RATP Group facts for kids
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RATP Group’s headquarters in Paris
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| EPIC | |
| Industry | Public transport |
| Founded | January 1, 1949 in Paris |
| Headquarters |
Paris
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France
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Jean Castex (CEO) |
| Revenue | €5.704 billion (2019) |
| Owner | government of France |
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Number of employees
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64,000 (2019) |
| Subsidiaries |
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The RATP Group (which stands for Régie autonome des transports parisiens) is a large French company. It is owned by the French government. RATP Group runs public transport systems. Its main office is in Paris, France.
The company's logo shows the Seine river flowing through Paris. It also looks like a person's face looking up. RATP Group is known as one of the biggest public transport companies in the world.
RATP Group started in 1949 to manage Paris's public transport. For many years, it only worked in Paris. It ran the Paris Métro (subway), trams, and buses. It also managed parts of the RER train network.
Since 2002, RATP Group has grown beyond Paris. It now works on transport systems all over the world. Its special international branch, RATP Dev, was created in 2002. RATP Dev now operates in 16 countries across different continents.
Even today, RATP Group's work in Paris is very important. In 2019, it carried about 3.3 billion passengers in the Paris area each year. That same year, the company made about €5.7 billion. It had 64,000 employees. The company has become more competitive due to new laws.
History of RATP Group
The RATP was formed on January 1, 1949. It brought together two older companies. These were the Compagnie du Chemin de fer Métropolitain de Paris (CMP) and the Société des Transports en Commun de la Région Parisienne (STCRP). The CMP ran the Paris Métro. The STCRP operated the city's bus system.
Before RATP was created, the CMP had taken over other rail lines. The STCRP had been formed in 1921 from several smaller bus and streetcar companies. By the time STCRP joined RATP, all its streetcars had been replaced by buses.
Becoming More Competitive
A big change happened in French law on November 3, 2009. This law allowed other companies to compete for public transport contracts. The European Union wanted all passenger transport to be open to competition.
Because of this law, RATP Group lost its special right to run all new transport lines. Its exclusive rights for existing lines will also end over time. For example, the bus network will be open for bids in 2024. The tram network will be open in 2029. The Métro and RER lines will be open in 2039.
RATP knew these changes were coming. So, the company started to change how it worked.
In the early 2000s, RATP partnered with another company called Transdev. RATP bought a small part of Transdev. This helped RATP get involved in many transport operations worldwide.
In 2009, RATP started working in the United States. It bought a company called McDonald Transit Associates. McDonald Transit ran transport systems in places like Fort Worth, Texas. In 2011, RATP Group also bought the contract to run the Metrolink light rail system in England. Later, in 2013, RATP bought a coach company called Selwyns Travel in England.
Leaders of RATP
The current leader of RATP is Jean Castex. He became the CEO on November 28, 2022.
RATP's Work in Paris
In Paris, RATP runs transport services for the Paris region's transport authority, Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM). RATP's services create a huge transport system. This system also connects to other transport options in the wider Paris area.
RATP's services in the Greater Paris area include:
- The Paris Métro: This is a subway system with mostly underground lines. It runs throughout the city and a bit beyond. The Métro has 16 lines. It has about 227 kilometers (141 miles) of track and 308 stations. Two metro lines are fully automated and have no drivers: Line 1 (since 2012) and Line 14 (since 1998). Line 4 also became fully automated in 2023.
- Orlyval: This is an automated shuttle train that serves Orly Airport.
- Parts of the RER: This is Paris's regional express train network. It runs mostly underground in central Paris and above ground elsewhere. RATP owns and runs most of lines A and B. These lines cover about 115 kilometers (71 miles) and have 66 stations. The rest of the RER network is run by another company, SNCF.
- Nine of the fourteen lines of the Paris tram system: These include lines T1, T2, T3a, T3b, T5, T6, T7, T8, and T10. They total about 110 kilometers (68 miles) and have 197 stops.
- The large Paris city bus system: This system has 351 lines. It covers a total length of about 3,861 kilometers (2,399 miles). It also includes the Noctilien night buses.
- Two BRT lines: The Trans-Val-de-Marne (TVM) and line 393.
- The Montmartre funicular: This is a cable railway that goes up Montmartre hill.
Paris bus route 341 was the first RATP line to use 100% electric buses. This started in June 2016. By early 2021, RATP had over 150 electric buses. They plan to have 1,500 by 2025.
RATP's Work Outside Paris
RATP Dev is a special part of the RATP Group. It was started in 2002. RATP Dev manages and maintains passenger transport services outside of the Paris area. It also runs some special services within Paris. RATP Dev works in France and 15 other countries. These include Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Egypt, Hong Kong, Italy, Morocco, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Work in France
Heavy Rail
- Future CDG Express: This will be an express train link between Paris Gare de l'Est station and Charles de Gaulle Airport. RATP Dev is part of the Hello Paris joint venture for this project.
Other Transport
RATP Dev runs many bus and tram networks across France. Some examples include:
- Agglobus in Bourges
- ALPBUS, which runs school buses and services between France and Switzerland.
- The Bibus network in Brest, including its tramway and cable car.
- The Impulsyon network in La Roche-sur-Yon.
- The Irigo network in Angers, including its tramway.
- The Kicéo network in Vannes.
- The Marinéo network in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
- The Mistral network in the Métropole Toulon Provence Méditerranée area.
- The Transports annemassiens collectifs (TAC) network near Geneva.
