Improving service quality on lines B and D with NExTEO

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The NExTEO operating system will be installed on RER lines B and D. Currently being rolled out on the central section of the RER E, this new technology will help improve traffic flow in the Île-de-France region.

What is NExTEO?

NExTEO is a new operating system that safely reduces the spacing between trains. It shifts from a fixed distance between two trains to a dynamic spacing that adjusts in real time to traffic conditions. The technology is based on a system widely used in metro networks: Communication Based Train Control (CBTC).

NExTEO fundamentals

  • Dynamic train spacing: This allows the distance between two trains to be reduced, thereby increasing the number of services.
  • Automated driving assistance: This standardises train driving to align as closely as possible with the infrastructure’s performance potential.

A one-billion-euro contract

The development and deployment contract for the NExTEO operating system on lines B and D has been awarded to Alstom. The total cost of the project (including the Alstom contract, digitalisation and adaptation of signalling systems, and integration into new rolling stock) is over one billion euros. 

Timeline

The first commissioning is scheduled for the early 2030s.

Better punctuality and increased frequency

Lines B and D together carry over 1.7 million passengers every day. Each year, traffic increases by 2% to 3%, placing significant operational demands on the network.

Several major benefits are expected for passengers:

  • Improved capacity through the Châtelet / Gare du Nord tunnel
  • Improved punctuality on both lines (one third of delays eliminated)
  • Eventual increase in capacity on the southern section of RER D between Melun and Paris

With the deployment of NExTEO on lines E, B and D, one third of SNCF passengers will be using this system daily.