RER A summer works: the line is being modernised
Work for a more efficient line
In total, more than 2.2km of tracks have been renewed this year. 4 new switches have also been installed and 2 have been replaced. On the site, 400 people took turns 7 days a week and 24 hours a day. This mobilization is necessary in order to strengthen the performance of the RER A.
Indeed, the renewal of the tracks and ballast guarantees better reliability, optimal availability of infrastructure and more safety on a line with 308 million passengers per year, making it the busiest in Europe.
2018 marks an important milestone in the summer work on the RER A: from 2019 until 2021, the work will no longer require a total closure of the line. This work will be carried out during partial interruptions of traffic scheduled in the evening and at weekends.
As a reminder, more than 1000 agents were deployed in the field to inform and guide travelers during this year's summer closure. In order to reduce the impact of this work on passengers as much as possible, 8 lines and metro, 5 bus lines and 2 tram lines have been reinforced. Finally, a shuttle between Charles de Gaulle – Etoile and La Défense has also been set up.
You can visit the RATP website to learn more about the summer work on the RER A.
A modernised line
This summer work is only part of the many investments made by Île-de-France Mobilités to make the RER A more reliable and modernised. Since 2017, several developments have made it possible to cope with the 20% increase in the number of passengers in 10 years on this line.
Infographic: Île-de-France mobilités, SNCF, RATP investment to make the A train more reliable. December 2017, implementation of a new offer. 2018, commissioning of automatic train control. December 2018, commissioning of a unified SNCF-RATP command
Two major developments have already been implemented as part of the modernisation of the line:
- the commissioning of double-deck trains, for more capacity and comfort
- the deployment of automatic control on the central section of the line, to improve speed and reliability.
Major work is still planned, such as the commissioning of a unified SNCF-RATP command and the development of train turnaround points to promote the flow of traffic on the line.
In addition, the renovation of the 43 MI2N trainsets will begin in 2020 and be completed the following year, in order to standardize the level of comfort of the line.
To find out more about the investments made by Île-de-France Mobilités, go here.