Line 9, 4 or 2? If you live in Paris and frequently use public transport, then you've probably had this debate with friends over a drink. Which is the slowest metro line? Conversely, many agree that lines 1 and 14 are the fastest. Is this true? Before answering these questions, do you know why the RATP network's lines don't all run at the same speed?
The Paris metro is not new. On July 19, 1900, line 1 was inaugurated between Porte Maillot and Porte de Vincennes. Since then, many other lines have been added, each with its own curvature. While some lines run in a straight line, allowing the train to travel at high speed, others are more winding, with shorter distances between stations, necessitating a reduction in speed between them. Other factors? The age and obsolescence of certain lines, as well as the technical specificity of certain trainsets (MP14 versus MP73, rail versus rubber-tyred trainsets, etc.).
According to RATP, which spoke to our Libération colleagues in an article published in 2018, " the average real speed (of the metro, editor's note) at peak times is 25.1km/h ". But it has to be said that line 14 is still the fastest metro line, with an average speed of almost 40km/h at peak times, compared with an average of 30km/h for line 1 (the second-fastest metro line).
What about the slowest line in the RATP network? According to the same Libération article, two lines tied for first place: line 2 and line 4, with an average real speed of 21.6 km/h.
In future, line 14 will lose its title of fastest metro line. With the forthcoming inauguration of the Grand Paris Express, trains on this future network will run at " an average speed of between 55 and 65 km/h, with a maximum speed of 110 km/h ", explains Société du Grand Paris, in charge of designing and building the Grand Paris public transport network.
Official website
www.ratp.fr
