RATP Dev has signed a contract to operate the Caen rail network and its metropolitan area (the Étoile de Caen network) for a period of 10 and a half years, starting in July 2027.
Under the contract, RATP Dev will manage nearly 20% of NOMAD Train TER regional traffic, following a pre-operation phase that began in January 2026 to ensure social, industrial, and commercial transition. NOMAD Train TER (Transport Express Régional) are regional rail services operated in the Normandy region of France. The contract represents the first batch open to competition that has enabled the region to achieve a 50% increase in the number of trains.
Through this contract, there will be “more trains, increased reliability, and a greater presence of ground staff, starting in 2027, when passengers will see a real, tangible difference,” said Hiba Farès, President of RATP Dev.
Contract to operate the Caen rail network
The contract covers ten key routes on the Caen rail network, with a gradual increase during the pre-operation period, followed by commercial services from July 11, 2027, to December 12, 2037.
The pre-operation period is 18 months, providing a structured and socially responsible transition. Since the start of the tender process, there has been ongoing social dialogue with all stakeholders to ensure workforce stability and guarantee uninterrupted service in 2027.
RATP Dev is focused on delivering more frequent and responsive services to passenger needs, in close cooperation with the Normandy Region. Transport services will increase by around 50% between 2024 and 2028, with major improvements on essential daily routes.
Signing of the contract by Hervé Morin, President of the Normandy Region (left), and Hiba Farès, President of RATP Dev (right)
Some lines will see significant increases in frequency to better serve workers, students, and occasional passengers. For example, the Caen–Cherbourg line will go from 4 to 8 trains per day, and Caen–Évreux will increase from 1 to 8.
This increase in capacity is accompanied by ambitious performance targets such as punctuality above 93.4% (compared to 91.8% currently), a significant reduction in the number of canceled trains, and increased reliability to ensure connections and journeys run as planned.
Passengers will also benefit from improvements in customer information and assistance. A digital assistance platform, available 24/7 even without a staffed ticket office, will provide real-time information and guidance.
More on-board staff will be assigned to passenger service, and certain long-distance routes will offer catering services to enhance comfort. Together, these improvements will provide a smoother, more human, and more reliable experience tailored to the needs of travelers in Normandy.
The Caen rail network consists of ten strategic lines. Thanks to the efforts of the authorities in the Normandy region, Trenul Nomad services recorded a user satisfaction rate of 93.3% last year. In addition, thanks to investments of over EUR 3 billion, passenger numbers increased by 23% between 2019 and 2025.
“Since adopting our strategy of gradually opening up the rail system to competition, we have done everything possible to ensure that this profound transformation benefits the inhabitants of Normandy, and we will continue to do so until the end of the process,” said Hervé Morin, President of the Normandy Region.
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