Zou ! Train line

France's first regional rail link open to competition, on Marseille-Toulon-Nice line

Social and economic impact and ecological commitment

  1. Creation of more than 180 direct jobs and inclusive recruitment
  2. Unchanged fares for subscribers, with a 20% reduction from July 1, 2025.
  3. 100% French green energy supply (green certificates), and drivers trained in rail eco-driving.

New Marseille-Nice line marks a turning point in the history of regional rail transport in France

  • Transdev, the first private operator to run a regional train since the nationalization of railways in 1938.
  • On August 25, 2024, Transdev subsidiary Transdev Rail Sud Inter-Métropoles (TRSI) was awarded its Safety Certificate to operate the Marseille-Toulon-Nice route. This gives TRSI full railway company status.
  • This line represents 10% of the Région Sud’s regional rail service, over 158 km.Start of commercial operation by Transdev, Sunday June 29, 2025 (departure from Marseille at 5:57 a.m., departure from Nice at 5:34 a.m.).
  • Official inaugural trip on Monday June 30, 2025, in presence of Renaud Muselier, President of the Région Sud, and Thierry Mallet, Chairman and CEO of Transdev, between Marseille and Toulon.
Person handing out ZOU promotional leaflets at an inauguration event.

Key figures for the new rail service

Doubled service: 14 roundtrips / day on weekdays 16 round-trips on weekends. Extended opening hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

1

train per hour

2h40

Journey time

9

stations served: Marseille Saint-Charles, Toulon, Carnoules, Les Arcs Draguignan, Saint-Raphaël Valescure, Cannes, Antibes, Nice Saint-Augustin, Nice-Ville.

New trains and new services

  • 16 new Omneo Premium double-decker trainsets, built by Alstom in Crespin (Hauts-de-France), with the 'Origine France Garantie' label.
  • Capacity: 400 seated passengers per train (up to 730 in double trains).
  • Easy access for people with reduced mobility (level boarding).
  • Comfort and services on board: 1èreand 2ndeclass with baggage areas, Wi-Fi, on-board catering, bicycle storage (12 spaces/frame), enhanced human presence with passenger relations and security agents.
Blue ZOU regional train standing at the platform at Nice train station, with doors open.
Train Zou Copyright-Transdev JC Verchere Train Zou Copyright- Maite Baldi Elephant Train Zou Copyright- Maite Baldi Elephant

Infrastructure and maintenance, integral to the efficiency of the new rail service

  • A new 2,000 m2 maintenance and storage site in central Nice, eco-designed to meet the highest performance standards. It includes a multi-purpose track enabling all train maintenance operations to be carried out: pit work, roof work, train lifting, handling of heavy loads.
  • The new site is the fruit of a 100% NGE multi-trade consortium involving NGE IMMOBILIER (developer), NGE GENIE CIVIL, EGENIE, TSO CATENAIRES and NGE FONDATIONS;
  • The investment amounts to EUR 40 million, financed by Région Sud and supported by TRSI.
  • In-house maintenance guarantees maximum train availability, a key element in the efficiency and quality of rail service.
Blue ZOU regional train stopped on the tracks at Nice train station, France.
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