Operating on the network

A rail company that wants to operate on the national railway network must have:

a corporate rail license,
a safety certificate,
an insurance certificate,
a national rail network infrastructure use contract signed with Réseau Ferré de France. 
 

The corporate rail license is issued in France by a decree from the Minister of Transport. It may also be issued by the competent authority in another European Union member state.

The license request file must state that the railway company has the necessary professional capacities.
 

The safety certificate is issued by the EPSF (Public Establishment for Railway Safety) and includes two parts, parts A and B.

Part A concerns safety organisation and the safety management system used by the railway company.
This part of the safety certificate is automatic for any railway company that already has a safety certificate for equivalent transport activities in another European Union member state.

Part B concerns the respect for technical and safety rules for the requested services and lines.
 

This insurance policy must cover damage that the railway company could inflict upon its customers, upon Réseau Ferré de France, upon the staff working on the network, on other network users, and on third parties.
 

Any use of the national rail network infrastructure for the operation of a transport service is subject to the signature, by Réseau Ferré de France and the railway company, of the infrastructure use contract.
See the Reference Document appendix for the general conditions of the contract.