Railway renovations for the Seine-North Europe Canal: SNCF Réseau entrusts engineering works on the Amiens – Laon line to Eiffage

PRESS RELEASE

6 May 2026

Railway renovations for the Seine -North Europe Canal : SNCF Réseau entrusts engineering works on the Amiens – Laon line to Eiffage

The route of the future Seine -North Europe Canal crosses the national rail network in two locations . This requires renovations of the Paris – Saint -Quentin and Amiens – Laon rail lines with the creation of overhead railway bridges before the canal is filled. SNCF Réseau has announced that the contract to build overhead crossing structures on the Amiens – Laon line has been awarded to Eiffage, one of Europe’s leading construction , property development, energy services and concessions companies. This contract is worth more than €70 million over three years and a half year .

Amiens – Laon rail renovation project

To accommodate the future Seine -North Europe Canal, the Amiens – Laon rail line will need to be diverted, affecting 3,000 metres of double -track railway. The works include:

• Construction of a 908 -metre -long railway bridge spanning the canal.
• Creation of a 77-metre span “Warren ” type - railway viaduct span ning the valley.

Construction works assigned to Eiffage

The contract awarded to Eiffage , as part of a consortium , demonstrates its ability to deliver complex projects. Completion of this project will draw on the complementarity between Group business lines. Eiffage Génie Civil , consortium leader, will be responsible for the primary infrastructure, earthworks and concrete engineering structures. Eiffage Métal will apply its expertise to the Warren -type railway bridge and mixed structures, and Eiffage Rail will install the double tracks and rail connections. As a member of t he consortium Pro -Fond will install deep foundations for the project. This integrated approach illustrates the Eiffage Group’s expertise in transforming and modernising railway networks.

Major project stages are as follows:

• 2027: construction of structures begins
• February 2029: commissioning of the new connection of the Amiens – Laon line

The rail network – behind the scenes

SNCF Réseau teams are out in the field every night of the week. Over the second quarter, this amounts to 60 nights worked. They cover e very line s in the network.

While passengers sleep, the teams from SNCF Réseau are out maintaining, modernising and enhancing safety across the rail network. Discreet but essential, their nocturnal efforts keep trains running during the day and are preparing the network of tomorrow.

You can read the Q2 2026 works special issue of Les Nouveaux Chemins en Hauts -de -France magazine online. Its c lear and instructive format reveals the works planned for the second quarter of 2026.

Press contacts

• Magali Babilotte – magali.babilotte@reseau.sncf.fr – +33 (0)6 86 24 06 86
• Eiffage: Emma Lortsch – emma.lortsch@eiffage.com - +33 (0)1 71 59 51 02

About SNCF Réseau

To meet growing mobility needs and develop rail transport in support of the environmental transition, SNCF Réseau is expanding freight and passenger services on the 28,000 kilometres of lines for which it ensures maintenance, modernisation and safety. As t he network operator, it markets and provides fair and neutral access to rail infrastructure. As a partner to public authorities, regions and rail companies, customer satisfaction is SNCF Réseau’s absolute priority. An SNCF Group limited company, it employs more than 50,000 people and generated revenue of nearly €8.4 billion in 2025.

www.sncf -reseau.com

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About Eiffage

Eiffage is one of Europe’s leading construction and property development , energy services and concessions companies . Established in the major European markets, the Group aspires to be a key player in the environmental transition, energy sovereignty and sustainable mobility while actively contributing to creating the cities and infrastructure of tomorrow. Thanks to the experience of its 87,000 employees, Eiffage generated revenue of €25.3 billion in 2025, of which nearly 36% was outside France.

www.eiffage.com