Metro: Global expertise, innovation, performance

The metro is a fast, safe and efficient high-capacity transport mode, which is why many cities are making it the backbone of their public transport network and appoint Keolis to run it. Thanks to the trust displayed by its PTA partners, with nine networks across six countries, more than 50 years of knowhow and its global leadership in driverless automatic metros (Grade of Automation 4), Keolis possesses unique and acknowledged expertise in this fully automated mode of transport. The Group places innovation at the heart of its actions to deliver a fast, reliable, comfortable and safe travelling experience. 

With more than 500  km of metro lines in its portfolio, Keolis is the world leader in driverless automatic metros. The Group is a pioneer in this mode, having launched Europe’s first driverless line in Lille in 1983. Being a step ahead of the rest has enabled Keolis to develop unique expertise and achieve operational excellence, whatever the stage of the project. This ranges from launching new driverless automated lines, as in Shanghai in 2018, Doha in 2019 and Rennes in 2022; to taking over driverless lines, as in Dubai in 2021, or automating line B in Lyon, France.

In a constantly proactive approach, Keolis works in concert with its PTA partners to design bespoke and bold transport plans that take local considerations into account.

In Lille, the headway between two driverless trains is 66 seconds at peak time, which is the shortest headway in the world.

In Rennes, in response to network saturation, Keolis partnered with the city university authorities to start lectures 15 minutes later in the morning for 14,000 students in an effort to smooth out ridership peaks and thereby offer everyone better travelling conditions.

In Shanghai, frontline teams are trained to give passengers the right information and deploy alternative transport solutions in under ten minutes in the event of metro service disruption.

Delivering less crowded carriages, tailored intervals and guaranteed arrival times, Keolis harnesses technology for the benefit of the passenger experience.

A unique centre of expertise

Whether it's modernising infrastructure, using data, creating new services or sharing knowledge, Keolis uses its expertise and capacity for innovation to achieve the highest levels of performance. Notably with the help of the Group’s Centre of Excellence for metros and trams, which collects and disseminates the best practices in place in its networks.

Forever at the cutting edge, Keolis develops pilot projects all over the world. Its experts are ready to step in at all stages of a metro construction or line extension project: preliminary studies, readiness for operation, assistance during implementation, advice, and analysis.

Also in Lyon, working closely with the PTA SYTRAL Mobilités, Keolis conducted an experiment at the Sans Souci metro station to give passengers real-time information on train crowding. An illuminated display above each door indicated the occupancy rate. Passengers were therefore able to choose to wait opposite less crowded carriages and enjoy a more pleasant journey.

Predictive maintenance: a key expertise lever

Keolis deploys its innovation capabilities throughout the operation and maintenance chain of the metro networks it manages. Asset management is one of the Group's key areas of expertise, preventing rolling stock failure through predictive maintenance or obsolescence monitoring. All over the world, sensors positioned on board trains or on metro platforms record information about train vibrations, speed, engine temperature or the wear and tear of certain parts. Centralised and analysed by algorithms, this information can be used to draw up damage prediction models, and anticipate any maintenance operations required before a breakdown occurs.