As part of the continuing improvement in customer care allied to regionalisation on SNCF, staff handed out information packs to travellers between Nancy and Epinal on May 23. Included were the new regional timetable book, a competition and details of a new bus link from the railhead at Remiremont to the spa town of Plombières. Regional rail travel guides are now proliferating in France. In addition to timetables, the Lorraine guide gives details of disabled accessibility, trains which carry bikes free, tariff information and key town plans - some including bus service patterns. Also contained in the book is a breakdown of regional rail improvements as part of the latest agreement concluded by Lorraine région and SNCF in February.
Plans include capacity enhancements on the busy Moselle valley route between Metz and Nancy. A third track would be installed south of Vandières, the planned junction with TGV Est. Two options have been put forward for the Metz - Vandières section: further three-tracking, or a brand new line looping east of Metz to serve Metz-Nancy-Lorraine airport, before turning west beside the TGV route to reach Vandières.
Nearly all routes in the region have seen improved frequencies, and new stations are planned at Farschviller and Farebersviller as part of significant improvements to the routes from Metz to Forbach and Sarreguemines. New stations are also planned at Epinal-Golbey and Hettange-Grande. Lorraine is also keen to improve services which cross regional boundaries. Two route studies are under way, on Nancy - Neufchateau - Chaumont and on Epinal - St Dié - Saales - Strasbourg, which currently suffers badly from disjointed services and missed connections across the boundary. To complement a batch of recently-rebuilt DMUs, four TER railcars are planned for delivery in 2001. o
