Closure of the RER B: users invited not to travel between 12 and 14 August

Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: MAGALI COHEN / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 20:01 p.m., May 22, 2023

Users of the northern section of RER B are asked to travel as little as possible between 12 and 14 August. Their line will be closed for work and replacement buses will not be enough to absorb demand. These are "works of an unparalleled scale," said Monday the CEO of the SNCF Jean-Pierre Farandou, at a press conference organized at the prefecture of Paris and Ile-de-France. "It is not often that we have to interrupt traffic for three days" and above all, for a working day, since August 14 falls on a Monday, he continued.

600 buses and 1,000 drivers mobilized

"We can have up to 200,000 travelers taking this line" on a Monday eve of August 15, said the prefect of the region Marc Guillaume. "However, to circulate 200,000 passengers by replacement bus, it is not possible." The northern section of RER B is operated by SNCF and runs from Gare du Nord to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and Mitry-Claye via a separate branch. To compensate for the absence of trains for three days, the SNCF mobilized 600 buses and 1,000 drivers with a cadence of up to one departure every 40 seconds at Aulnay-sous-Bois station (Seine-Saint-Denis). "It's 50% more than we had ever done before," said Jean-Pierre Farandou.

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However, it will be necessary "to ensure that we have more than 100,000 people who should have taken the RER B who do not show up on this transport offer," insisted Marc Guillaume.

Carpooling offered to those who wish to use it

The regional prefecture, such as SNCF and Ile-de-France Mobilités (IDFM) recommend that all those who can do so do not travel that day. A communication campaign will be organized in August to strengthen passenger information. "It's going to be very complicated," acknowledged Laurent Probst, CEO of IDFM. "We know from experience that line B north is a line where users can least telework," he added.

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"We expect very high demand, including August 14," warned Laurent Probst, adding that as during strike days, IDFM would offer carpooling to those who wish to use it. The work consists of installing turning tracks north of Paris. This will make it possible to "maintain traffic in the event of a traffic cut on certain sections of the line" by creating a "temporary terminus" at La Plaine-Stade de France.