 30.

France's General Directorate for Infrastructure, Transport and Mobility (DGITM) has formally opened the tender procedure for the public service contracts covering the Paris–Clermont-Ferrand route (419 km) and the Paris–Limoges–Toulouse corridor (713 km). The pre-information notice was published in the Official Journal of Public Procurement (BOAMP) on February 4, 2025. Expressions of interest must be submitted by April 30.

The Broader Rail Competition Agenda

These two strategic intercity services — currently operated by SNCF Voyageurs under the Intercités brand — are the second set of state-owned equilibrium rail services (trains d'équilibre du territoire, or TET) to be put out to competitive tender under the Rail Reform Act of June 27, 2018. In January 2025, SNCF Voyageurs was awarded a ten-year contract to continue operating the Nantes–Bordeaux and Nantes–Lyon routes from December 2026, beating out Spanish operator Renfe and start-up Le Train. The new operator for the Paris–Clermont and Paris–Toulouse services is expected to begin operations in late 2029.

Service Obligations and Network Requirements

Any licensed rail operator authorised to run trains on France's national rail network may apply. The successful bidder will be required to serve at least the same number of stations as the current timetable. Minimum service levels include nine train pairs per day on the Paris–Clermont-Ferrand route, at least four daily return services to Brive-la-Gaillarde and four to Toulouse.

The contract explicitly prioritises on-time performance, passenger information quality and onboard comfort. The operator will also be responsible for fleet maintenance — which may be outsourced — as well as ticketing systems and pricing policy.

28 New Oxygène EMUs at the Heart of the Renewal

The French government has invested €700 million in 28 CAF Oxygène electric multiple units (series Z 26700), built to replace the ageing Corail locomotive-hauled coaches dating from the 1970s and 1980s. After technical delays linked to excessive brake pad wear and motor vibration faults — since resolved by manufacturer CAF and traction supplier Mitsubishi Electric — formal homologation testing on the French network began in February 2026. Commercial service is planned for March 2027, with the full fleet of 28 trains expected to be operational by end-2027.

Each 188-metre trainset seats 420 passengers (including 103 in first class) at a maximum speed of 200 km/h. Journey time savings of around 15 minutes compared to current services are expected. The precise start date and duration of the operating contract may be adjusted depending on when the new fleet enters full service.

State-Funded Maintenance Facilities

A separate €100 million investment by the state covers new or upgraded maintenance facilities at four sites: Paris-Austerlitz (the Masséna technicentre), Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, Clermont-Ferrand and Brive-la-Gaillarde. Whether a dedicated maintenance facility will also be developed in Toulouse [to be confirmed] remains subject to the final tender documents. These facilities will be made available to whichever operator wins the contract, on terms yet to be defined.

The ministry's decision to freeze fares on both lines throughout 2026 — announced by Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot — signals the government's acknowledgement that service quality has remained inadequate during the transitional phase ahead of the new trains' arrival.

Key Takeaways

• Routes: Paris–Clermont-Ferrand (419 km) and Paris–Limoges–Toulouse (713 km)
• Application deadline: April 30 (expressions of interest / participation requests)
• Target start of new operations: late 2029
• New rolling stock: 28 CAF Oxygène EMUs; commercial service from March 2027
• State investment: €800m (€700m rolling stock + €100m maintenance sites)
• Current operator: SNCF Voyageurs (convention runs to 2031)

Route Comparison Table