What Fil Bleu does

Fil Bleu is the public transport network serving Tours Métropole Val de Loire in central France, operated by Keolis Tours under a public service delegation contract awarded by the Syndicat des Mobilités de Touraine. The network covers the Tours metropolitan perimeter plus three adjacent municipalities (La Ville-aux-Dames, Vouvray, and Vernou-sur-Brenne) and comprises two tram lines (A and B), more than 60 bus lines, on-demand transport (Résabus), adapted transport for reduced-mobility users (Fil Blanc), park-and-ride facilities (P+R), bicycle parking, a horse-drawn carriage tourist service (Calèche), and a Parc Expo shuttle. Fil Bleu is not a separate legal entity but a brand layered on top of Keolis Tours, with the operator holding exclusive rights to run urban public transit within the designated perimeter and the public authority setting fares annually on 1 August.

The digital platform consists of the filbleu.fr website, the Mon Espace Perso online account portal, the M-Ticket mobile application (powered by tixiPASS/Airweb for dematerialized QR-code tickets), and the JVMalin contactless card system with NFC reload via Android 6.0+ and iPhone 7+ devices. Customer-facing technology includes a journey planner with accessible routing for persons with reduced mobility, real-time traffic alerts delivered by SMS, email, in-app push, WhatsApp channel, and RSS, and digital payments processed via PAYZEN. Audience measurement is handled by Matomo in anonymous mode. Distribution spans a physical sales agency at 9 rue Michelet in Tours, vending machines at tram stations, partner retailers, bus on-board sales, the e-shop, the M-Ticket app, customer service by phone and email, and dedicated corporate enrollment for Liberté Pro cards.

Fil Bleu generates revenue through a mix of unit-priced tickets (single trip at €1.80, 2-trip, 10-trip, 24h, 48h, family, group), recurring monthly and annual subscriptions segmented by age (5-10, 11-18, 19-25, 26-64, 65+) and income (QF350, QF550, QF700, AAH), the Liberté post-payment plan at €1.60 per trip billed monthly by direct debit, Liberté Pro corporate cards billed on actual usage, contactless card creation (€2) and reconstitution (€10/€5) fees, Park & Ride day tickets, and bicycle parking tickets. Free or heavily discounted travel is provided to children under 5, the 5-10 free pass holders, AAH beneficiaries, and Invalide card holders. Customers include daily commuters, students, low-income households, persons with disabilities, corporate accounts, park-and-ride users, and tourists.

Name

Fil Bleu

Legal name

Keolis Tours

Website

https://filbleu.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Fil Bleu is the exclusive public bus and tram network serving Tours Métropole Val de Loire in France, operated by Keolis Tours under a public service delegation contract. It serves daily commuters, students, low-income households, corporate clients, persons with disabilities, and tourists across 2 tram lines, 60+ bus lines, and multimodal services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-pierre-des-corps

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Fil Bleu generates revenue through the sale of single-ride tickets, multi-trip tickets (2-trip, 10-trip), time-limited tickets (24h, 48h), family tickets, group tickets, and event day tickets. Tickets are sold via the sales agency, bus drivers, vending machines at tram stations, partner retailers, the e-shop, and the M-Ticket mobile app.
2. Monthly and Annual Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from age-based passes (5-10, 11-18, 19-25, 26-64, 65+), income-based QF passes (QF350, QF550, QF700), AAH pass, student pass, and annual passes. Subscriptions can be paid monthly via direct debit or in a single annual payment. Subscribers get free movement across the entire bus + tram network including P+R, P+V, and horse-drawn carriages.
3. Contactless Card and Ticket Sales: Sale and recharging of contactless cards (carte sans contact, JVMalin) and rechargeable contactless tickets. Cards are issued with a €2 creation fee and have an 8-year lifespan; tickets have a 2-year lifespan. Card reconstitution fees of €10 (€5 for direct debit customers) apply for lost/stolen/expired cards.
4. Liberté Post-Payment Plan: The Liberté plan is a post-payment formula where customers pay per trip used via monthly direct debit (debit on the 15th of the following month). At €1.60 per trip (vs. €1.80 for standard single tickets), it offers unlimited travel with no subscription obligation, generating recurring transaction-based revenue.
5. Liberté Pro (Corporate B2B): Corporate accounts (companies, associations, educational institutions) purchase Liberté Pro cards in bulk for employees. Cards carry the company logo, and the company is invoiced for actual usage. The first card is free; replacement cards are billed. This represents B2B subscription/transaction revenue from organizations.
6. Park & Ride and Bicycle Parking: Revenue from Park & Ride (P+R) day tickets valid for 1-4 people per car, and bicycle parking tickets (24h and annual). P+R tickets include all-day network access for passengers in the vehicle.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fil Bleu is the public bus-and-tram urban transport network for Tours Métropole Val de Loire, delivering scheduled and on-demand mobility services to residents, commuters, students, low-income households, persons with disabilities, corporate clients, and tourists. The offering combines physical transport (2 tram lines and 60+ bus routes, P+R facilities, bicycle parks, Fil Blanc adapted transport, Résabus on-demand, Calèche horse-drawn carriages, Navette Parc Expo) with digital services (M-Ticket smartphone tickets, NFC contactless JVMalin cards, online account portal, journey planner, real-time alerts).

