Poitou-Charentes

Poitou-Charentes is a former administrative region of France, now part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It is currently newsworthy due to the ongoing competition for its regional TER train lines (Trains Express Régionaux) as part of the broader opening of French regional rail to competition. Recently, SNCF Voyageurs (the national rail operator) initially retained control of a set of six regional lines in Poitou-Charentes, handling approximately five million passengers annually. However, subsequent news indicates that Transdev, a private transportation company, has now won a contract worth 1.2 billion euros to operate these TER lines, marking a significant loss for SNCF and a further step towards breaking its monopoly on regional train services. This development is relevant as it reflects the changing landscape of French rail transport and the increasing role of private companies in regional public transportation.