Three cities in Allier are on the route of the project for the new train line linking Lyon to Bordeaux: Montluçon, Gannat and Saint-Germain-des-Fossés. The project, launched by the cooperative company Railcoop, should see the light of day in the middle of the year 2022.
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The cooperative company Railcoop has revealed the exact route of its train line project linking Lyon to Bordeaux. Three cities in Allier have been selected: Montluçon, Gannat and Saint-Germain-des-Fossés. “These cities, like the rest of the stops on the line, were chosen for their size but also for their connection potential, for example, to allow users to reach Clermont-Ferrand or Nevers via Montluçon. In all, there are 291 connections on the planned line with TER or coaches ”, says Alexandra Debaisieux, Deputy CEO of Railcoop. This project is part of the opening to rail competition, which should take place at the end of 2020.
Eleven stations served
According to her, the aim of this project would also be to reconnect the territories and to revive this line, stopped by the SNCF since 2014. This rail link, which should see the light in mid-2022, will serve the stations of Bordeaux, Libourne, Périgueux, Limoges, Saint-Sulpice-Laurière, Guéret, Gannat, Montluçon, Saint-Germain-des-Fossés, Roanne and Lyon, as shown on the map below.
It’s OFFICIAL, the re-opening of the Bordeaux-Lyon line has just been declared to the@ART_transports ! ????
We are revealing the cities that will be served by the line from mid-2022.Find our CP: https://t.co/IJzo08QozN
???? To subscribe: https://t.co/61DYr123Ll pic.twitter.com/sMeVMGLRi9
— Railcoop (@Railcoop_SCIC) June 10, 2020
Passengers with varied profiles
According to a market study carried out by the independent engineering office Systra, around 690,000 travelers could use this line each year: “It will not be the same clientele as those who take the TGV and go through Paris. We expect to recover passengers who usually take the car or the bus: families, students, tourists. For this, we provide a 19 m² van wagon for bulky luggage such as surfboards, bikes or strollers. We are also planning an isolated business area with a WIFI connection ”, explains Alexandra Debaisieux.
An advantageous cost but an extended journey
The cost of a ticket between Lyon and Bordeaux will be around 38 euros for a 6:27 journey, a longer duration than the TGV but at a more moderate price. In terms of frequency, 3 trains should run in both directions each day, with a capacity of between 100 and 400 seats. One will leave in the early morning, the second in the middle of the afternoon and the last will be a night train.
Requested members
If this project is on track, it still lacks funding to the cooperative society Railcoop. “To have our rail operator license, you need 1.5 million euros. For this, we are looking to mobilize new members: companies, people, local authorities who would like to support the project. We are 700 members today and we hope to be 3,000 by the end of the year ”, explains Alexandra Debaisieux. If this “test line” connecting Lyon and Bordeaux proves to be a success, other connections could be opened by Railcoop.
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