RER A

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2011}} [[File:RER-A Etoile.jpg|thumb|260px|right|An '''MI 2N''' at [[Charles de Gaulle - Étoile (Paris Métro and RER)|Charles de Gaulle – Étoile]]. You can see the [[SIEL]] information system.]] [[File:Auber-RER-Paris-2005-Platform-2.jpg|thumb|260px|right|An '''MS 61''' at [[Auber (Paris Metro)|Auber]].]] The '''RER A''' is one of the five lines in the [[RER]] rapid transit system serving [[:Paris]], France. The line runs from the western terminuses Saint-Germain-en-Laye (A1), Cergy Le Haut (A3), and Poissy (A5) to the eastern terminuses Boissy-Saint-Léger (A2) and Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy (A4). * First inauguration: 12 December 1969 * Length: {{convert|108.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} * Number of stops: 46 * Traffic (2007): 286,000,000 journeys per annum ''(figure only for the RATP section of the line)'' Line A is one of the world's busiest lines with over 1,200,000 passenger/day. Line A is formed from the connection across Paris of the [[Saint-Germain-en-Laye]]-[[Nanterre]] line in the west to the [[Vincennes (France)|Vincennes]] – [[Boissy-Saint-Léger|Boissy-St-Léger]] line in the east. Two branches were added in the West, to [[Poissy]] and the 'ville nouvelle' of [[Cergy]], and another in the East, to the ville nouvelle of [[Marne-la-Vallée]]. The two latest extensions of the line were to [[Cergy - Le Haut (SNCF)|Cergy-Le Haut]] and [[Disneyland Paris]]. == Popular success and responses == [[File:RER-A.jpg|thumb|260px|Inside an '''MI 84'''.]] Line A has been a runaway success since its inauguration and, with its million-plus passengers per workday, has frequently been presented as the busiest urban transit line in the world. This claim has been disputed (Gerondeau C, 2003 – see reference) by reference to the figure of 103,080 passengers per hour claimed by the then [[Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (Japan)|Ministry of Transport]] in Japan for the [[JR East]] [[Chūō Main Line|Chūō Line]] in Tokyo – almost twice the equivalent figure (55,000) for the RER Line A. Japan being something of a case apart in the field of rail transport, accounting for 40% of all train journeys in the world, it clearly remains the case that the RER Line A is a busy route. Another disputed claim is by the [[Hong Kong MTR]]'s busy suburban [[East Rail Line]] which runs at 101,000 passengers per hour, plus [[Hong Kong MTR]]'s urban metro lines currently run at 85,000-80,000 p/h/d , both which are well above RER A's figures. Ever-increasing traffic volume and the need to ward off imminent saturation have been major factors in RATP and SNCF's planning since the inauguration of the Line A. At least five major capital investment decisions can be directly traced back to this issue: * In the early 1980s RATP contracted German conglomerate [[Siemens AG|Siemens]] to develop a dynamic traffic control system that would remove the capacity constraints caused by conventional block traffic management. This system, called SACEM (''[[Système d'aide à la conduite, à l'exploitation et à la maintenance]]''), remains today one of the world's most advanced traffic control systems and enables extremely short spacing (under 90 seconds in stations, under 2 minutes in tunnels) between trains during rush hour. (Parisians have become used to the sight of a train pulling into a station as the one before it is just clearing the platform.) * Around the same time, RATP had to order a significant number of additional MI79/MI84 trains to remedy premature wear and tear on its existing MS61 rolling stock caused by over-utilization of Line A. * Later in the 1980s, the need to relieve congestion on the central segment of Line A was a key factor in selecting the route of the new, fully automated [[Paris Métro Line 14|Line 14]] (also known as METEOR) of the [[Paris Metro|Métro]]. * The same need governed the