- Press Release
- 18 July 2023
ComfortDelGro In Partnership with RATP DEV and Alstom Wins Paris Rail Tender
SINGAPORE, 18 July 2023 – ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited (ComfortDelGro) through its subsidiary, ComfortDelGro Transit (CDGT), has been awarded a contract to operate rail services in Paris, France’s capital city. This marks the Group’s first foray into France’s rail operations market and is a first by a Singapore company. This comes less than two years after ComfortDelGro won the contract to operate rail services in Auckland, New Zealand, representing its first overseas rail operations.
The award to ORA by Île-de-France Mobilités (IdFM), the transport authority in the region, was announced today in Paris, France. ORA is an international consortium comprising ComfortDelGro and two French companies, RATP Dev and Alstom, bringing together 88 years of combined international experience in rail operations and maintenance. RATP Dev
is a global operator of urban and inter-urban transport systems, and an expert in the operation and maintenance of automated metros while Alstom is a pioneer in sustainable and intelligent mobility solutions and a leader in predictive maintenance. ComfortDelGro is contributing its best practices in delivering a positive passenger experience.
The contract, which is for an initial term of six years with the opportunity for further extension to nine years, is for the South sector of Line 15 – a new automated line under the ambitious 200-km Grand Paris Express (GPE) greenfield metro programme in the Greater Paris region, France. ORA will operate and maintain metro services across 16 stations, passing through 22 cities, over 33 kilometres. With an expected daily ridership of 390,000, it will be the first of the GPE projects to commence passenger service by the end of 2025.
ComfortDelGro Managing Director and Group CEO, Mr Cheng Siak Kian, said: “At ComfortDelGro, one of our key strengths lies in providing a delightful and inclusive commuting experience for our customers. We are therefore pleased to contribute our expertise in partnership with RATP Dev and Alstom to deliver a safe, reliable and caring commuting experience to the residents of the Île-de-France region.
“We, through our subsidiary, SBS Transit, are also collaborating with RATP Dev to bid for the upcoming Jurong Region Line and the Cross Island Line in Singapore. Leveraging RATP Dev’s international expertise, we will, for instance, jointly create localised solutions where the transfer of technology and competencies will further strengthen our rail reliability and promote local rail engineering capabilities. We are excited by the opportunity to elevate our world-class metro services to the next level through this partnership,” added Mr Cheng.
Ms Hiba Farès, CEO of RATP Dev, said: “This extension of a historic public transit network will transform the daily lives of millions of residents in the inner and outer suburbs of Paris, and contribute to the efficient interconnection of several districts in the region. Alongside our partners, we will put RATP Dev’s recognized expertise in the operation of automated
metros at the service of Île-de-France Mobilités and the people of the Greater Paris region, providing a travel experience focused on service quality.”
Echoing confidence, Mr Jean-Baptiste Eyméoud, Président of Alstom France, said: “This contract marks a new collaboration with the RATP group and we are delighted to be joining forces with RATP Dev and ComfortDelGro for this project. Alstom is proud to have the opportunity to bring to line 15 its latest innovations in digital and predictive maintenance, already deployed in Sydney, Dubai and Montreal. Combined with Alstom’s international expertise in automated metros and transport system maintenance, they will guarantee passengers a reliable and efficient service.”
On ComfortDelGro’s active foray into the international rail scene, the Group’s Chairman, Mr Mark Greaves, said: “This is part of our longer-term strategy to grow beyond our traditional core taxi and bus businesses. We see the rail business as a new significant contributor which is why we are focussed on growing this business and have been adding experts in rail tendering and operations under our wholly-owned subsidiary, ComfortDelGro Transit Pte Ltd. These include new heads of rail operations, maintenance and customer experience.”
This latest win brings the international rail network operated by the Group to 210 km, an increase of 16% over its current 177 km in Singapore and Auckland, New Zealand. It is also participating in a rail tender in Stockholm, Sweden, in partnership with Go-Ahead Nordic.
Media Contact Information:
Group Corporate Communications
ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited
[email protected]
About ComfortDelGro Corporation
ComfortDelGro is a leading multi-modal transport operator offering a comprehensive suite of transportation solutions. Our extensive network spans public transport including buses and rail, point-to-point transport with taxis and private hire cars as well as business-to-business mobility solutions. Every day, millions rely on our services across 13 countries including; Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, China, Ireland, Sweden, France, Malaysia, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and the Netherlands.
As a global operator, we play an important role in steering the transition towards a low-carbon economy. With 60% of our owned fleet consisting of cleaner energy vehicles, we support governments and cities in enabling inclusive and sustainable transport systems. For our efforts, ComfortDelGro has been included in the Dow Jones Best-in-Class Indices since 2019, the only Singaporean transport company in the index.
About RATP Dev
Founded in 2002, RATP Dev operates and maintains urban transportation systems in 15 countries on five continents (France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Serbia, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the Hong Kong SAR of China, the Philippines, Australia, and the United States of America). Day after day, RATP Dev demonstrates its extensive and renowned expertise by offering mobility services across the entire transportation spectrum, ranging from rail, regional express rail, tramway, bus to water bus, cable car, and sightseeing tour bus. RATP Dev draws on the technical expertise and experience of the RATP group, the leader in driverless mobility, tramway services, and operator of the Paris multimodal network, one of the largest transportation networks in the world, to develop its activities in France and internationally.
About Alstom
Alstom commits to contribute to a low carbon future by developing and promoting innovative and sustainable transportation solutions that people enjoy riding. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, Alstom offers its diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. With its presence in 63 countries and a talent base of over 80,000 people from 175 nationalities, the company focuses its design, innovation, and project management skills to where mobility solutions are needed most. Listed in France, Alstom generated revenues of €16.5 billion for the fiscal year ending on 31 March 2023.
