Closure of the Paris-Lyon TGV Line: What Travelers Need to Know
From November 9 to 12, the high-speed train (TGV) line between Paris and Lyon will be completely closed for essential modernization work. SNCF Voyageurs has announced that only 30% of TGV services will be operational during this period, resulting in significant travel delays. For instance, the journey from Paris to Lyon will take approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes instead of the usual 2 hours. Similarly, travel times to Marseille and Grenoble will be extended to 7 hours and 6 hours respectively.
Impact on Train Services and Stations
The closure will also disrupt services to various regions. Connections to Pays de la Loire, Brittany, Normandy, Centre-Val-de-Loire, and Hauts-de-France will not be available. Notable routes such as Nantes-Lyon and Lille-Marseille will be suspended, and TGVs traveling to the south-east will terminate in Marseille and Toulon, bypassing Nice altogether. Additionally, eleven stations will not be served, including Lyon Saint-Exupéry and Montpellier-Sud-de-France. International services to Spain, Italy, and Belgium will also be halted, although connections to Switzerland remain, albeit with reduced frequency.
Technological Upgrades and Future Improvements
This closure marks a significant milestone as it is the first complete shutdown of the busiest high-speed line in Europe for such an extended period. The work aims to implement the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), which is expected to enhance train frequency, reliability, and overall capacity by 25% by 2030. SNCF has mobilized nearly 1,000 personnel for this operation, which involves a comprehensive technological upgrade to improve the efficiency of the line.
