Gare du Nord: soon an eco-bus station and an XXL bicycle park
Horizon 2024: the Gare du Nord reinvented
Horizon 2024 is the name of the large-scale project that aims to completely transform the forecourt of the Gare du Nord in Paris in preparation for the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Led by SNCF Gares & Connexions in association with Île-de-France Mobilités, Horizon 2024 intends to profoundly transform the forecourt of this station, the largest in Europe (and the 3rd largest in the world), with a pacification of its forecourt, returned to soft traffic, with the exception of a bus lane, the creation of an eco-bus station and an XXL bicycle parking.
Gare du Nord eco-bus station: 6800m2 for comfort and safety
The creation of an "eco-bus station" at the Gare du Nord results in a complete renovation of the bus station - resumption of all the roads, pavements and lighting on the site in compliance with accessibility standards, while maintaining the continuity of all the lines served.
The project is accompanied by the installation of new passenger shelters, more seats, an information and ticket sales desk and dynamic information screens, for better comfort.
Naturally, all of these spaces will be placed under video-protection to guarantee everyone's safety.
Halle vélos: "the largest secure bicycle parking in France"
But the Horizon 2024 project is also a boost to active mobility, cycling in particular.
It must be said that bicycle parking near the Gare du Nord is currently too low and largely over-occupied. This is why Île-de-France mobilités and its partners are investing in the creation of a vast bicycle hall with 1186 spaces. "It will simply be the largest secure bicycle parking in France," said Delphine Bürkli, mayor of the 9th arrondissement of Paris and member of the Île-de-France Mobilités board.
This new Île-de-France Mobilités Bicycle Park will offer:
- 712 spaces in double-decker racks with standard gauge (conventional bikes)
- 440 spaces in wide-gauge double-deck racks (mountain bikes, e-bikes, etc.)
- About thirty spaces for special bikes: cargo bikes with box, extended bikes, bikes with accessories (child seats, baskets, etc.)
Human presence and equipment
And to find a space in this vast hall more quickly, a video counting system with light information will indicate the number of available parking spaces in real time. Those in a hurry will appreciate it! The alleys will be numbered and benches, lockers and water points will be available to users.
A humanized welcome will also provide advice and help with subscriptions.
And because a well-maintained bike is safer, the car park will have two inflation stations, repair tools and charging stations, all self-service.
Parking offered to annual Navigo subscribers and imagine R
Access to the Île-de-France Mobilités Bicycle Parking will be offered to holders of an annual Navigo or an imagine R subscription. Other cyclists will be able to benefit from it at the price of €4 per day, €10 per week or €30 per year
Dedicated access for cyclists
Located a few meters from the eco-bus station, this covered and bright car park will be directly accessible by a dedicated cycle path and will allow quick access to the Gare du Nord thanks to an exit intended for pedestrians. New escalators will also be created.
Opening? During 2024
This project to completely renovate the bus station and create an Île-de-France Mobilités bicycle parking lot with 1186 spaces will begin in early 2023, for commissioning in 2024.
Cost of the operation? €5 million, 55.4% financed by Île-de-France Mobilités (€2.7 million), 30.4% by the State and 14.2% by SNCF Gares & Connexions.