As part of the 2018-2026 mid-life programme, Eurotunnel is signing a contract with Bombardier Transportation to renovate nine “PAX” Shuttles. Composed in total of 254 wagons, each 800-meter long shuttle is made up for passengers’ vehicles with passengers remaining in their vehicles during the 35-minute Channel crossing. In the 25-year period since the opening of the Channel Tunnel, these Shuttles have each travelled an average of 300 round trips per month and have enabled over 236 million passengers to travel very comfortably between France and Great-Britain.
The contract is valued at €150 million ($171 million) over a period of 7 years. Deliveries of the newly refurbished Shuttles will start in mid-2022 and continue until mid-2026.
Teams from Bombardier France and Belgium originally designed and built these unique vehicles in the 90’s and launched Bombardier’s activities in France. This year, the company celebrates 30 years since
its establishment at the Crespin facility in the Hauts-de-France Region.
“Mobility technology leader Bombardier brings its expertise and experience to Eurotunnel to renovate the shuttles it uses in the Channel Tunnel. This project, the largest in Europe in terms of scope and
ambition, marks a milestone in the development of our refurbishment activities and places Bombardier as the leader of this market in France. As well as their own know-how, our French teams will be able to tap into the overall engineering expertise and processes across the Bombardier group to make a success of this unique project” said Laurent Bouyer, President of Bombardier Transportation France.
“Eurotunnel has chosen to put its trust in Bombardier Transportation for the renovation of its Passenger Shuttles. We are celebrating 25 years of operation of these unique Shuttles that were built 30 years ago. This strategic investment, our most important in 25 years, allows Eurotunnel to maintain the highest level of quality service and to affirm trust in its long-term perspectives”, said François Gauthey, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Group.
Bombardier will be responsible for the renovation of 26 wagons on each of the nine Shuttles, including 12 single-deck carriages for coaches, minibuses, caravans and vehicles over 1.85 meters high, 12
double-deck carriages for cars and motorcycles, and 2 double-deck loader wagons, in addition to two spare loader wagons. As project technical advisor, Bombardier will lead the integration and renovation operations except for the single-deck loaders and will lead on engineering design and procurement for onboard equipment.
Eurotunnel will undertake design and procurement of key equipment such as brakes, doors, fire doors, fire detection, HVAC and the double-deck loaders. Eurotunnel will manage the homologation process
of the renovated Shuttles with the appropriate authorities. Bombardier will provide the technical support to prepare the required documentation.
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