FRANCE: After studying a range of options, Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo has confirmed the preferred route for the proposed LGV Provence - Alpes - Côte d'Azur to Nice. This will follow the existing coastal railway through Marseille and Toulon rather than taking a shorter direct route east from Aix-en-Provence. The future 180 km high speed line will include around 60 km of tunnels to thread through a relatively densely-populated region. This will include a 10 km bore to take the route under the current Marseille Saint-Charles terminus. As well as Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Toulon and Nice, intermediate stations are envisaged between Les Arcs and Le Muy in the département of Var, and near Grasse.
FRANCE: After studying a range of options, Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo has confirmed the preferred route for the proposed LGV Provence - Alpes - Côte d'Azur to Nice. This will follow the existing coastal railway through Marseille and Toulon rather than taking a shorter direct route east from Aix-en-Provence.
The future 180 km high speed line will include around 60 km of tunnels to thread through a relatively densely-populated region. This will include a 10 km bore to take the route under the current Marseille Saint-Charles terminus. As well as Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Toulon and Nice, intermediate stations are envisaged between Les Arcs and Le Muy in the département of Var, and near Grasse.
This is some change from previous practice, when TGV lines were built almost without tunnels. However, it will (if it will) come at a price...
Railway Gazette: Coastal route for LGV-PACA
The total cost is estimated at between €11bn and €16bn, of which the state is expected to contribute €8bn, leaving the rest to be raised locally. A further €4bn would be required to extend the line to the Italian border at Ventimiglia. ...Construction would start before 2020, in line with government commitments under the Grenelle de l'environnement. This suggests that commercial services may not begin until 2023, which would be too late to support Nice's bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2018.
The total cost is estimated at between €11bn and €16bn, of which the state is expected to contribute €8bn, leaving the rest to be raised locally. A further €4bn would be required to extend the line to the Italian border at Ventimiglia.
...Construction would start before 2020, in line with government commitments under the Grenelle de l'environnement. This suggests that commercial services may not begin until 2023, which would be too late to support Nice's bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2018.
Would they have asked for some advice from ADIF in Spain, 2018 would be possible... *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
