Editing Transport in France (section)

== Railways ==
[[File:TGV double decker DSC00132.jpg|thumb|left|175x175px|A high-speed [[SNCF TGV Duplex|double-decker TGV train]] in [[Toulon]]]]
{{Main|Rail transport in France}}

There is a total of {{convert|29,901|km|mi}} of railway in France, mostly operated by [[SNCF]] (Société nationale des chemins de fer français), the French national railway company. Like the road system, the French railways are subsidised by the state, receiving €13.2 billion in 2013.<ref name=ITF>{{cite web |url=http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/jtrc/RoundTables/2014-Railway-Efficiency/Bonnafous-Crozet.pdf |title=Efficiency indicators of Railways in France |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117030418/http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/jtrc/RoundTables/2014-Railway-Efficiency/Bonnafous-Crozet.pdf |archive-date=2015-11-17 }}</ref> The railway system is a small portion of total travel, accounting for less than 10% of passenger travel.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/File:Modal_split_of_inland_passenger_transport,_2002_and_2012_(¹)_(%25_of_total_inland_passenger-km)_YB15.png |title=Modal split of inland passenger transport, 2002 and 2012 |work=Eurostat |date=2012}}</ref>

From 1981 onwards, a newly constructed set of [[high-speed rail|high-speed]] ''[[Lignes à Grande Vitesse]]'' (LGV) lines linked France's most populous areas with the capital, starting with Paris-Lyon. In 1994, the [[Channel Tunnel]] opened, connecting France and [[Great Britain]] by rail under the [[English Channel]]. The [[TGV]] has set many [[TGV world speed record|world speed records]], the most recent on [[TGV world speed record#Record of 2007|3 April 2007]], when a new version of the TGV dubbed the [[V150 (train)|V150]] with larger wheels than the usual TGV, and a stronger {{Convert|25000|hp|kW|-2|abbr=on}} engine, broke the world speed record for conventional rail trains, reaching 574.8&nbsp;km/h (357.2&nbsp;mph).<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,263542,00.html| title=French Train Hits {{convert|357|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} Breaking World Speed Record| agency=Associated Press| date=2007-04-03| access-date=2007-04-03| work=Fox News}}</ref>

Trains, unlike road traffic, drive on the left (except in [[Alsace-Lorraine|Alsace-Moselle]]). Metro and tramway services are not thought of as trains and usually follow road traffic in driving on the right (except the Lyon Metro).

France was ranked 7th among national European rail systems in the 2017 European Railway Performance Index for intensity of use, quality of service and safety performance, a decrease from previous years.<ref>{{cite web|date=8 January 2021|title=the 2017 European Railway Performance Index|url=https://www.bcg.com/en-ch/publications/2017/transportation-travel-tourism-2017-european-railway-performance-index.aspx|publisher=Boston Consulting Group}}</ref>
[[File:Paris_-_Gare_Saint_Lazare_(3).JPG|thumb|[[Gare Saint-Lazare|Gare Saint Lazare]] station ]]
The French non-TGV intercity service (TET) is in decline, with old infrastructure and trains. It is likely to be hit further as the [[Government of France|French government]] is planning to remove the monopoly that rail currently has on long-distance journeys by letting coach operators compete.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=France's loss-making inter-city services at a crossroads|url=http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/main-line/frances-loss-making-inter-city-services-at-a-crossroads.html}}</ref> Travel to the UK through the Channel Tunnel has grown in recent years, and from May 2015 passengers have been able to travel direct to Marseille, Avignon and Lyon. [[Eurostar]] is also introducing [[British Rail Class 374|new Class 374 trains]] and refurbishing the [[British Rail Class 373|current Class 373s]].

The [[Government of France|French government]] are making plans to privatise the French railway network, following a similar model [[Great Britain]] used from the 1990s until the 2020s.<ref>{{cite web|date=2020-03-26|title=The catastrophic consequences of privatisation in France - DSC Paris 1|url=https://diem25.org/the-catastrophic-consequences-of-privatisation-in-france/|access-date=2021-10-14|website=DiEM25|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":0" />[[File:Strasbourg train 2017 5.jpg|thumb|Train at Strasbourg.]]

=== Rapid transit ===
{{Main|Rapid transit in France}}
Six cities in France currently have a [[rapid transit]] service (frequently known as a 'metro'). Full metro systems are in operation in [[Paris Métro|Paris]] (16 lines), [[Lyon Metro|Lyon]] (4 lines) and [[Marseille Metro|Marseille]] (2 lines). [[Light metro]] ([[Véhicule Automatique Léger|VAL]]-type) systems are in use in [[Lille Metro|Lille]] (2 lines), [[Toulouse Metro|Toulouse]] (2 lines) and [[Rennes Metro|Rennes]] (2 lines).

