Alstom’s Omneo trains enter service on the ZOU! train line between Marseille, Toulon and Nice, in France

2nd July 2025

Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, welcomes the entry into commercial service of the new Omneo trains on the ZOU! train line between Marseille, Toulon and Nice, in the South of France.  

On 30 June 2025, Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region and Deputy Chairman of Régions de France, and Thierry Mallet, Chairman and CEO of Transdev, officially launched the new ZOU! train service between Marseille, Toulon and Nice, alongside Simon Babre, Prefect of the Var, Jean-Louis Masson, President of the Var Departmental Council, Jean-Pierre Giran, President of the Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolitan Area and Mayor of Hyères, and Geneviève Lévy, Deputy Mayor of Toulon, representing Josée Massi, Mayor of Toulon.

This new service includes a fleet of new-generation trains that have been running between Marseille, Toulon and Nice since 29 June 2025: a first in French rail history.

Double the number of trains, a completely new experience

Supported by the Sud Region, this opening up to competition means that services on the coastal line will be doubled:

  • 1 train every hour on weekdays (14 return trips, 16 at weekends),

  • Extended opening hours (6am to 9pm),

  • 9 stations served (Marseille Saint-Charles, Toulon, Carnoules, Les Arcs Draguignan, Saint-Raphaël Valescure, Cannes, Antibes, Nice Saint-Augustin and Nice-Ville) for a journey time of 2 hours 40 minutes,

  • Unchanged fares for subscribers, with a 20% reduction from 1stJuly 2025,

  • Creation of more than 180 direct jobs (drivers, maintenance mechanics, etc.),

  • More than 92,000 tickets sold before the official launch of the line on 29 June 2025.

A train made in France and eco-responsible

The fleet of 16 trainsets is manufactured by Alstom at its Crespin site, in the North of France. The purchase of these trainsets, which carry the “Origine France Garantie” label, was paid for by the Region to the level of 250 million euro, made possible thanks in particular to a 73 million euro loan from the Banque des Territoires.

Each 110-metre trainset can accommodate 400 seated passengers, and up to 730 in double trainset configuration. These trains are powered 100% by green electricity.

To ensure their maintenance, a 2,000 m² site has been built in Nice by the NGE group, in an eco-responsible approach, financed to the level of 40 million euros by the Sud Region. It will enable high-quality maintenance and maximum availability of rolling stock, essential to the promised 97.5% level of regularity. 

“Today marks a historic step: we are officially launching the opening up of our regional trains to competition. We are the first region in France to have opened up our regional trains to competition. This project embodies our desire to offer a more ambitious public service, with double the number of trains on this route and unchanged fares, which will be reduced by 20% from 1 July 2025. Trains that are more reliable and more sustainable, always at the service of users,” said Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region and Deputy President of Régions de France. 

“By entrusting Transdev with the management of this line, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region is giving us the opportunity to demonstrate what we do best: bringing people and regions closer together by delivering a reliable, comfortable and humane transport service,” added Thierry Mallet, Chairman and CEO of Transdev. “With over 25 years of railway expertise and know-how developed in Germany, Sweden and even New Zealand, our teams are ready and proud to be part of this historic change”. 

These Omneo trains are based on Alstom’s Omneo platform, of which 558 trainsets have already been ordered by 10 French regions (433 suburban and regional trainsets and 125 Intercity trainsets), in addition to the 16 Omneo trainsets ordered by Transdev on behalf of the Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region (for the Marseille – Toulon – Nice line).

ALSTOM™ and Omneo™ are protected trademarks of the Alstom Group.