The Normandy Region has entered the contract finalisation phase with RATP Développement to operate the "Etoile ferroviaire de Caen" rail services, a first step in the region’s progressive opening of its rail network to competition.
Following a multi-year preparation aligned with EU directives and the 2018 French rail reform law (Loi n°2018-515), Normandy launched a phased tendering strategy. The network was divided into several lots, with a staggered timeline for awarding contracts. The Caen hub was selected as the pilot area, with train services expected to start in July 2027.
The Caen star network includes the following routes:
- Caen – Coutances
- Caen – Saint-Lô
- Caen – Évreux
- Caen – Cherbourg
- Caen – Rouen
- Caen – Lisieux
- Caen – Granville
- Caen – Rennes
- Lisieux – Trouville-Deauville
- Trouville-Deauville – Dives-Cabourg
Four additional network areas — Rouen hub, Paris–Granville, "Etoile Mancelle," and Normandy–Saint-Lazare — are scheduled to be opened to competition between 2030 and 2034. The call for tenders for the Rouen area is expected to be issued in autumn 2025.