Work Outside France
Heavy Rail
- Gautrain: This is a regional express train in Gauteng province, South Africa. It connects Johannesburg, Pretoria, and O. R. Tambo International Airport. RATP Dev has run it since 2010.
- "La Ferroviaria Italiana": RATP Dev has a small share in two regional rail lines in Tuscany, Italy.
- Cairo-New Cairo railway: This regional rail service connects Cairo with Egypt's new capital city. RATP Dev started running it in 2022.
Metro and Tramway
RATP Dev operates many metro and tram systems around the world:
- Tramway networks in Algerian cities like Algiers and Oran.
- Future Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport, Australia (starting 2026).
- Cairo Metro Line 3, Cairo, Egypt.
- DC Streetcar, Washington, D.C., United States.
- Florence tramway, Florence, Italy.
- Casablanca LRT, Casablanca, Morocco.
- Hong Kong Tramways, Hong Kong.
- Manila Line 1, Manila, Philippines (technical help).
- MATA Trolley, Memphis, Tennessee, United States.
- Sun Link Streetcar, Tucson, Arizona, United States.
- Doha Metro and Lusail LRT, Qatar.
- Future Riyadh Metro Lines 1 and 2 in Saudi Arabia.
Bus and Coach
Italy
- Tuscany regional bus network: RATP Dev runs this large network with many employees and vehicles.
- Cilia Italia in Lazio.
United Kingdom
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RATP Dev mostly runs bus services in London for Transport for London. It does this through its companies London United and London Sovereign. In 2020, they managed 1,129 vehicles on 96 routes. They also had 3,387 employees.
In 2021, RATP Dev ordered 195 electric buses for its London operations. This was the largest order for electric buses in the UK at that time.
In 2021, RATP Dev and SeaLink Travel Group joined forces. They merged their West London bus operations into a new company called RATP Dev Transit London.
Outside London, RATP Dev runs the Air Decker bus service. This service connects Bristol Airport with Bath.
United States
RATP Dev runs many transport systems in the United States under the name RATP Dev USA. These include:
- Arlington Entertainment Area Management District Trolley, Arlington, Texas.
- Asheville Rides Transit (ART), North Carolina.
- Augusta, Georgia.
- Bloomington Transit, Indiana.
- Bowling Green, Kentucky.
- Charlotte Area Transit System, North Carolina (buses only).
- Citibus, Lubbock, Texas.
- DC Circulator, Washington, D.C..
- GoDurham, Durham, North Carolina.
- GoRaleigh and GoRaleigh Access, Raleigh, North Carolina.
- Greensboro Transit Authority, Greensboro, North Carolina.
- Memphis Area Transit Authority, Memphis, Tennessee.
- Trinity Metro, Fort Worth, Texas.
- Waco Transit System, Waco, Texas.
- Zion National Park, Utah, shuttle system.
Saudi Arabia
- All of Riyadh's urban bus network. This network will grow to about 100 lines and 1,000 vehicles. RATP Dev launched this service in March 2023.
- Autonomous shuttles in Al-'Ula.
Switzerland
- HelveCié, which runs school and coach services in several Swiss areas.
- Various bus and coach services for TPG.
- Cross-border services between Switzerland and France, connecting places like Annecy with Geneva Airport.
Tootbus
RATP Dev runs hop-on hop-off bus tours under the Tootbus brand. These tours use double-decker buses in several cities:
- Tootbus Paris (formerly "Paris L'OpenTour").
- Tootbus London (formerly The Original Tour).
- Tootbus Bath, which also operates in Cardiff, Eastbourne, and Windsor.
- Tootbus Brussels, which started in 2021 with electric buses.
Other Operations
Since 2013, RATP Dev helps manage the Salève cable car in the French Alps. The number of people using the cable car has increased a lot since 2013.
In 2018, RATP Dev opened an office in Singapore. In 2020, RATP Dev and SBS Transit announced a partnership. They plan to work together on future rail projects in Singapore.
In 2020, RATP Dev also announced a partnership with Getlink. They will work together to bid for regional rail services in France.
In 2023, RATP Dev was chosen as the operations and maintenance partner for the future Sepulveda Transit Corridor project in Los Angeles.
Past Operations
RATP Dev has also managed other transport systems in the past, including:
- Algiers Metro (from 2011 to 2020).
- São Paulo Metro Line 4 in Brazil (technical help from 2010 to 2015).
- Rio de Janeiro Light Rail in Brazil (technical help in 2016).
- Bus and tram systems in China, like Shenyang trams.
- Line 9 in South Korea (from 2009 to 2019).
- Line 1 in India (from 2014 to 2019).
- The Transvilles network in Valenciennes, France (from 2015 to 2022).
- Manchester Metrolink in the UK (from 2011 to 2017).
- Selwyns Travel, a coach operator in England (acquired in 2013 and sold in 2020).
- "Slide", an on-demand transport service in Bristol, England (from 2016 to 2018).
- Yellow Buses, a bus operator in Bournemouth, England (from 2011 to 2019).
- Fullington Auto Bus Company in Pennsylvania, US (acquired in 2009 and sold in 2017).
- Open Loop New York, a hop-on hop-off tour company in New York City (from 2014 to 2017).
- Capital MetroBus in Austin, Texas (from 2012 to 2020).
- Votran in Volusia County, Florida (until 2020).
See also
In Spanish: Administración Autónoma de Transportes Parisinos para niños