===Trams===
{{Main|Trams in France}}
In spite of the closure of most of France's first generation [[tram]] systems in earlier years, a fast-growing number of France's major cities have modern tram or light rail networks, including [[Paris]], [[Lyon]] (Lyon having the biggest one), [[Toulouse]], [[Montpellier]], [[Saint-Étienne]], [[Strasbourg]] and [[Nantes]]. Recently the tram has seen a very big revival with many experiments such as ground level power supply in [[Bordeaux]], or trolleybuses pretending to be trams in [[Nancy, France|Nancy]].<ref>{{cite news |title=French rediscover love for streetcars |url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/07/18/French_rediscover_love_for_streetcars/UPI-82771216410359/ |work=UPI |location=Paris  |date=2008-07-18 |access-date=2008-08-13}}</ref>

This way of travelling started disappearing in France at the end of the 1930s. Only [[Lille]], [[Marseille]] and [[Saint-Étienne]] have never given up their tram systems. Since the 1980s, several cities have re-introduced it.
[[File:Gare de Brest 13.jpg|thumb|Brest station.]]
The following French towns and cities run light rail or tram systems:
*[[Angers tramway|Angers]] - since 2011;
*[[Besançon tramway|Besançon]] - since 2014;
*[[Bordeaux tramway|Bordeaux]] - since 2003; 
*[[Brest tramway|Brest]] - since 2012; 
*[[Caen tramway|Caen]] - since 2002 as a 'trams on tyres' system, replaced 2019 by conventional trams;
*[[Clermont-Ferrand tramway|Clermont-Ferrand]] - since 2006, 'trams on tyres'; 
*[[Grenoble tramway|Grenoble]] - since 1987; 
*[[Tramways in Île-de-France|Île-de-France]] (Paris metropolitan area) - since 1992
*[[Lille tramway|Lille]], [[Roubaix]] and [[Tourcoing]] - non-stop since 1909; 
*[[Lyon tramway|Lyon]] - since 2001; 
*[[Le Mans tramway|Le Mans]] - since 2007; 
*[[Marseille tramway|Marseille]] - since 2007;  
*[[Montpellier tramway|Montpellier]] - since 2000; 
*[[Mulhouse tramway|Mulhouse]] - since 2006
*[[Nancy, France|Nancy]] - since 2000, 'trams on tyres' system featuring a single guide rail while running on tyres;  
*[[Nice tramway|Nice]] - since 2007; 
*[[Nantes tramway|Nantes]] - since 1985; 
*[[Orléans tramway|Orléans]] - since 2000;
*[[Reims tramway|Reims]] - since 2011;
*[[Rouen tramway|Rouen]] - since 1994; 
*[[Saint-Étienne tramway|Saint-Étienne]] - non-stop since 1881; 
*[[Strasbourg tramway|Strasbourg]] - since 1994
*[[Toulouse tramway|Toulouse]] - since 2010 (previously existed from 1906 to 1952)
*[[Valenciennes tramway|Valenciennes]] - since 2006
*[[Dijon tramway|Dijon]] - since 2012
*[[Le Havre tramway|Le Havre]] - since 2012

Tram systems are planned or under construction in [[Tours]], and [[Fort-de-France]].[[File:TramStrasbourg lineB Hoenheim versHommeFer.JPG|thumb|left|[[Eurotram]] in [[Strasbourg]]]]
The revival of tram networks in France has brought about a number of technical developments both in the traction systems and in the styling of the cars:

: ''APS third rail'': The [[Alstom APS]] system uses a third rail placed between the running rails, divided electrically into eight-metre segments with three metre neutral sections between. Each tram has two power collection skates, next to which are antennas that send radio signals to energise the power rail segments as the tram passes over them. At any one time no more than two consecutive segments under the tram should actually be live. Alstrom  developed the system primarily to avoid intrusive power supply cables in sensitive area of the old city of [[Bordeaux]].<ref>[http://www.railway-technology.com/features/feature1096/ Allez le Tram from Railway-Technology.com]. Retrieved 15 February 2009.</ref>

:''Modern styling'': The [[Eurotram]], used in Strasbourg has a modern design that makes it look almost as much like a train as a tram, and has large windows along its entire length.<ref>[http://world.nycsubway.org/eu/pt/portometro.html Porto:Metro from NYCsubway.org]. Retrieved 15 February 2009.</ref>

:''Modular design'': The [[Alstom Citadis|Citadis]] tram, flagship of the French manufacturer Alstom, enjoys an innovative design combining lighter bogies with a modular concept for carriages providing more choices in the types of windows and the number of cars and doors.<ref>[http://www.jrtr.net/jrtr16/pdf/f20_dobias.pdf Georges Dobias: Urban Transport in France from Japan Railway & Transport Review, 16 June 1998]. Retrieved 15 February 2009.</ref> The recent Citadis-Dualis, intended to run at up to 100 km/h, is suitable for stop spacings ranging from 500 m to 5 km. Dualis is a strictly modular partial low-floor car, with all doors in the low-floor sections.<ref>
[http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2007/07/7583/dualis_extends_the_reach_of_the_citadis_family.html Dualis extends the reach of the Citadis family from Railway Gazette, 2 June 2007]. Retrieved 15 February 2009.  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213214426/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2007/07/7583/dualis_extends_the_reach_of_the_citadis_family.html |date=February 13, 2009 }}</ref>
Prominent bi-articulated "tram-like" Van Hool vehicles (Mettis) are used in [[Metz]] since 2013. They work as classic trams but without needing rails and catenaries, and can transport up to 155 passengers while being ecological thanks to a diesel-electric hybrid engine. 
In the starting up, batteries feed the engine of the bus, which can then roll 150 meters before the diesel engine takes over.