Helping you navigate the city easily with automated metros

RATP Group, a pioneer in automated metro operations

As a pioneer in operating automated metros on the long-standing Paris metro network, among the densest in the world, RATP Group has spent over 70 years developing unrivalled expertise in the design, transformation, operation and maintenance of these efficient and sustainable networks.
The Group innovates every day to imagine the services that will make tomorrow better.

Automated metros now constitute one of RATP Group’s areas of focus, while aptly embodying its driving purpose: committing each day to better city living.

Through the creation of efficient public transport networks in fast-growing cities, or the transformation of existing networks at the heart of older cities, these infrastructure projects come to life with the singular aim of benefiting passengers, residents and sustainable cities.

Setting industry standards

There are four possible levels of automation

• GoA1*: Manual. The driver controls the various aspects of driving the train.
• GoA2*: Semi-automatic. The train runs automatically, but the driver is responsible for opening and closing doors. The driver steers the train, detects obstacles on tracks and handles emergencies.
• GoA3*: Driverless. A staff member (not a driver) is on board the train, and is responsible for operating doors and handling emergencies.
• GoA4*: Unattended. There are no staff members on board. The system manages all operations, which are monitored remotely from a control centre.

*Grade Of Automation

Milestones

• 1998: metro line 14 commissioned
  A world first: a large-capacity fully automated line with no on-board staff.
• 2012: automation of metro line 1 completed, the first of its kind on a century-old metro line
  The automation of Paris metro line 1, which was completed in 2012 without major traffic disruption, was a demonstration of sheer technical prowess. The project, which involved the network’s busiest line, was a first in the field of transportation. No other public transport operator had ever successfully transformed a driver-operated metro line to an automated line on a similar scale.
• 2016-2023: automation works on metro line 4 without major service disruption
  Metro line 4 automation works, which began in 2016, are expected to conclude in 2023. Since autumn 2022, passengers have been able to travel on automated trains, which were commissioned alongside driver-operated trains. After the automation of metro line 1, this new project, which was fully funded by Île-de-France Mobilités and conducted without major service disruption, has once again taken RATP Group’s expertise to new heights.
• 2023: Grand Paris Express metro line 15 (GPE) project awarded to international consortium ORA, which consists of majority shareholder RATP Dev, Alstom and ComfortDelGro.

Supporting cities in makeing the choices that matter

As a trusted partner, RATP Group serves the interests of cities and transport authorities by facilitating the strategic decisions that are instrumental to their development and attractiveness. Based on each city’s background and needs, the automated metro networks that the Group deploys are customised to transform the existing infrastructure or create future-proof public transport.

Good to know

• 68% of the world’s population will be living in cities in 2050, compared to 55% in 2020. (Source: Giec report, March 2022)
• 30 cities worldwide, including Paris, have succeeded in reducing their CO₂ emissions by an average of 22% over the past ten years, notably through the combination of effective public transport and lower car traffic. (Source: C40)
• 15% energy savings following the automation of metro line 4

Cutting-edge expertise in the automation of existing structures

The transformation of driver-operated metro lines into autonomous systems provides cities with considerable benefits: through automation, high-ridership lines can offer greater efficiency, service quality and safety. In other words, automation guarantees overall service excellence in terms of passenger information, punctuality, travel time, noise levels in stations and incident response times.

Automating metro lines means higher speed, regularity and robustness on a daily basis. It also means smoother traffic and the flexibility to scale the service offering: all trains on the metro line are managed in real time from a single control centre.

“Automation is a complex operation, which requires the participation of numerous contributors.
These include industrial partners to guarantee absolute expertise in safety; engineering, operations and maintenance staff to guarantee the usability of the line within deadlines; and the network (infrastructure, trains and operating systems) to ensure long-term efficiency.
There is also the need to coordinate with various industrial players to avoid depending on a single operating system.
This is what we have done with the Paris metro, by developing the Octys control system with Alstom, Siemens and Hitachi.”

Supporting sustainable urban development

While the automation of existing metro lines provides mature cities with a solution, automated metros are generating interest among other types of cities, notably car-dependent cities that have experienced rapid growth and are now reaching saturation. This is notably the case in the Middle East, in cities such as Doha and Riyadh, which have opted for public transport to foster more balanced development. In such cities, automated metros are the central backbone with connections to bus and tram lines.

“The city of Riyadh sprawls far and wide, and everybody uses a car. Authorities have opted for a world-class public transport network to relieve congestion and reduce pollution in the capital.
Climate conditions here are harsh – dust, sand, and temperatures that regularly exceed 40°C, so we need to adapt.
The cultural context also plays a major role: quality standards are very high, with a requirement for 99.8% availability, regularity, cleanliness and safety across our lines. (…)”

Combining mass transit with high-quality passenger experience

Spotlight on metro line 14

Pioneer automated metro line 14 is the favourite line on the Paris metro network, and it aims to keep the title.
Since 2015, unprecedented extension works have been launched on the line: extended northwards up to Mairie de Saint-Ouen station since 2021, and up to Saint-Denis – Pleyel station in 2024, metro line 14 continues its expansion southwards to Orly. The southern extension is expected to open in 2024 in time for the Paris Olympics.

Metro line 14 will take on a whole new dimension with these extensions. By linking central Paris to one of the main airports in France in 20 minutes, the line will carry new types of passengers: daily commuters who work in Paris as well as tourists and business travellers.
Passengers will benefit from services that fit their individual needs.

• Twice the current number of passengers carried by 2024,
• 85 seconds between trains at peak hours,
• 17% electricity savings on new trains deployed with support from Île-de-France Mobilités.

Control over the entire chain of expertise

RATP Group has opted for integrated expertise: by operating and maintaining its networks, the Group boasts a wide range of skills and is not merely a network user, but a stakeholder in the entire chain of expertise.
The Group’s teams are in a position to offer a critical overview of existing metro networks, to advise cities on their improvement and transformation strategies, and to acquire new systems. When they are awarded operating contracts, the teams are involved from start to finish in managing assets (rolling stock and infrastructure) assigned to them.

The Group is one of only two operators worldwide to hold dual roles as maintenance operator and project owner.
This unique position enables the Group to be involved in various types of contracts, including upstream design and project ownership on both new lines and long-standing networks.
In renovation projects, RATP Group is able to assist transport authorities in anticipating risks and guaranteeing that automated metro lines will be widely used daily.

Portfolio of expertise #automatedmetro

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