Alstom has unveiled the first train for the automated Line 18 of the Grand Paris Express project, designed to upgrade the Paris transit network. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Alstom has unveiled the first train for the automated Line 18 of the Grand Paris Express project, designed to upgrade the Paris transit network.
Photo: Alstom

The manufacturer signed a €199 million contract with Société des Grands Projets and Île-de-France Mobilités in September 2021. The order includes 15 trains and an automatic control system.

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The train design was revealed in February 2023. Deliveries will be completed by the end of 2026, with all units heading to the Palaiseau depot.

The first section, connecting Massy-Palaiseau and Le Crist de Saclay, is set to open in Q1 2026. Ten trains will operate on this initial stretch.

The second segment, extending to Orly Airport, will be launched at the end of 2027. The remaining five trains will enter service at that time.

Alstom Starts Train Testing Phase

The trains were designed and assembled at Alstom’s Valenciennes site, with support from five other French facilities. All units will run in fully driverless mode.

Before entering service, the trains undergo static and dynamic tests at the factory and technical center in Valenciennes.

Subsequent testing will take place directly on Line 18. Train movements will be controlled from the new Palaiseau operations center, completed in spring 2025.

Alstom’s Train Specifications for Line 18

Each train features three cars, with a total length of 47 meters and a width of 2.5 meters. The maximum capacity is up to 350 passengers.

Power is supplied via a ground-level contact rail at 1500 V DC. The average operating speed is 65 km/h, with a maximum speed of 100 km/h.

Once testing is complete, the fleet will be handed over to operator Keolis, which will manage the line on behalf of Île-de-France Mobilités.

In 2018, Alstom also signed a contract to supply trains for Lines 15, 16, and 17 of the Grand Paris Express network.

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