7:30 am, rush hour. Grenoble station is in turmoil but on platform D, users still seem asleep. Suitcase in hand, nose riveted on the phone or with a coffee to go, everyone has their own technique to get out of the morning torpor.
After a few minutes of patience, the regional express train n ° 17610 bound for Lyon enters the station. The notice board isn’t updated yet, but regulars calmly enter the train, looking for a seat. Only less experienced travelers still roam the quayside.
The TER Grenoble-Lyon serves the stations of Voiron, La Tour du Pin, Bourgoin-Jallieu and La Verpillière.
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“Is it the train that goes to Saint-André-le-Gaz?“asks an elderly lady.”No, it’s not that one, it’s the next one “ the controller replies.
Recognizable by his cap edged with a red border, the SNCF agent tirelessly repeats the same information to occasional users, lost because of the lack of information on the display panel.
After a few minutes, and several sighs, he enters the train to make an announcement on the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, I remind you that this train is bound for Lyon. Travelers wishing to go to Saint-André-le-Gaz are asked to take the next train, which will leave on the same track“.
No effort wasted for the controller, a young woman, a little worried, asks him again. “Is it the train going to Lyon? I don’t understand anything, I never take the train!“.
Reassured by the agent, the brunette thirty-something named Valène takes a seat on the train while checking her ticket one last time. Expected in Lyon for a business trip, she wants to be sure not to arrive late. “I travel to Lyon two to three times a month, but usually I take the car, confides this resident of Claix. Even to go to work in Echirolles, I prefer to drive. We are more independent in the car than in the train despite traffic jams“.
However this morning, Valène deviated from her habits. A sales engineer, she promised a colleague that they would make the trip together by train. “She lives in Voiron and is a frequent user of public transport!“she specifies.
Sales engineers in Echirolles, Carla and Valène travel to Lyon two to three times a month for professional reasons.
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Indeed at the next stop, Carla, 21, joins us at the back of the train. Unlike her colleague, she only travels by train, whether to go to work in Echirolles or for a trip to Lyon. “It’s more practical, cheaper and I avoid traffic jams between Voiron and Grenoble. I even made it a point to find my accommodation near the station so that I could walk there! “ she says.
Only drawbacks: “summer hours“poorly suited to workers and”many delays“. “Sometimes I leave work at 5:30 p.m. and arrive home at 9 p.m.!she sighs.
In socks on the train
In the next car, Maugan, 32, catches our attention. It must be said that the young lawyer seems particularly at ease in the train. In socks, his feet propped up on the opposite seat, he listens to his music quietly while the Isère landscape unfolds before his eyes.
“I like the train, it’s relaxing. It allows you to take time for yourself!“Explains the thirty-something. For eight years, he has been traveling Grenoble-Bourgoin-Jallieu four or five times a week to get to work. So obviously he has his little habits.
Maugan still travels with his scooter.
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“Either way, I don’t have a choice, I don’t have my license yet, he admits. I am a true Grenoble native so I never needed it and then, it must be admitted, I was too lazy to pass it“.
At his feet, an electric scooter rests next to his pair of sneakers. “It allows me to make intermediate journeys, it’s practical“.
The region in charge of transport
Like Carla and Maugan, 200,000 travelers take a TER every day in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. This is the region, responsible for transport, which finances and organizes the territory’s public transport lines. With 1,500 trains, 600 coaches and 338 stations, it decides on the frequency of lines, the number of services and thus rhythm the daily life of thousands of inhabitants.
However, few users know that this competence belongs to the Region. For most of the travelers interviewed on the train, this institution seems distant and nebulous. “Who is the president of our region? No idea !“Carla answers, supported by her colleague Valène who also ignores the answer.”Ah, is it Laurent Wauquiez?“comments Maugan when we give him the answer.”I didn’t even know there was a regional president… He’s right-wing, isn’t he?“.
Little-known elections?
