RER B

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RER B
RER RER B
Overview
Termini
Stations47
Service
TypeRapid transit/commuter rail
SystemRéseau Express Régional
Operator(s)RATP/SNCF
Rolling stockMI 79, MI 84
Ridership165 million journeys per annum (2004)
History
Opened8 December 1977
(last extension in 1994)
Technical
Line length80 km (50 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification
Route map
CDGVAL SNCF
Aéroport CDG 2 TGV  B3 
CDGVAL
Aéroport CDG 1
 B5  Mitry–Claye
TransilienTransilien Line K (Paris-Nord) TER
Parc des Expositions
Villeparisis – Mitry-le-Neuf
Villepinte
Vert-Galant
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 16*
Sevran – Beaudottes
Sevran – Livry
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 16*
TransilienTransilien Line K (Paris-Nord) Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 4
Aulnay-sous-Bois
Le Blanc-Mesnil
Drancy
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 16Paris Métro Line 17* Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 11
Le Bourget
La Courneuve – Aubervilliers
La Plaine–Stade de France
RERRER D TransilienTransilien Line H (Paris-Nord)Transilien Line K (Paris-Nord) Paris MétroParis Métro Line 2Paris Métro Line 4Paris Métro Line 5 SNCF
Gare du Nord
RERRER ARER D Paris MétroParis Métro Line 1Paris Métro Line 4Paris Métro Line 7Paris Métro Line 11Paris Métro Line 14
Châtelet–Les Halles
RERRER C Paris MétroParis Métro Line 4Paris Métro Line 10
Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame
Luxembourg
Port-Royal
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 4Paris Métro Line 6
Denfert-Rochereau
Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 3a
Cité Universitaire
Gentilly
Laplace
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 15*
Arcueil–Cachan
Bagneux
Bourg-la-Reine
Sceaux
Parc de Sceaux
Fontenay-aux-Roses
La Croix de Berny
Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 10 Bus Tvm
Robinson  B2 
Antony
Orlyval
Fontaine-Michalon
Les Baconnets
RERRER C
Massy-Verrières
RERRER C Paris MétroParis Métro Line 18* Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 12* SNCF
Massy-Palaiseau
Palaiseau
Palaiseau-Villebon
Lozère
Le Guichet
Orsay-Ville
Bures-sur-Yvette
La Hacquinière
Gif-sur-Yvette
Courcelle-sur-Yvette
 B4  Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse

Disabled access all stations are accessible

(*) Under construction

RER B is one of the five lines in the Réseau Express Régional (English: Regional Express Network), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris, France and its Île-de-France suburbs. The 80-kilometre (50 mi) RER B line crosses the region from north to south, with all trains serving a group of stations in central Paris, before branching out towards the ends of the line.

The line opened in stages starting in December 1977 by connecting two existing suburban commuter rail lines with a new tunnel under Paris: the Chemin de Fer du Nord to the north (which formerly terminated at Gare du Nord) and the Ligne de Sceaux to the south (which formerly terminated at Luxembourg station).

The RER B, along with the rest of the RER network, has had a significant social impact on Paris and the surrounding region by speeding up trips across central Paris, by making far fewer stops than the Paris Métro and by bringing far-flung suburbs within easy reach of the city centre. The line has far exceeded all traffic expectations, with passengers taking 165 million journeys per year in 2004. That makes the RER B the second busiest single rail line in Europe (after RER A).

The line faces capacity challenges as a result of sharing a tunnel with RER D trains between Châtelet–Les Halles and Gare du Nord.

Chronology[edit]

The RER B opened in stages starting in December 1977 by connecting two existing suburban commuter rail lines with a new tunnel under Paris: the Chemin de Fer du Nord to the north (which formerly terminated at Gare du Nord) and the Ligne de Sceaux to the south (which formerly terminated at Luxembourg station).

List of RER B stations[edit]

Inside a RER B train
Luxembourg on the RER B.
Inside an RER B train
Travelers waiting for RER B at Châtelet–Les Halles during a day of strike in 2019
RER B at La Plaine – Stade de France.

Service patterns[edit]

The RER B Line has two service patterns:

  • Off-peak hours on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
  • Rush hour during the week (and special events such as matches at the Stade de France or construction work)

In any case, the stations from Cité Universitaire to Paris Gare du Nord are served by every single train.

Off-peak service[edit]

In 2021, the off-peak service is made up of 3 missions per 1 / 4H:

To the south:

  • Mission K, (KALI, KARE, etc.) for Massy-Palaiseau (Massy)
    • Non-stop train between CDG and Paris, then local train from Paris to Massy
  • Mission S, (SVAN, SOLO, etc.) for Robinson
    • Local train on the entire line between Mitry—Claye and Robinson
  • Mission P, (PEPE, PILE, etc.) for St Remy-lès-Chevreuse
    • Local train between CDG and Paris, rapid/semi-direct train between Paris and Massy-Palaiseau, then local train to St Remy

To the north:

  • Mission E, (EKLI, ELAN, etc.) for CDG2
    • Local train in the south between Massy and Paris, then non-stop/direct train between Paris and CDG2
  • Mission E, (EFLA, ERGE, etc.) for CDG2
    • Local train between St Remy and Massy, rapid/semi-direct train between Massy and Paris, then local train from Paris to CDG
  • Mission I, (IBIS, IMRE, etc.) for Mitry-Mory
    • Local train on the whole line

Rush hour service[edit]

Rush hour is between 07:00 and 09:45 in the morning and between 16:00 and 20:00 in the afternoon.

In 2021 the rush hour service is made up of 4 missions per 1 / 4H:

General scheme[edit]

In the northern section after Paris Gare du Nord, all trains are local trains.

To the south:

  • Mission K, (KALI, KARE, etc ...) for Massy-Palaiseau (Massy)
    • Rapid train from Paris to Massy
  • Mission L, (LUNE, LEVE, etc ...) for Orsay
    • Rapid train from Paris to Massy then local train between Massy and Orsay
  • Mission S, (SVAN, SOLO, etc ...) for Robinson
    • Local train until Robinson
  • Mission P, (PEPE, PILE, etc ...) for St Remy-lès-Chevreuse
    • Semi-direct train between Paris and Massy-Palaiseau, non-stop train between Massy and Orsay, then local train between Orsay and St Remy

To the north:

In the northern section after Paris Gare du Nord, all trains are local trains.

  • 2 Mission E to Roissy
  • 2 Mission I to Mitry Mory

Some infrequent missions can be seen such as missions J to Denfert Rochereau in the evening.

Mission code[edit]

RER B mission codes are made up of four letters followed by two numbers. The first letter always indicates the destination.

Meaning of first letter used regularly
Letter Destination
E Aéroport Charles-de-Gaulle 2 TGV
I Mitry - Claye
J Denfert-Rochereau
K Massy - Palaiseau
L Orsay-Ville
P Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse
Q La Plaine - Stade de France
S Robinson
U Laplace
Meaning of first letter used exceptionally
Letter Destination
A Gare du Nord
G Aulnay-sous-Bois
H Bourg-la-Reine
M Châtelet - Les Halles
V Lozère
X Parc des Expositions
Y Les Baconnets

Rolling stock[edit]

RER B is operated by 117 sets of the MI 79 series and 31 sets of the MI 84 series. These are to be replaced from 2025 by the MI 20 series.[1]

Past fleet include the MS 61, which operated on the line from 29 June 1967 to 28 February 1983, and the Class Z 23000, which operated from 16 November 1937 to 27 February 1987.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]