The Part-Dieu railway station is located in the Part-Dieu business district (it was a former army barracks), in the third district (arrondissement) of the city of Lyon. It is the second largest business district after Paris's “La Défense”. The current station has international, national and regional traffic. It also has more people changing trains than any other in Europe. The station was opened in 1983. However it has seen many makeovers to improve its reputation and the comfort of its customers.

Several improvement plans are in the pipeline because the station is so saturated: a tunnel under Lyon for high-speed trains, an underground station, deviating the high-speed trains away to Lyon's Saint-Exupéry airport station, as well as a new platform.

All these improvements have the same goal: to reduce congestion at the station. As a result and as part of the Two Lyon project due to be completed by 2017, a new platform (platform L) will be built, the waiting rooms are to be made bigger, and next to the station a tower will be constructed into which shops will move.

The redevelopment of the Lyon Part-Dieu station is designed to improve conditions for station users. Commuters use the station services on a daily basis whereas others use it only occasionally or just to change trains. Therefore Lyon Part-Dieu station needs to be easily accessible for all sorts of people.

“Nice station”–which is also called Nice-Thiers–is a railway hub near the centre of Nice, a city in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France and part of the Provences-Alpes Côte d’Azur region. This station was opened in 1867. It is the main station used by rail travellers to and from Nice today.

Many redevelopment plans are in the pipeline for Nice-Thiers station. One of the projects consists in linking the southern station and the bottom of the Avenue Jean Médecin and it will develop the transport system in Nice by creating a model intermodal network of trains and trams much to the benefit of the 11 million passengers that are due to use it by 2020. Therefore in 2013 construction started on a travel building, a redevelopment of the kiosks on a redesigned pedestrian station plaza, as well as on a rail-tram link. By 2015, a footbridge giving access to the platforms will be in place, all the platforms will be raised to make them more accessible and the travel building should be finished.

These redevelopments have four goals: to improve passenger comfort and security in the station and its surroundings; to further the intermodal network through a complete overhaul of the lines in and out of the station; to create a direct and fast link between the station and the tram stop located in Avenue Jean Médecin; and to make the platforms totally accessible to all–catering especially for those with reduced mobility.

PROJECT 1: BIOT ET VILLENEUVE LOUBET STATION

Site: Biot - Villeneuve Loubet : On the French Riviera coast near Nice. Inhabitants: Around 15 000. Tracks: 3. Platforms: 2. Operated using the PACA Regional express train. Renovation work carried out between 2009 and 2013.