The Greater Arras Council reappoints Keolis as operator of the Artis network for a further six years

Following a resolution on 25 September 2025, the Greater Arras Council (CUA) has awarded Keolis a new six-year contract for the operation and maintenance of the Artis network, commencing on 1 January 2026. The contract, worth more than €100 million in total, covers 46 municipalities and their nearly 110,000 residents.

As the operator of the Arras network ever since 2004, Keolis is proud to continue supporting the city council in delivering on its ambitions: offering an expanded, more accessible and more environmentally friendly mobility service that enhances residents’ daily lives and contributes to the area’s appeal and quality of life.

To meet the growing demand for mobility and support the shift towards more sustainable travel, the CUA will work with Keolis to begin a new phase in the development of the Artis network.

The quantity of transport services provided will be expanded with the aim of increasing ridership by more than 12% to deliver 8.5 million journeys per year by 2031. The new contract also introduces several major improvements to enhance the range of services available to passengers.

From 2026, a third free shuttle will serve the southern part of Arras, running between the railway station, the university and park-and-ride facilities. Line 1, the main backbone of the network, will see its frequency increased to every 12 minutes (from 15 minutes previously) and will henceforth be operated with standard buses to further reduce traffic in the city centre. Punctuality and service quality will receive increased focus, supported by the creation of a control centre providing real-time operational supervision.

In total, the network will comprise 18 regular lines (10 urban and 8 rural), 3 city centre shuttles and 21 school routes, complemented by a range of other services including on-demand transport (ODT), electric bikes, car sharing and carpooling. The ODT service will furthermore be merged, digitalised and pooled with the service for passengers with reduced mobility, bringing users greater flexibility and availability.

Committed to an ambitious energy transition policy, the Greater Arras Council has set the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 44% by 2031. Keolis will support this trajectory by operating a modernised fleet composed of BioGas-powered buses, electric shuttles and subcontracted coaches of which some (30%) will run on HVO, a renewable fuel.

In parallel, new solutions will be deployed to enhance the passenger experience and make it easier to use the network.

The Artis Pulse system, powered by artificial intelligence, will deliver real-time information instantly across all the network’s digital channels (app, website, etc.), with a maximum interval of ten minutes between an incident occurring and its notification to passengers.

Open payment will be introduced in 2026, while a comprehensive passenger information overhaul will aim to improve accessibility, particularly for people with reduced mobility.

Finally, a Mobility Hub will be created at the city’s railway station, serving as a central point for information, advice and services to support users in their everyday travel.