TER Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Owner | SNCF |
| Area served | Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur |
| Transit type | Regional rail |
| Number of lines | 16 |
| Number of stations | 145 |
| Website | http://www.sncf.com/en/trains/ter |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 1986 |
| Operator(s) | SNCF |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Electrification | 3,000 V DC overhead lines |
TER Provence Alpes-Côte-d'Azur (TER PACA) is the regional rail network serving the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in France. This network is operated by SNCF.
The public transport authority, the Regional Council, runs 800 trains a day, especially near Avignon, Marseille, Toulon and Nice. 100,000 users take regional trains each day.
Network
The network is made up of 17 train lines. All bus lines are operated by private operators under the Regional Council Authority.
Unlike other regions in France, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur separates their trains into two services:
- TER : suburban or local services, with only 2nd class wagons. These trains are operated with multiple units.
- Intervilles : regional InterCity trains (not to be confused with InterCités trains, a nationwide service), with 1st and 2nd class, except between Marseille, Gap and Briançon.
This separation is done due to the presence of big metropolises on the coast (Marseille, Toulon and Nice) and a very rural hinterland (French Alps). Toulon doesn't have suburban services, as these are absorbed into Marseille. The suburban trains from Marseille also continue onto Avignon, 100 kilometers away.
Rail
The rail network as of October 2017:[1]
| Line | Route | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marseille ... Aubagne ... Toulon ... Hyères | In rush hour, 1 train each 20 minutes between Marseille and Aubagne ; 1 train each 15 minutes between Marseille, Aubagne and Toulon. | 5h - 24h |
| 2 | Toulon ... Carnoules ... Les Arcs-Draguignan | 1 train each 2 hours | 6h - 22h |
| 3 | Les Arcs-Draguignan ... Saint-Raphaël-Valescure ... Cannes ... Nice | 1 train each hour, every 30 minutes during rush hour | 5h - 21h |
| 4 | Cannes-La Bocca - Cannes - Golfe-Juan-Vallauris - Juan-les-Pins - Antibes - Biot† - Villeneuve-Loubet-plage† - Cagnes-sur-Mer - Cros-de-Cagnes† - Saint-Laurent-du-Var - Nice-Saint-Augustin - Nice-Ville - Nice-Riquier - Villefranche-sur-Mer - Beaulieu-sur-Mer - Èze-sur-Mer† - Cap-d'Ail† - Monaco-Monte-Carlo - Cap-Martin-Roquebrune† - Carnolès - Menton - Menton-Garavan - Ventimiglia branch line: Grasse - Mouans-Sartoux - Ranguin - La Frayère - Le Bosquet - Cannes |
1 train each hour, every 30 minutes during rush hour | 6h - 24h |
| 5 | Tende ... Breil-sur-Roya ... Nice | 5 trains a day | |
| 6 | Marseille - Toulon - Carnoules† - Les Arcs-Draguignan - Fréjus† - Saint-Raphaël-Valescure - Cannes - Antibes - Nice | Intervilles InterCity train, 1 train each 2 hours | 4h - 23h |
| 7 | Miramas ... Martigues ... Marseille | 1 train each hour, every 30 minutes during rush hour | 6h - 21h |
| 8 | Avignon - Arles ... Miramas ... Vitrolles Aéroport ... Marseille | 1 train each hour, every 30 minutes during rush hour | 5h - 21h |
| 9 | Avignon ... Cavaillon ... Miramas | 1 train each hour, every 30 minutes during rush hour | 5h - 20h |
| 10 | Lyon-Part-Dieu ... Valence ... Orange ... Avignon - Arles - Miramas - Marseille | Intervilles InterCity train, 1 train each 2 hours | 4h - 23h |
| 11 | Narbonne ... Montpellier ... Nîmes ... Arles ... Marseille-Saint-Charles (see TER Occitanie line L3 for details) | 1 train each 3 hours, every 2 hours during rush hour | 5h - 20h |
| 11bis | Narbonne ... Montpellier ... Nîmes ... Tarascon - Avignon-Centre (see TER Occitanie line L1 for details) | 1 train each hour | 4h - 21h |
| 12 | Pertuis ... Aix-en-Provence ... Marseille-Saint-Charles | 1 train each 20 minutes during rush hour between Marseille and Aix en Provence | 5h - 24h |
| 13 (16) | Briançon ... Gap ... Veynes-Dévoluy ... Aix-en-Provence ... Marseille-Saint-Charles | Intervilles InterCity train, 4 trains a day | 4h - 23h |
| 14 | Briançon ... Gap ... Veynes-Dévoluy ... Die ... Valence ... Romans-Bourg-de-Péage (see TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes line 64 for details) | 1 train each 3 hours | 4h - 22h |
| 15 | Gap ... Veynes-Dévoluy ... Grenoble (see TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes line 63 for details) | 1 train each 4 hours | 5h - 23h |
| 21 (18) | Carpentras ... Avignon-Centre - Avignon TGV | 2 trains each hour | 6h - 23h |
| † Not all trains call at this station | |||
Rail service not part of the TER Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur network:
- Nice CP - Digne-les-Bains, operated by the Chemins de Fer de Provence
Incidents
Trains are cancelled and delayed every day. The TER Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur has the worst punctuality record in all of France, with 40% of trains being delayed or cancelled each day. This could be due to high congestion of the tracks near Marseille and Nice. The journey conditions are very bad during rush hours.
Future
With the building of the new LN Provence-Côte d'Azur line between Marseille and Monaco expected by 2030, regional traffic may grow. This will be achieved through the introduction of a new high speed train calling every hour at Marseille Provence Airport, the construction of a new underground train station in downtown Marseille, a new high speed stop in Marseille's Eastern Districts, and the enlargement of Toulon, Nice Côte d'Azur Airport and Nice Ville train stations.
Rolling stock
Multiple units
- SNCF Class Z 23500
- SNCF Class Z 26500
- SNCF Class B 81500 Also called BGC B 81500
- SNCF Class X 76500 Also called XGC Z 76500
Locomotives
See also
References
- ↑ TER Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Fiches horaires, accessed 10 October 2017.