A joint venture between engineer Eiffage (80%) and state-owned rail freight company Captrain has won a €415m contract from SNCF Réseau to renovate France’s rail system.

The project will take place across two phases, the first of which involves a four-year contract to replace the track equipment for the Atlantique, Nord and Sud-Est high-speed lines. The work will take place at weekends while services are suspended.

The second part of the contract includes renovation of a further 524km between 2025 to 2027.

About 1km of track and ballast can be renovated in a single night. Rails and sleeper panels will be recycled, and hydrogen may be used as a fuel.

The second phase of the contract may be extended for a further three years, between 2028 to 2030, increasing the value of the contract to €790m.