The Minister of Transport has announced the awarding of the official Regional Metropolitan Express Service (SERM) label to eight French territories. Among them is the one jointly supported by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, the Savoie Department, Grand Chambéry, Grand Lac, Cœur de Savoie, and the Avant-Pays Savoyard. This decision marks the operational transition towards a shock of decarbonized mobility services for a living area of nearly 300,000 inhabitants.
Following the approval of the prefiguration file in the summer of 2026, this definitive labeling opens the way for dedicated state funding. The SERM for the greater urban area of Chambéry – Métropole Savoie and Avant-Pays Savoyard aims to transform travel habits through a set of interconnected services.
Planned improvements include a reinforced rail network with trains every 15 minutes during peak hours on the Aix-les-Bains – Chambéry – Montmélian axis, the creation of 4 new rail stops, and a timed suburban service extending to Pont-de-Beauvoisin with extended operating hours. The project also includes the deployment of express bus lines and modernized multimodal exchange hubs.
A unified ticketing system will harmonize fares, and a unified passenger information system will be implemented across the living area via SYMOS. Shared mobility services such as carpooling and on-demand transport will ensure accessibility, while a structuring cycle network of over 465 km will be developed.
“"Obtaining this official status is a major victory for the Chambéry territory. It rewards several months of work between local authorities and the State, which has heard our determination. The funding obtained by the SERM will provide a concrete response to the challenges of purchasing power and ecological transition, by offering an efficient and sustainable alternative to the individual car. Our territory, thanks in particular to the Syndicat des mobilités de l’ouest savoyard (SYMOS), will work closely with the State and the Region for the concrete implementation of infrastructure work and tariff coordination."