Product overview

Fil Bleu is a comprehensive public transport network serving Tours Métropole Val de Loire, operated by Keolis Tours. The offering consists of a core transport network (bus and tram services) supplemented by digital ticketing products. Key products include the Fil Bleu mobile application (providing journey planning, M-Ticket QR code validation, and NFC card reload features), the JVMalin contactless smart card system with multiple card types, the Mon Espace Perso online account portal for card management and subscriptions, and dedicated services for on-demand transport (Fil Bleu Résabus), adapted transport (Fil Blanc), park & ride facilities, and corporate travel (Liberté Pro/Fil Pro). The network operates multiple tram lines (A, B) and extensive bus routes across the metropolitan area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fil Bleu: The main brand name for the bus and tram public transport network serving Tours Métropole Val de Loire
• Fil Eclair
• Fil Pro
• Fil Blanc
• Résabus
• Calèche
• M-Ticket
• JV Malin

Products and services

• Fil Bleu Bus & Tram Network The core public transport network serving Tours Métropole Val de Loire and surrounding municipalities (La Ville-aux-Dames, Vouvray, Vernou-sur-Brenne). Operated by Keolis Tours under concession from the Syndicat des Mobilités de Touraine, comprising 2 tram lines (A, B) and over 60 bus lines (urban, suburban, and Noctambus). Available to all residents and visitors within the perimeter.
• M-Ticket Digital Ticketing Service Smartphone-based dematerialized ticket purchase and QR-code validation (powered by tixiPASS/Airweb). Enables individuals and families to buy 1-trip, 2-trip, 10-trip, 24h, 48h, 1h Family, Calèche, and event-day tickets and validate them by scanning a QR code on board. Supports multi-profile purchasing for groups traveling together and interoperable accounts with other tixiPASS networks.
• Liberté Post-Payment Plan Subscription-free, pay-per-trip travel plan: customers travel on demand and are billed monthly by direct debit on the 15th of the following month at €1.60 per trip (cheaper than the €1.80 standard single ticket). Personalized card is free, with no subscription obligation.
• Liberté Pro (Fil Pro) Corporate Transport Card B2B corporate transport card program for companies, associations, and educational institutions. Cards carry the company logo; the company is invoiced monthly for actual usage at €1.60/trip. First card is free; replacement cards are billed. Enrollment is handled directly by Keolis Tours (Nicolas Brault), not via self-serve.
• Fil Bleu Résabus (On-Demand Transport) On-demand transport service for flexible travel within the Fil Bleu network coverage area, bookable in advance. Supplements fixed-route bus and tram services for areas or times where scheduled service is unavailable.
• Fil Blanc (Adapted Transport) Adapted door-to-door transport service for persons with disabilities or reduced mobility. Provides accessible vehicles on demand for users who cannot use the standard bus and tram network.
• Calèche (Horse-Drawn Carriage) Traditional horse-drawn carriage service in Tours city center. Accessible free of charge with a valid monthly Fil Bleu subscription, providing a tourist-oriented mobility experience.
• Parkings Relais (Park & Ride) Park & Ride facilities (P+R Vaucanson, P+R Jean Monnet, P+R Sagerie) combining secure car parking with integrated public-transport day tickets. P+R day tickets cover 1 to 4 passengers with unlimited network connections on the day of purchase.
• Bicycle Parking (Parcs à Vélos) Secure bicycle parking facilities at multiple locations across the network, accessible with dedicated bicycle-parking tickets (24h or annual). Provides intermodal connectivity with the bus and tram network.
• Navette Parc Expo (Shuttle) Shuttle service to the Parc Expo venue, including dedicated event services such as the Japan Tours Festival shuttle. Targets event attendees traveling from across the Tours metropolitan area.
• JVMalin Contactless Smart Card Rechargeable contactless smart card for storing tickets and subscriptions and validating them across the Fil Bleu bus and tram network. Available in nominative, anonymized, and anonymous variants with an 8-year lifespan and €2 creation fee (waived for direct-debit, Liberté, and QF/AAH customers). Reloadable via NFC-enabled smartphones through the Fil Bleu app.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free travel for children under 5; reduced-cost travel for children aged 5-10 on a free dedicated pass
