Thales - A Global Leader in Transportation

Thales provides a comprehensive range of integrated, modular solutions for the safe transportation of people and goods covering all forms of transport: from bus, metro, tramway and regional train networks to mainline (high-speed) links and road transport.

The global ground transportation business at Thales is growing and represents one of the group's major areas of development. It is built around the critical information systems technologies, which are the cornerstone of its expertise and the common denominator throughout the group's business activities.

Rail signalling, integrated communication and supervision systems, and ticketing

Thales provides solutions for three main transportation segments: rail signalling, integrated communication and supervision systems, and ticketing. The group's transportation activities employ 6,000 people and generate revenues of €1.5 billion. The Group's international dimension is reflected in its global customer base and worldwide network of centres of excellence: North America (metro systems), Germany, Austria, UK, Portugal, France and Spain (rail transportation), France and China (ticketing systems).

Critical rail signalling systems

Thales is the world's second largest supplier of critical rail signalling systems. Its technologies and solutions meet the particular requirements of infrastructure operators (RFF and RATP in France) and major metro operators worldwide (including those of London, New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Dubai).

Thales' systems ensure automatic train speed and direction control, which translates into enhanced performance and better returns on investment for operators. This is one of the major challenges facing operators today given the exponential increase in traffic volumes.

Automatic signalling control systems

The automatic control systems developed by Thales allow operators to carry a maximum number of people while offering passengers optimum regularity and comfort. At the same time, our solutions address growing demand for interoperability between new infrastructures and legacy transport systems. To meet these changing needs and standards, Thales' signalling activity offers in-depth expertise in system testing and deployment.

Integrated communication and supervision systems

Communication systems represent another fast-growing market and Thales is one of just two companies worldwide with a comprehensive solutions offering. Thales is uniquely positioned to enable operators to implement integrated communication and supervision systems, which not only optimise infrastructure usage but also ensure optimum security.

The communication systems pilot the traffic management systems (i.e., signalling), and provide maximum passenger safety and comfort thanks to a broad array of alarm, video surveillance, abnormal behaviour detection, fire detection, light, escalator and passenger information systems.

Multi-modal, multi-operator ticketing systems

Thales is the world's foremost provider of ticketing systems, with an extensive presence in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Middle East, and the potential for extensive growth in North America. Most of the group's customers are transport network operators (including train, metro, bus and light rail systems).

One of Thales' major strengths is its pioneering contactless technologies and implementation of some of the first multimodal, multi-operator transport systems. Operators also benefit from the secure clearing house system, which ensures that revenues match exact network usage, while passengers can top up their travel cards on one network and use them on a different network.

Thales is a global technology leader for the aerospace, space, defence, security and transportation markets. In 2008 the company generated revenues of $10.2 billion, with 68,000 employees in 50 countries. With its 25,000 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equipment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint, with operations around the world working with customers as local partners.