RER NG
| Company type | Electric multiple unit train series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founder | Alstom and Bombardier Transportation partnership |
Area served | Île-de-France region, France |
| Products | Dual-voltage, double-deck electric multiple units |
| Parent | Alstom and Bombardier Transportation |
RER NG (from the French RER Nouvelle Génération, translated as RER New Generation), also referred to as the X'Trapolis Cityduplex and designated as Class Z 58000 and Class Z 58500, represents a series of dual-voltage, double-deck electric multiple units deployed on the Réseau Express Régional (RER) lines D and E, which serve Paris and its surrounding Île-de-France region. These trainsets began operation on line E in November 2023 and were introduced on line D starting December 2024.
Manufactured through a partnership between French company Alstom and Canadian firm Bombardier Transportation, the RER NG is based on Alstom's X'Trapolis Duplex platform. It is an evolution of earlier double-deck models such as the Z 2N, MI 2N, and MI 09 series.
The final assembly process takes place at Alstom’s Valenciennes plant and Bombardier’s former Crespin facility, with car shells fabricated at Alstom’s factory located in Česká Lípa, Czech Republic.
History
When Île-de-France Mobilités and SNCF planned to extend the RER E line westward through Paris, they launched a procurement process for new rolling stock to renew the fleet. Multiple manufacturers, including the Alstom-Bombardier alliance, CAF, and Siemens, submitted bids.
On 6 January 2017, a €3.75 billion contract was awarded to the Alstom-Bombardier consortium. This team had prior experience producing several generations of double-deck trains such as the Z 2N, MI 2N, and MI 09. According to this agreement, Alstom is responsible for manufacturing the two motorized end cars equipped with driver cabs, while Bombardier produces the intermediate cars. The initial order comprised 255 trainsets: 130 units designated for RER E and 125 intended to replace older trains on RER D.
In October 2018, Île-de-France Mobilités expanded the order by adding 64 additional trainsets, bringing the total number to 371.
Testing activities commenced in spring 2020 within the Czech Republic. Later, on April 26, 2023, Alstom exercised an option to procure an extra 60 trainsets, increasing the total order to 131 units.
The first six-car Z 58000 trains entered operational service on RER E from 13 November 2023 onward, followed by seven-car Z 58500 sets introduced on RER D starting 13 December 2024.
Description
The RER NG’s design draws inspiration from Bombardier’s Regio 2N family by combining single-level and double-deck cars. The single-level end cars facilitate level boarding for passengers with reduced mobility and those traveling shorter distances, while the double-deck intermediate cars accommodate seated passengers on longer journeys.
Two variants are produced:
- Class Z 58000: Comprising 130 six-car trainsets assigned to RER E; these include two single-level motorized end cars with driver cabs, two bi-level motorized intermediate cars, and two unpowered bi-level cars; total length measures .
- Class Z 58500: Consisting of 125 seven-car trainsets used on RER D; featuring two single-level motorized end cars with cabs, two bi-level motorized intermediate cars, and three unpowered bi-level cars; total length is .
Each single-level end car measures in length and includes two doors per side—one wide door measuring , plus another at . The double-deck intermediate cars have two doors per side as well; doors adjacent to driver cabs are fitted with gap fillers to ensure level boarding for users of mobility devices.
All trainsets incorporate open gangways allowing seamless passenger movement and balanced distribution during peak travel times. Unlike certain open-gangway models that use jacobs bogies, the RER NG employs conventional bogies.
Despite being heavier and up to longer than previous MI 84 trains, these trainsets meet stringent acceleration requirements enabling departure from a platform in just 23 seconds. This performance is achieved through eight or ten motorized bogies.
The maximum operational speed is set at , with testing having demonstrated speeds up to .
For operation within tunnels along central sections of RER E, RER NG trains are equipped with the NExTEO communications-based train control system that supports speeds reaching .
Formations
By April 2022, a minimum of three Z58000 trainsets were undergoing trial runs.
The six-car Class Z 58000 trainsets are deployed on RER line E and are maintained at the Noisy-le-Sec and Nanterre SNCF depots. These sets comprise four powered cars alongside two unpowered trailers.
| RER E | ← Haussmann–Saint-Lazare (Paris) Chelles–Gournay/Tournan →
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car No. | 1 > | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | < 6 |
| Type | Motor | Motor | Trailer | Trailer | Motor | Motor |
- A pantograph is installed on each of cars 1 and 6.
- The entire trainset features gangway connections between all cars.
The seven-car Class Z 58500 trainsets operate on RER line D, with maintenance based at Villeneuve and Joncherolles SNCF depots. These formations consist of four powered vehicles and three trailers.
| RER D | ← Creil Corbeil-Essonnes/Malesherbes/Melun →
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car No. | 1 > | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | < 7 |
| Type | Motor | Motor | Trailer | Trailer | Trailer | Motor | Motor |
- Each of the end cars, numbers 1 and 7, is equipped with a pantograph.
- Gangways link all cars throughout the trainset.