All three admit not being interested “at all“to politics and do not intend to vote in the regional elections organized on June 20 and 27.”Between work and the kids, I don’t have time to find out“admits Valene.”These elections will not have enough impact on my daily life, I don’t want to take time for that “ Maugan adds. “I don’t see enough info on this, Carla regrets. And I do not intend to vote if I am not informed before“.
If voting changed something, it would be banned for a long time
A few rows down, S and S * share the same opinion. This fifty-something couple, originally from Grenoble, prefers to remain anonymous but still agrees to answer our questions. “We no longer trust politicians. And then these elections, it is so far from our concerns! sighs the woman with the colored hair in purple. Perhaps in retirement, we will have time to take an interest in it …“. “And even !“, adds with a disillusioned air his spouse, whose thick gray beard protrudes from under the mask.
Before leaving the train, they want to quote me a sentence from Coluche: “If voting changed something, it would be banned for a long time“.
Like Annie-France, many travelers take advantage of train trips to read.
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At 77, Annie-France already knows who she is going to vote for. Wrapped up in her red puffer jacket, this retiree from Voironnaise kills time by reading “My mother’s book” d’Albert Cohen.
Her Senior card allows her to travel inexpensively, so she goes on a regular basis to visit her loved ones. “Above all, do not say in your article where I am going! It’s a surprise for my children!“she insists. Judging the line”unreliable“, she took the train early so as not to miss her connection at Lyon Part-Dieu.
Unlike her fellow travelers, Annie-France knows a few skills in the Region, such as transport, training or the management of natural parks. To choose her candidate, she relied on the political party. “A safe bet“She said. Unfortunately, our conversation was cut short by the arrival of the train at Lyon Part-Dieu station, five minutes late.
Arrival in Lyon Part-Dieu
Despite the teleworking, the place is particularly lively this Wednesday morning. The noise of rolling suitcases echoed in the hall, interspersed with “excuse me“and”Get away“half-articulated by travelers in a hurry.
This energized atmosphere contrasts with that which reigns in the train which brings us back to Grenoble. It is 9.46am: rush hour has passed and most of the seats are empty.
By mid-morning, the Lyon-Grenoble train was almost empty.
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In the central car, only the sound of a computer keyboard breaks the silence. Concentrated, Anne is correcting the publication of a thesis that she supervises.
This 33-year-old aeronautical engineer takes advantage of the flexibility of teleworking to move forward with her tasks while traveling to Bourgoin-Jallieu. With one hand, she uses her computer, resting on her knees in a precarious balance. On the other, she holds the handlebars of her trusty bike.
“I only travel by train and bicycle because it is practical and ecological! Thanks to public transport, I can go anywhere in the region. It is a wealth and it allows to open up many isolated places“.
With her bicycle, Anne uses regional trains to get around while reducing her carbon footprint.
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Sensitive to environmental issues, Anne intends to choose her candidate according to her ecological ambitions. “If there is a candidate who wants to develop TER, that can be a good argument for me, explains the young woman. It’s important to vote because the region is our daily life “.
Holder of a TER subscription card for several years, Anne hopes that “super railway mesh“will remain maintained.”But I have doubts, especially when I see that direct lines like the one from Lyon-Annecy are being canceled“.
“Practical” and “fast” trains
Installed on the upper floor, Saïd is well placed to appreciate the richness of the regional transport offer. “It’s fast, it’s practical and it makes life so much easier!“estimates this 21-year-old student, who arrived from Mayotte in September.”At home, there are only school buses. No public transport, no train or coaches! To get around, we have to take taxis“.
On the Train, Said spends the time watching videos on his phone.
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Not very talkative, the young man quickly returned to his Youtube video. Anyway, the regional elections, it does not “never heard of it“.
At 11:08 am, the train arrives on time at Grenoble station. The train empties in a few seconds but this stop will be of short duration.
The train is already about to leave, taking with it a new stream of travelers, suitcases on wheels, and take-out coffee.
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