Railcoop

Railcoop is a French rail cooperative society, founded in 2019, its headquarters being located in Cambes (Lot). It is one of the first private passenger service companies to be created in the context of the rail transport market opening in France and the end of monopoly for the national railway operator SNCF.[1] As the rail network remains state-owned by the public agency SNCF Réseau, Railcoop will be a rail operator buying slots to operate connections and notifying schedules to the national transport regulation authority.

Railcoop
TypePrivate cooperative company with collective interest (SCIC)
Founded30 November 2019 (30 November 2019)
Headquarters
Figeac
,
France
−233,697 € (2020) 

After starting a small freight service in November 2021, the main project is to reopen the direct link between Bordeaux and Lyon in December 2022,[2] after the SNCF discarded this service in 2014.[3]

History

The rail transport market opened in France for international services in 2009, after which the Italian private company Thello linked Paris and Venice; it will open for national passenger service in 2020.[1] In a context of a very weak use of railways in low-populated areas and the dominance of high speed trains in France,[4] Railcoop aims to re-develop medium-size rail connections.

After starting as a non-for profit or voluntary association in 2019, Railcoop became a "cooperative society aiming at a collective interest" (SCIC) in November 2019. It has gained backing from a wide range of investors, including €500 000 from Grand Est regional government.[5]

It aimed to gain its security licence to operate trains at the beginning of 2021. It gained its rail operator license in September and should have its safety certificate in November 2021.[2]

Projects

Railcoop expects to open a freight transport between Figeac and Toulouse, starting on 15 November 2021, over the 180 km (110 mi) freight line from Decazeville, via Capdenac to Saint-Jory.[2]

The main project of the company is the Bordeaux-Lyon direct link (closed in 2014),[6] calling at (non-exhaustive list) Périgueux, Limoges, Guéret, Montluçon and Roanne. It was expected for June 2022,[7] but has been postponed to December.[2]

For the annual service 2023, other national services are expected : Toulouse-Rennes[8] and Lyon-Thionville.[9]

References
  1. "SNCF's Guillaume Pepy: keeping the public onside". Financial Times. 4 November 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. "Fret : Railcoop va tester des convois de petits volumes à la demande". Les Echos (in French). 26 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  3. "Railcoop va-t-elle renaitre la ligne de train Lyon-Bordeaux abandonnée par la SNCF ?" (in French). 24 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. "State of the rail transport in France in 2018" (PDF). ART (in French).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. 2021-10-28T12:29:00. "Co-operative model underpins Railcoop's long term plans". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  6. "Bordeaux - Limoges - Lyon en train : voyage dans les coulisses du projet Railcoop". France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine (in French). 3 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. "Railcoop time schedules Bordeaux-Lyon" (PDF). ART.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. "Railcoop time schedules" (PDF). ART. Retrieved 5 November 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. "Railcoop time schedule Lyon-Thionville" (PDF). ART.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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