choice of the route of RER Line E in the early 1990s and is a factor in current plans for that line's westward or south-westward extension. * An entirely new class of double-decker trains ([[MI 2N]] series) entered service in 1998, in part a product of RATP's belief that no further infrastructure improvement (short of an extremely expensive track quadrupling) would relieve congestion on Line A. One simple (if partial) solution to the congestion problem that has never been implemented is a change in the seating configuration inside the trains themselves. The RER is unusual among high-capacity urban train networks in its attachment to "transversal" (front and back facing) seating. A change to "longitudinal" (sideways window-lining) seating typically reduces the number of seats by 10% but increases standing room by 30%. The result is increased capacity and a less cramped ride for those without seats. == Chronology == * '''14 December 1969''': The Paris subway operator, the [[Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens|RATP]], buys the "ligne de Vincennes" from the [[SNCF]] which connected [[Bastille]] with [[Boissy-Saint-Léger]] in the east. A new 2.5-km tunnel is built between [[Vincennes]] and [[Nation (Paris Métro and RER)|Nation]], which replaces Bastille as the terminus. Total length of segment: 17.5 km. * '''21 February 1970''': The RATP buys the "ligne de St-Germain" from the SNCF which connected [[Gare Saint-Lazare|St-Lazare train station]] with [[Saint-Germain-en-Laye]] in the west. A new tunnel is opened between [[La Défense]] and the [[Place de l'Étoile]], which replaces St-Lazare as the terminus. Shuttle ("navette") service is operated [[La Défense]] – [[Place de l'Étoile|Étoile]], 4 km. * '''23 November 1971''': Tunnel opened [[Place de l'Etoile|Étoile]] – [[Auber]], 2 km. Shuttle service extended to operate [[La Défense]] – [[Auber]]. * '''1 October 1972''': Tunnel opened [[La Défense]] – [[Nanterre|Nanterre-Université]], 2 km. Shuttle service extended on the "ligne de St-Germain" ([[La Défense]] – [[Saint-Germain-en-Laye]], 13 km) to operate [[Saint-Germain-en-Laye|Saint-Germain]] – [[Auber]]. * '''October 1973''': New underground station, [[Nanterre|Nanterre-Préfecture]], opened between [[La Défense]] and [[Nanterre|Nanterre-Université]]. * '''9 December 1977''': Both lines are connected with a new 6-km tunnel giving birth to the '''RER A''' line, [[Saint-Germain-en-Laye|Saint-Germain]] – [[Boissy-Saint-Léger]], 42.5 km total. Two new stations were inaugurated: [[Châtelet - Les Halles (Paris RER)|Châtelet-les Halles]] and [[Paris-Gare de Lyon|Gare de Lyon]]. A new branch, "ligne nouvelle de Marne-la-Vallée," 8.5 km, was opened in the east from [[Vincennes]] to [[Noisy-le-Grand]]. * '''19 December 1980''': The "ligne nouvelle de Marne-la-Vallée" was extended from [[Noisy-le-Grand]] to [[Torcy]], 9 km. * '''29 May 1988''': New service, "Interconnexion Ouest," [[Cergy|Cergy-St-Christophe]] – Marne-la-Vallée ([[Torcy]]), 47 km total. Included new branch in the west from [[Nanterre|Nanterre-Université]] to [[Cergy|Cergy-St-Christophe]], 15.5 km. * '''May 1990''': Another branch was created in the west from [[Maisons-Laffitte]] to [[Poissy]], 8.5 km. * '''1 April 1992''': The Marne-la-Vallée line was extended from [[Torcy]] to [[Marne-la-Vallée|Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy]], 11 km, in order to create a direct link from the centre of Paris to [[Disneyland Paris]]. * '''29 August 1994''': Extension opened [[Cergy-St-Christophe(RER)|Cergy-St-Christophe]] – [[Cergy - Le Haut (SNCF)|Cergy-Le Haut]], 2.5 km. New station, Neuville-Université, opened. Located between Conflans-Fin-d'Oise and Cergy-Préfecture. * '''10 June 2001''': New station, Val-d'Europe, opened. Located between Bussy-St-Georges and Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy. == Map == [[File:RER A.gif|thumb|center|800px|Geographically accurate path of the RER A.]]
