In Marseille, a future underground station to bypass a dead-end

An "essential" element of the future New Provence-Côte d'Azur Line (LNPCA) with a total budget of 3,64 billion euros, the "Halles Saint-Charles" project will put an end to the current "dead-end" station which forces passengers to change trains in Marseille to continue their journey between the west and the east of the city.

"This will result in a gain of 15 to 20 minutes for more than 20.000 trains crossing Marseille each year," stressed the regional prefect, Christophe Mirmand.

The extension was designed as an extension of the existing structure, with a reorganization of the 16 existing surface tracks, and the creation, at a depth of 25 meters, of four new underground platforms.

It aims to address the saturation of the current station and to improve the transport offer in the region, but also on the Mediterranean arc between Spain, France and Italy, explained the CEO of SNCF Réseau, Matthieu Chabanel, during a press conference.

A multimodal hub fully connected to the metropolis' public transport networks (metro, tram, bus), the station will be open 360° to the surrounding neighborhoods. It "will play a central role in connecting the north and south of the city," said Martine Vassal, President of the Aix-Marseille Metropolis.

Actual work will begin in 2025 to free up an 8,5-hectare plateau, currently occupied mainly by car parks. The start of excavation is planned for 2028-2029.

In total, 700.000 m3 of rubble will have to be excavated and removed before construction can begin on the underground station, which will be 406 metres long and 47 metres wide, explained project manager Anthony Roy.

On the surface, the project also provides for the development of new urban spaces, with the creation of 4.300 m2 of green spaces, offering a planted promenade and cool spots.