SYTRAL Mobilités entrusts RATP Group with Lyon’s public transport operations

Credit: RATP Dev

SYTRAL Mobilités, the authority overseeing transport in the Lyon metropolitan area, has awarded the operation contract to RATP Group, effective 1 January 2025. The agreement encompasses the management of Lyon’s metro lines, tramways, funiculars, the Rhônexpress airport link and a forthcoming river shuttle service.

The decision, ratified by the SYTRAL Mobilités Board on 28 March 2024, designates RATP Dev, a subsidiary of RATP Group, to oversee the ‘heavy modes’ of Lyon’s Transports en Commun Lyonnais (TCL network). This comprehensive contract involves operating and maintaining critical transport infrastructure across Lyon and its territories for the next decade.

The scope of RATP Dev’s responsibilities includes:

• Metro operations: Overseeing four metro lines, including two automated lines, with 102 metro trains serving 44 stations along 70km of tracks, constituting 50% of the network’s daily ridership
• Tramway services: Managing seven tramway lines, 107 tramways and 128 stations covering 71km of tracks
• Funicular railways: Operating Lyon’s two funicular railway lines
• Rhônexpress Airport Link: Operating and maintaining the vital Rhônexpress link connecting Lyon’s city centre to the airport, spanning 13km with six trains and four stations.

Moreover, starting June 2025, RATP Dev will collaborate with Yachts de Lyon to introduce and manage an anticipated river shuttle service, aiming to transport 560,000 passengers annually.

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Hiba Farès, CEO of RATP Dev, said: “Alongside the employees of the TCL network, we will provide recognised expertise in metro and tramway systems, with the goal of making SYTRAL Mobilités’ vision for the Lyon metropolitan area and territories and its residents a reality.”

The partnership aims to drive innovative changes, including automating Line A, modernising Lines C and D, and introducing new tramway lines such as T9 and T10, alongside expanding Line T6.

RATP Dev’s environmental commitments align with SYTRAL Mobilités’ goals, prioritising local energy sources and implementing monitoring tools to track environmental impact. This milestone contract further solidifies RATP Dev’s global reputation in urban rail management, with successful projects spanning Sydney, Riyadh, Doha, Belgrade and Greater Paris.