SNCF advances railway upgrades in southern France after public consultations

The French state railway company SNCF presented the results of a public consultation on the "Performance ferroviaire des Alpes du Sud" project, a €325 million programme to renew sections of the line between Aix‑en‑Provence and Briançon, improve signalling, reopen two crossings and modernise six stations ahead of the 2030 Winter Olympics. The consultation confirmed the project's relevance, but SNCF said that double‑tracking, full electrification and some station reopenings cannot be completed by 2030 due to budget and timing constraints, though they remain under study.

A separate consultation on the reopening of the Alès‑Bessèges line gathered 557 observations, with 459 in favour and 98 opposed. The project, split into two phases (Saint‑Ambroix by 2028 and Bessèges by 2030), is estimated at €40 million and includes full regeneration of the line, new halts and modernisation of level crossings. Regional officials, including the vice‑president for transport and commissioner Nicole Pulicani, are addressing the dissenting comments before the environmental authorisation is granted.