Transport
Prioritising the development of “TER Alsace”
Since the decentralisation of regional passenger transport in 1997 (trials) and 2002 (definitive), passenger levels on “TER Alsace” have increased by 70%. Region Alsace has therefore become the Transport Organisation Authority and funds “TER Alsace” trains and coach connections where necessary. It decides on the actual service offered to passengers, particularly regional pricing, the towns and villages served, service quality, rolling stock and passenger information.
Over recent years, a sweeping rail-transport equipment modernisation programme has made it possible to renew a large part of the rolling stock to provide improved comfort and even greater reliability.
Infrastructures too have been modernised through joint ventures co-funded by the Region, like the stations and stops which are benefiting from the work of the Regional Station Development Programme, providing an improved interface with the public and better station access (creation of car parks, access roads, secure bicycle storage facilities, etc.).
Region Alsace is also putting in a great deal of work on adapting the stations served at the request of passengers through the consultation bodies, the Local Line Management Committees. The creation of pricing offers also forms part of the priority actions with, for example, combined tickets for use on the TER and other modes of transport, such as “Alsa+ Job” or “Campus”. Trials with the ALSEO card (a card on which train+tram/bus tickets can be credited) will be further developed in 2007. This progression towards the famous “orange card” demonstrates that intermodality (the combination of several modes of transport) is increasingly important in our concerns, as also illustrated by the creation of the train/tram exchange stations in Hoenheim and Strasbourg Krimmeri.
The TGV is coming. Finally!
We are looking forward to it and services will start on 10 June. The high speed connections will offer time savings essential to Alsace's economic development and will confirm it as the “crossroads” of Europe. The East European TGV will connect Strasbourg to Paris in two hours twenty minutes. And this will therefore make it possible to get more quickly to other cities in France like Lille, Bordeaux and Nantes, for example.
The Rhine-Rhone TGV will follow in the wake of the East European TGV and should be operational by 2012. Strasbourg will then be only three hours twenty minutes from Lyons. Our region will thus be served both on the east-west axis and on the north-south axis.
Other road, air and river transport developments in Alsace
Region Alsace is also involved in funding other major transport improvements enabling considerable further development. The objective is to assist in setting up a coherent transport system based on sustainable development through the complementarity of modes of transport. The road and motorway network is undergoing continuous improvement and becoming ever safer. Air transport is benefiting from regional support in the construction of runways, the improvement of terminals, the extension of aircraft parking bays. Two international airports, one in each département (Strasbourg Entzheim and Basel-Mulhouse), manage air traffic in our region. Finally, river traffic receives development aid through a contribution to the funding of the development of existing platforms (Strasbourg, Colmar/Neuf-Brisach, Mulhouse/Rhine Southern Alsace).
last update : 11.12.2008