RATP Dev publishes an international study on enhancing the performance of automated metros

With nearly 30 lines representing around 600 km— either in operation or under development—including more than 300 km of automated metro lines, and 3 million passengers carried daily, the RATP Group is a global leader in automated metros. In Île-de-France, lines 1, 4 and 14, operated on behalf of Île-de-France Mobilités, stand as emblematic flagships of this expertise.

In a rapidly expanding market, the Group is advancing several major international projects, including four large-scale lines expected to enter service by 2035 in Paris, Sydney, Singapore and Melbourne. This momentum is further illustrated by its active participation in major strategic tenders, notably in Copenhagen and Dublin, underscoring the growing importance of automated metro systems as the benchmark for high-capacity urban transport. Building on its extensive experience and know-how, RATP Dev aims to progressively increase the share of urban rail in its revenue to 50%.

Hiba Farès, Chairman of the Executive Board of RATP Dev:

"The automated metro is now a mature technology, widely deployed around the world, that is profoundly transforming the way cities develop and move. But why do some automated metros perform well over time whilst others less so? With this study, we respond to this question by showing that the full potential of automated metro can be further unlocked if projects are designed in an integrated way from the design phase in pursuit of operational performance, quality of service and safety."

Based on some thirty interviews conducted with key players in the sector — including public transport authorities, manufacturers, operators and international experts — and members of the RATP Group's Automatic Metro Club, this study offers a shared reading of the ecosystem. Despite the diversity of the players, it highlights a strong convergence around a common vision of the challenges and performance levers. This alignment is reflected in particular in structuring dimensions such as the integration of operational issues from the design phase, the quality of project governance, as well as the consideration of the human factor.

A growing global standard

After more than forty years of development and operation, these systems have demonstrated on a large scale their ability to combine high performance, increased reliability and energy efficiency. The automated metro is now a standard for mass urban transport. Fully automated networks (GoA4) now account for more than 2,300 kilometres of lines in operation worldwide, a figure that is expected to double by 2030.

Faced with rapid urbanisation, the saturation of existing infrastructure and the climate emergency, the automated metro is a structuring response: it makes it possible to absorb growing demand while supporting policies of decarbonisation and modal shift to public transport.

Demonstrated operational performance

The study highlights immediate operational gains. Automation saves up to 15 to 20 percent of energy, while at the same time greatly increasing the capacity of the lines and improving their regularity. Above all, it makes it possible to drastically reduce intervals between two trains, thereby offering a decisive advantage for absorbing flows on the busiest lines. In addition to this performance, it offers unprecedented operational flexibility, with an offer that can be adjusted in real time according to demand – a key advantage during peak traffic or major events.

A major lever for urban transformation

Beyond their technical performance, automatic metros are becoming real tools for urban transformation. They reduce congestion, improve air quality and strengthen the attractiveness of territories, while structuring the development of cities around public transport. The automated metro thus goes far beyond its initial function to become a key infrastructure, at the heart of the economic, social and environmental development of major cities.

The conditions for unleashing your full potential

While technological maturity has been achieved, the study underlines that the real challenge now is to take full advantage of these systems. It identifies 7 key success factors:

• Building strong governance and adopting collaborative contracting models
• Involving the Operator early to secure operational concept and long-term performance
• Making automation a human-centric transformation, while managing technical complexity
• Anticipating obsolescence and designing adaptable systems
• Leveraging data, AI and innovation to boost performance
• Delivering a continuously improving passenger experience
• Positioning the automated metro as a sustainable and resilient backbone of urban transformation