SK
SK is a cable-driven automated people-mover system developed by the French engineering company Soulé.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
SK was a cable-driven automated people-mover system developed by Soulé of Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France. The name is derived from the initials of Soulé and Kermadec, the designer associated with the system. Rather than using individually powered vehicles, SK employed small cabins mounted on rails and pulled by a continuously moving cable. The concept adapted technology that Soulé already produced for gondola lifts serving ski resorts. The system was designed for relatively short, high-throughput links between fixed stations. As a cabin approached a station, it disengaged from the moving cable and could stop for passenger boarding and alighting. Between stations, cabins were carried at a constant speed. This arrangement offered a mechanically straightforward alternative to conventional rail-based automated people movers, but it also imposed important operating limits. Long routes, curved alignments, and lines with numerous stops increased the risk that a cabin could lose contact with the cable or become unstable at normal operating speed. SK systems were demonstrated or installed in several international settings. A system operated at the parking area of the exhibition grounds in Villepinte, France, in 1986. The technology was also used for six months at Expo 86 in Vancouver, Canada, and appeared at an exposition in Yokohama, Japan, in 1989. These installations functioned as showcases for the concept and its potential application to exhibition sites, parking facilities, and other short-distance transport links. A more substantial installation was completed in Noisy-le-Grand, France, in February 1993. It was intended to serve an office park, but the planned development was never built. The line remained maintained and operational for several years even though its intended traffic base did not materialize. Funding was cut in October 1999, after which the line was abandoned; one of its station buildings was demolished in 2018. The largest and most problematic application was the SK 6000 project at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Two lines were constructed. The first, approximately 3,500 metres long, was scheduled to enter service on 1 May 1996, but technical difficulties associated with the system's length prevented public operation. A second line planned for 1997 was likewise never opened. The airport project reportedly cost €148 million before abandonment, and the system was ultimately replaced by CDGVAL, a different automated airport people-mover technology. Despite the failure of the airport deployment, SK technology was subsequently associated with the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel in Shanghai, China, which opened in 2001. Overall, SK is best understood as a historical transport-system brand and engineering concept rather than a mass-market consumer brand. Its record illustrates both the appeal of cable-driven automated transport for short, controlled routes and the difficulty of extending the concept to long airport or urban alignments.
History
SK was developed by Soulé, a French company based in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, with the system's design associated with Kermadec. Its name combines the initials of Soulé and Kermadec. The technology transferred the operating principle of a gondola lift to a rail-guided automated people mover: small cabins were mounted on rails and hauled by a continuously moving cable. At stations, cabins could detach from the cable and stop for passengers. The approach was most suitable for short lines with relatively simple geometry. Its technical limitations became more significant on long or curved routes with many stops, where cable engagement, stability, and operating-speed issues could compromise reliability. Early deployments included an installation at the Villepinte exhibition grounds in 1986, a six-month operation at Expo 86 in Vancouver, and an exposition installation in Yokohama in 1989. In February 1993, Soulé completed an SK line in Noisy-le-Grand, France. The project was intended to provide transport for an office park that was never constructed. Although the line was kept in operational condition for several years, it lacked the expected development and passenger base. Funding ended in October 1999, leading to abandonment. A station building associated with the line was demolished in 2018. The most ambitious application was the SK 6000 system at Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris. Two lines were built, including a first line approximately 3,500 metres long. It was scheduled to open in May 1996, but technical problems prevented it from carrying the public. A second line planned for 1997 was also never opened. The airport project was abandoned after reported expenditure of €148 million and was replaced by CDGVAL. The technology nevertheless achieved a later association with the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel in Shanghai, which opened in 2001 using SK 6000 equipment. The documented history therefore combines international demonstrations, an underused French installation, a failed airport deployment, and a surviving tourist-transport application. The available material does not establish a current corporate owner, continuing commercial production, or a formal discontinuation date for the SK brand.
- 2001
Shanghai Bund Sightseeing Tunnel opens
[1]The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel opened using SK 6000 technology.
- 1999
Noisy-le-Grand line abandoned
[1]Funding was cut in October, ending maintenance of the previously unused line.
- 1996
First Charles de Gaulle Airport SK 6000 line misses opening
[1]The first airport line, planned to open on 1 May, could not begin public service because of technical problems.
- 1993
Noisy-le-Grand line completed
[1]An SK line was completed in Noisy-le-Grand, France, for an office park that was never built.
- 1989
Yokohama exposition installation
[1]An SK system operated at an exposition in Yokohama, Japan.
- 1986
Villepinte deployment
[1]An SK system operated at the parking area of the exhibition grounds in Villepinte, France.
- 1986
Expo 86 operation
[1]An SK system operated for six months at Expo 86 in Vancouver, Canada.
Products and positioning
A compact, cable-driven automated transit system intended primarily for short, fixed-route links at exhibition grounds, parking facilities, airports, and visitor attractions.
Automated people mover
SK
The core SK system used small cabins running on rails and pulled by a continuously moving cable. Cabins could disengage from the cable at stations and stop for passengers. The design was derived from Soulé's gondola-lift technology and was intended for short, relatively simple routes. Its operating concept was less suitable for long or highly curved lines with many stops because of cable-engagement and stability risks.
Airport and tourist people mover
SK 6000
SK 6000 was the larger-scale version associated with the Charles de Gaulle Airport project and later with Shanghai's Bund Sightseeing Tunnel. Two airport lines were constructed but did not enter public service because of technical difficulties, while the Shanghai installation opened in 2001 as part of a tourist attraction.
Brand decisions
1999
End of funding for the Noisy-le-Grand lineStrategyBackground
The Noisy-le-Grand SK line had been built for an office park that was never developed, leaving the system without its planned transport demand.
Action taken
Funding was cut in October 1999, and the line was subsequently abandoned.
Aftermath
The line ceased to be maintained as an operating system; one station building was demolished in 2018.
1996
Abandonment of the Charles de Gaulle Airport SK 6000 projectOtherBackground
Two SK 6000 lines were built at Charles de Gaulle Airport, but technical problems prevented the first line from opening and the second line was never opened.
Action taken
The airport project was abandoned and the system was replaced by CDGVAL.
Aftermath
The project did not enter public passenger service despite the construction of both lines.
Reported project cost before abandonment. €148 million (Before project abandonment)
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
SK signs $315M pact with fellow South Korean company for Parkinson's drug candidate[2]
Reported:
SK entered a $315M pact with a fellow South Korean company concerning a Parkinson's disease drug candidate, as reported by Fierce Biotech.
SK and Monolith sign MOU to establish South Korean joint venture[3]
Reported:
SK and Monolith Materials signed an MOU to establish a South Korean joint venture producing green hydrogen and carbon black. Monolith will provide technology and training, while SK will oversee production, sales and distribution.
SK completes acquisition of Yposkesi[4]
Reported:
SK completed its acquisition of French drug manufacturer Yposkesi, acquiring a 70% stake including management rights. Yposkesi will be operated by SK Pharmteco, an SK Inc. subsidiary.
CODE42 raises KRW 30 billion in Pre-A funding[5]
Reported:
CODE42 announced that it had raised KRW 30 billion (USD 25 million) in Pre-A funding, with investment from Kia Motors, SK, LG, and CJ.
Sources6 sources
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