TER Provence Alpes-Côte-d'Azur, branded as TER Zou!, is the regional rail network serving the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in France. This network is operated by SNCF, although services between Nice and Marseille will instead be operated by a subsidiary of Transdev from June 2025, after winning a competitive tender held by the region in 2021.[1]
The public transport authority, the Regional Council, runs 800 trains a day, especially near Avignon, Marseille, Toulon and Nice. 100,000 users take regional trains each day.
| TER Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Owner | SNCF |
| Area served | Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur |
| Transit type | Regional rail |
| Number of lines | 16 |
| Number of stations | 145 |
| Daily ridership | 64,300 |
| Website | m |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 1986 |
| Operator(s) | SNCF |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Electrification | 25 kV AC overhead lines |
Network
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The network is made up of 17 train lines. All bus lines are operated by private operators under the Regional Council Authority.
Unlike most other regions in France, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur separates their trains into two services:
- TER : suburban or local services, with only 2nd class wagons. These trains are operated with multiple units.
- Intervilles : regional InterCity trains (not to be confused with InterCités trains, a nationwide service), with 1st and 2nd class, except between Marseille, Gap and Briançon.
This separation is done due to the presence of big metropolises on the coast (Marseille, Toulon and Nice) and a very rural hinterland (French Alps). Toulon does not have suburban services, as these are absorbed into Marseille. The suburban trains from Marseille also continue onto Avignon, 100 kilometres (62 mi) away.
Rail
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The rail network as of May 2022:[2][3]
| Line | Route | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marseille ... Aubagne ... Toulon ... Hyères | In rush hour, 1 train each 20 minutes between Marseille and Aubagne; 1 train each 15 minutes between Marseille, Aubagne and Toulon. | 5h – 24h |
| 2 | Toulon ... Carnoules ... Les Arcs-Draguignan | 1 train each 2 hours | 6h – 22h |
| 3 | Les Arcs-Draguignan ... Saint-Raphaël-Valescure ... Cannes ... Nice | 1 train each hour, every 30 minutes during rush hour | 5h – 21h |
| 4 | Mandelieu-la-Napoule – Cannes-la-Bocca – Cannes – Golfe-Juan-Vallauris – Juan-les-Pins – Antibes – Biot† – Villeneuve-Loubet-plage† – Cagnes-sur-Mer – Cros-de-Cagnes† – Saint-Laurent-du-Var – Nice-Saint-Augustin – Nice-Ville – Nice-Riquier – Villefranche-sur-Mer – Beaulieu-sur-Mer – Èze-sur-Mer† – Cap-d'Ail† – Monaco-Monte-Carlo – Cap-Martin-Roquebrune† – Carnolès – Menton – Menton-Garavan – Ventimiglia branch line: Grasse – Mouans-Sartoux – Ranguin – La Frayère – Le Bosquet – Cannes |
1 train each hour, every 30 minutes during rush hour | 6h – 24h |
| 5 | Tende ... Breil-sur-Roya ... Nice | 5 trains a day | |
| 6 | Marseille – Toulon – Carnoules† – Les Arcs-Draguignan – Fréjus† – Saint-Raphaël-Valescure – Cannes – Antibes – Nice-Saint-Augustin – Nice | Intervilles InterCity train, 1 train each 2 hours | 4h – 23h |
| 7bis | Miramas ... Martigues ... Marseille | 1 train each hour, every 30 minutes during rush hour | 6h – 21h |
| 8 (7) | Avignon – Arles ... Miramas ... Vitrolles Aéroport ... Marseille | 1 train each hour, every 30 minutes during rush hour | 5h – 21h |
| 9 | Avignon TGV† – Avignon ... Cavaillon ... Miramas – Vitrolles Aéroport – Marseille | 1 train each hour, every 30 minutes during rush hour | 5h – 20h |
| 9bis | Carpentras ... Avignon-Centre – Avignon TGV | 2 trains each hour | 6h – 23h |
| 10 | Lyon-Part-Dieu ... Valence ... Orange ... Avignon – Arles – Miramas – Marseille | Intervilles InterCity train, 1 train each 2 hours | 4h – 23h |
| 11 | Narbonne ... Montpellier ... Nîmes ... Arles ... Marseille-Saint-Charles (see TER Occitanie line 6 for details) | 1 train each 3 hours, every 2 hours during rush hour | 5h – 20h |
| 12 | Pertuis ... Aix-en-Provence ... Marseille-Saint-Charles | 1 train each 20 minutes during rush hour between Marseille and Aix-en-Provence | 5h – 24h |
| 13 | Briançon ... Gap ... Veynes-Dévoluy ... Aix-en-Provence ... Marseille-Saint-Charles | Intervilles InterCity train, 4 trains a day | 4h – 23h |
| 14 | Briançon ... Gap ... Veynes-Dévoluy ... Die ... Valence ... Romans-Bourg-de-Péage (see TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes line 64 for details) | 1 train each 3 hours | 4h – 22h |
| 15 | Gap ... Veynes-Dévoluy ... Grenoble (see TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes line 63 for details) | 1 train each 4 hours | 5h – 23h |
| † Not all trains call at this station | |||
Rail service not part of the TER Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur network:
- Nice CP – Digne-les-Bains, operated by the Chemins de Fer de Provence
Future
editWith the building of the new LGV Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur line between Marseille and Monaco expected by 2030, regional traffic may grow. This will be achieved through the introduction of a new high speed train calling every hour at Marseille Provence Airport, the construction of a new underground train station in downtown Marseille, a new high speed stop in Marseille's Eastern Districts, and the enlargement of Toulon, Nice Côte d'Azur Airport and Nice Ville train stations.
Rolling stock
editMultiple units
edit- SNCF Class Z 23500
- SNCF Class Z 26500
- SNCF Class B 81500 Also called BGC B 81500
- SNCF Class X 76500 Also called XGC Z 76500
Locomotives
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Marseille-Nice becomes first French TER line to leave SNCF control". The Connexion. 29 October 2021.
- ^ Rechercher une fiche horaire, TER Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, accessed 16 May 2022.
- ^ La carte du réseau TER SUD, TER Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, accessed 16 May 2022.