TER trains: what will the €442 million in loans from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region be used for?

" The moment is very crucial ," Fabrice Pannekoucke immediately swears. The President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and the Director of the Banque des Territoires (Directorate of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations), Antoine Saintoyant, signed a partnership this Thursday, July 10, for €442 million in bank loans, over a period of 30 to 40 years. " This is one of the largest financings ever for the Banque des Territoires ," Antoine Saintoyant rejoices.

This amount was allocated to the Aura Region's local public company (SPL), which is responsible for purchasing railway equipment for the community. It represents two-thirds of a total of €651 million in financing that will enable the acquisition of 71 new train sets. In addition to the €442 million from the Banque des Territoires, €77.5 million is being provided by other banking entities and €68.3 million in equity by the Region.

These newly acquired trains should be directed to the six Metropolitan Regional Express Service (SERM) projects, the successor to the Lyon RER . Their delivery date and order date are currently unknown. " Ordering also requires having workshops ," Fabrice Pannekoucke cautions, pointing out that a train must be associated with a technical center in order to be able to run.

Read also: New trains in 2027: how is the Region anticipating the increase in demand for Lyon’s regional trains?

In December 2023, the Region voted on a €5.7 billion investment plan to ensure its rail strategy through to 2035. This plan includes the purchase of 150 new train sets . 29 have already been ordered and 71 more have now been acquired, thanks to financing from the Banque des Territoires. The objective is to strengthen the underserved regional train offering. " We must respond to the mobility challenge, the one we are logically questioned about every day ," continues the President of the Region, who is aiming for an increase of around 35% in the number of daily TER passengers in ten years, thus increasing from 220,000 to 300,000.

Fabrice Pannekoucke also welcomed the transfer of 111 SNCF trains to the Aura Region's SPL. Specifically, these trains will no longer belong to the SNCF and could be made available to future operators, as part of the opening up to competition by 2033. This transfer had already been discussed—and therefore announced—last June and will be included in the bank loans presented this Thursday.

With this financial operation, the regional railway company, launched last December, plans to add a total of 182 trains to its structure. " This is in any case a first step. (...) To meet all the challenges, we will have to meet again, " Fabrice Pannekoucke finally told Antoine Saintoyant.

Read also: A "level 1" Lyon RER by the end of 2026? The Region plans 15% more trains each day