• +2 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Keolis TourscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKeolis Tours is the exclusive operator of the Fil Bleu public transport network on behalf of Tours Métropole Val de Loire (Syndicat des Mobilités de Touraine). Keolis is responsible for day-to-day operations, customer service, network management, digital services (website, e-shop, mobile app), and maintenance of the bus and tram fleet. The Fil Bleu brand and network belong to the public authority, with Keolis operating the service under a concession agreement.
• Tours Métropole Val de Loire / Syndicat des Mobilités de TourainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe public transport authority (Organising Authority) that owns the Fil Bleu network, sets fares, defines the service perimeter, and awards the operating concession to Keolis Tours. The network serves the metropolitan area of Tours and additional municipalities including La Ville-aux-Dames, Vouvray, and Vernou-sur-Brenne.
• KeoliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKeolis is the parent company of Keolis Tours and the broader operating group behind Fil Bleu. The filbleu.fr website and online services are published by Keolis Tours, part of the Keolis Group. Keolis sets overall operational standards and provides the brand framework within which Fil Bleu operates.
• SNCFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNCF partners with Fil Bleu to allow Fil Bleu ticket holders to use the shuttle train between Saint-Pierre-des-Corps and Tours stations. A QR code is available at the platform entrance for validation via the M-Ticket app. This extends Fil Bleu's multimodal offering to include rail connections within the Tours metropolitan area.
• Airweb / tixiPASScoreTechnology or IntegrationAirweb provides the tixiPASS platform that powers the M-Ticket mobile application for Fil Bleu. Users create an M-Ticket account (separate from the filbleu.fr personal space) to purchase and validate dematerialized tickets via QR code. Accounts from other transport networks using tixiPASS or Airweb QR services (Flash Ticket Tao, Azalys) can be used to log into the Fil Bleu M-Ticket.
• La PosteminorOthersLa Poste handles postal delivery of contactless cards and tickets ordered through the Fil Bleu e-shop. Delivery time is indicated during order summary.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• STAR (Service des Transports en commun de l'Agglomération Rennaise): Rennes metropolitan bus and metro network operated under Keolis concession. Closely comparable to Fil Bleu because of identical Keolis operating model, similar urban profile, and parallel digital ticketing approach.
• TCL (Transports en Commun Lyonnais): Lyon metropolitan bus, metro, tram, and funicular network operated by Keolis Lyon. Direct peer through Keolis platform, with broader modal mix but consistent concession-and-operator structure compared to Fil Bleu.
• TAN (Transports en commun de l'agglomération nantaise): Nantes metropolitan bus, tramway, and busway network operated by Semitan. Closest direct peer to Fil Bleu given similar mid-sized French agglomeration profile (urban bus + tram + on-demand + Park & Ride + adapted services).
• Tisséo (Réseau urbain de Toulouse): Toulouse metropolitan public transport network (bus, metro, tram) operated by Tisséo Collectivités. Comparable mid-sized French city transit brand with similar multi-modal service architecture and digital ticketing.
• CTS (Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois): Strasbourg urban tram and bus network with similar regulatory and concession structure. Comparable French mid-sized city transit brand offering urban bus + tram + adapted services analogously to Fil Bleu's Tours network.

Broad incumbents

• RATP Dev: International subsidiary of RATP Group operating urban transit, bus, and tram networks globally, including in France. Competes with Keolis for French concession contracts and offers highly comparable urban transit services.
• Transdev: Major French and global public transport operator competing for French urban concessions. Operates many of the same types of networks as Fil Bleu and represents the principal alternative operator in French municipal tender processes.
• Kéolis Group: Fil Bleu's parent operating group and one of the world's largest public transport operators (majority-owned by SNCF). Provides the operating platform, fleet management, and digital infrastructure underlying Fil Bleu's service delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/filbleu.bustram
• Instagraminstagram.com/filbleu_bus_tram
• TikToktiktok.com/@filbleu_bus_tram
• Xx.com/filbleu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fil Bleu