== List of RER A stations == [[File:Cergylehaut gare.jpg|thumb|Cergy-le-Haut.]] [[File:RER A Bry-sur-Marne.jpg|thumb|Platforms at Bry-sur-Marne.]] [[File:Ms61R 2rames boissy.jpg|thumb|Trains at Boissy-St.-Leger.]] * A1 ** [[Gare de Saint Germain-en-Laye|Saint-Germain-en-Laye]] ** [[Le Vésinet – Le Pecq (Paris RER)|Le Vésinet – Le Pecq]] ** [[Le Vésinet – Centre (Paris RER)|Le Vésinet – Centre]] ** [[Chatou – Croissy (Paris RER)|Chatou – Croissy]] ** [[Rueil-Malmaison (Paris RER)|Rueil-Malmaison]] ** [[Nanterre – Ville (Paris RER)|Nanterre – Ville]] ** [[Nanterre – Université (Paris RER)|Nanterre – Université]] * A3, A5 ** A3 *** [[Cergy - Le Haut (SNCF)|Cergy – Le Haut]] *** [[Cergy – Saint-Christophe (SNCF)|Cergy – Saint-Christophe]] *** [[Cergy – Préfecture (SNCF)|Cergy – Préfecture]] *** [[Neuville – Université (SNCF)|Neuville – Université]] *** [[Conflans – Fin d'Oise (SNCF)|Conflans – Fin d'Oise]] *** [[Achères - Ville (SNCF)|Achères – Ville]] ** A5 *** [[Poissy (SNCF)|Poissy]] *** [[Achères – Grand Cormier (Paris RER)|Achères – Grand Cormier]] ** [[Maisons-Laffitte (SNCF)|Maisons-Laffitte]] ** [[Sartrouville (SNCF)|Sartrouville]] ** [[Houilles – Carrières-sur-Seine (SNCF)|Houilles – Carrières-sur-Seine]] * [[Nanterre – Préfecture (Paris RER)|Nanterre – Préfecture]] * [[La Défense (Paris Métro, RER and Transilien)|La Défense]] * [[Charles de Gaulle - Étoile (Paris Métro and RER)|Charles de Gaulle – Étoile]] * [[Auber (Paris RER)|Auber]] * [[Châtelet - Les Halles (Paris RER)|Châtelet – Les Halles]] * [[Paris-Gare de Lyon|Gare de Lyon]] * [[Nation (Paris Métro and RER)|Nation]] * [[Vincennes (Paris RER)|Vincennes]] * A2 ** [[Fontenay-sous-Bois (Paris RER)|Fontenay-sous-Bois]] ** [[Nogent-sur-Marne (Paris RER)|Nogent-sur-Marne]] ** [[Joinville-le-Pont (Paris RER)|Joinville-le-Pont]] ** [[Saint-Maur – Créteil (Paris RER)|Saint-Maur – Créteil]] ** [[Le Parc de Saint-Maur (Paris RER)|Le Parc de Saint-Maur]] ** [[Champigny (Paris RER)|Champigny]] ** [[La Varenne – Chennevières (Paris RER)|La Varenne – Chennevières]] ** [[Sucy – Bonneuil (Paris RER)|Sucy – Bonneuil]] ** [[Boissy-Saint-Léger (Paris RER)|Boissy-Saint-Léger]] * A4 ** [[Val de Fontenay (Paris RER)|Val de Fontenay]] ** [[Neuilly-Plaisance (Paris RER)|Neuilly-Plaisance]] ** [[Bry-sur-Marne (Paris RER)|Bry-sur-Marne]] ** [[Noisy-le-Grand – Mont d'Est (Paris RER)|Noisy-le-Grand – Mont d'Est]] ** [[Noisy – Champs (Paris RER)|Noisy – Champs]] ** [[Noisiel (Paris RER)|Noisiel]] ** [[Lognes (Paris RER)|Lognes]] ** [[Torcy (Paris RER)|Torcy]] ** [[Bussy-Saint-Georges (Paris RER)|Bussy-Saint-Georges]] ** [[Val d'Europe (Paris RER)|Val d'Europe]] ** [[Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy (Paris RER)|Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy]] == Operation == [[File:Ratp sacem effacement.jpg|thumb|260px|Lineside signal taken over by '''SACEM''' (X).]] === Branches === Line A provides two groups of services: * St Germain branch – common trunk line – Boissy branch * Cergy or Poissy branches – common trunk line – Marne la Vallée branch. During off-peak hours, the Poissy – Noisy services operate every 20 minutes (plus a La Défense – Noisy service every 20 minutes) , and the St-Germain – Boissy-St-Leger and Cergy – Chessy service operates every 10 minutes. Operations are very complex during peak periods, with an average of one train every 2 minutes on the common trunk line in the busier direction (east to west in the morning, west to east in the evening), and one train every 2 min 30 sec in the other direction. The Marne la Vallée branch has the most intensive service. === Names of Services === RER trains do not display the name of the destination station, but instead display a "nom de mission" or "name of service." These are, literally, names used to designate (and distinguish) individual services ("runs"), and are accompanied by a two-digit number. The first letter corresponds to the destination station (gare d'arrivée): *B = [[La Défense (Paris Métro, RER and Transilien)|La Défense]] *D = [[Noisy-le-Grand - Mont d'Est (Paris RER)|Noisy-le-Grand Mont d'Est]] *N = [[Boissy-Saint-Léger (Paris RER)|Boissy-St-Léger]] *O = [[Torcy (Paris RER)|Torcy]] *Q = [[Marne-la-Vallée - Chessy (Paris RER)|Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy]] *R = [[La Varenne - Chennevières (Paris RER)|La Varenne-Chennevières]] *T = [[Poissy (Paris RER)|Poissy]] *U = [[Cergy - Le Haut (Paris RER)|Cergy – Le Haut]] *W = Empty train ('''V'''ide '''V'''oyageurs, "No Passengers") *X = [[Vésinet - Le Pecq (Paris RER)|Le Vésinet – Le Pecq]] *Y = [[Rueil-Malmaison (Paris RER)|Rueil-Malmaison]] *Z = [[Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Paris RER)|Saint-Germain-en-Laye]] The second letter corresponds to the stations served. The letter "E" indicates a train calling at all stations ('''omnibus''', only on the route [[Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Paris RER)|Saint-Germain-in-Laye]] – [[Boissy-Saint-Léger (Paris RER)|Boissy-St-Léger]]). The third and fourth letters are used to form a pronounceable name. These letters are changed when the service number (from 01 to 99 eastward, from 02 to 98 westward) reaches the maximum. Therefore, two services with the first two letters identical serve the same station, e.g. ZEUS and ZEMA (local trains with destination [[Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Paris RER)|Saint-Germain-en-Laye]]), or NELY, NEGE and NEMO (local trains with destination [[Boissy-Saint-Léger (Paris RER)|Boissy-Saint-Léger]]). The letters ZZ generally indicate that the established service pattern was changed for an unspecified reason, generally a technical problem which disrupted operations. === Morning Peak Periods === Each of these services operates every 10 minutes: * Boissy – Le Vésinet-Le Pecq, all stations except Nanterre-Ville. * La Varenne – St-Germain, all stations except Chatou-Croissy and Le Vésinet-Centre. * Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy – Cergy-le-Haut, all stations except Lognes, Noisiel, Bry-sur-Marne, Houilles and Maisons-Laffitte. * Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy – Poissy, all stations except Val d'Europe, Bussy-St-Georges, Lognes, Noisy-Champs and Sartrouville. * Torcy – Rueil-Malmaison, all stops except Bry, Neuilly-Plaisance and Nanterre-Préfecture. * Cergy – Torcy, all stops except Maisons-Laffitte, Houilles, Noisiel and Lognes. * Poissy – Chessy, all stops except Neuilly-Plaisance and Bry. * St-Germain – Boissy, all stops except Le Vésinet-Centre and Chatou-Croissy. * Le Vésinet-Le Pecq – La Varenne, all stops except Nanterre-Préfecture, Vincennes and Fontenay. === Evening Peak Periods === Each of these services operates every 10 minutes: * Cergy – Noisy-le-Grand, all stops except Maisons-Laffitte and Houilles. * Poissy – Chessy, all stops except Sartrouville, Bry, Noisiel and Lognes. * St-Germain – Boissy, all stops except Nanterre-Ville and Nanterre-Préfecture. * Le Vésinet-Le Pecq – La Varenne, all stops except Vésinet-Centre and Chatou-Croissy. * La Défense – Torcy, all stops except Neuilly-Plaisance and Bry. * Chessy – Poissy, all stops except Bry and Neuilly-Plaisance. * Boissy – Le Vésinet-Le Pecq, all stops. * Noisy – Cergy-le-Haut, all stops except Houilles and Maisons-Laffitte. * La Varenne – St-Germain, all stops except Fontenay, Vincennes, Nanterre-Préfecture, Chatou-Croissy and Le Vésinet-Centre. === Off-Peak Hours === Each of these services operates in both directions every 20 minutes: *Poissy – Noisy le Grand-Mont d'Est. *La Défense – Noisy le Grand-Mont d'Est. Each of these services operates in both directions every 10 minutes: *St-Germain-en-Laye – Boissy-St-Léger. *Cergy-le-Haut – Marne la Vallée-Chessy. During the off-peak operation, a train is scheduled every 200 seconds (3 minutes 20 seconds) between La Défense and Vincennes in both directions. == External links == * [http://ratp.fr/ RATP official website] ''(in French)'' * [http://www.ratp.info/informer/anglais/index.php# RATP official website] ''(in English)'' * [http://www.ratp.info/orienter/cv/carterer.php Interactive Map of the RER (from RATP's website)] * [http://www.ratp.info/orienter/cv/carteparis.php Interactive Map of the Paris métro (from RATP's website)] * [http://membres.lycos.fr/mobidf/ Mobidf website, dedicated to the RER (unofficial)] ''(in French)'' * [http://www.metro-pole.net/ Metro-Pole website, dedicated to Paris public transports (unofficial)] ''(in French)'' {{Paris Transport Network}}{{Paris Rail Stations}} {{coord missing|France}}