Calais to Paris High Speed Line?

[GNER 91128]

Does anyone know if the proposed new high speed line from Calais to Paris, avoiding Lille is still going to happen? Don't know what it was going to be called.

I find a potential journey time from London to Paris in 1hr 50mins quite a prospect if this ever were to happen.

Are there any substantial new high speed lines being built in France or the rest of Europe atm?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I think this must be the Amiens cut-off you are thinking of. No idea if it will ever happen, though - it's very much a long term plan and there just isn't the money available at the moment.

 

[jopsuk]

There's the Tours-Bordeaux extension of the LGV Atlantique, with potential extension southwards to the Spanish border. Unusually for France, this will actually allow them to run better local services in the area- several original LGV were "upgrades" of old lines that resulted in total loss of local train services.

if you look at the "TGV Class – Train à Grande Vitesse" box at the bottom of this article, there's links to the various SNCF plans- each says whether or not it is funded

 

[A60K]

I believe the Amiens cut-off is in the provisional plan for around 2025-2028. The next LGV I think is the Atlantique extension beyond Le Mans, and after that closing the gap between Perpignan and Montpellier.

 

[brianthegiant]

Yes, Paris - Calais (avoiding Lille) has dropped down the priority list in favour of other schemes.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Details of the LGV 'Picardie' line here ( could do with a map adding...)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGV_Picardie

 

[Bald Rick]

The RFF website has excellent details of all the new line projects, available in English.

Two lines under construction now, the extension of LGV Est to Strasbourg and the Nimes-Montpellier bypass. Another two funded and about to start: the LGV SE Atlantique (Tours - Bordeaux) and the LGV Bretagne- Pays de Loire from Le Mans to Rennes.

Several others in detailed planning, including Montpellier -Perpignan, Poitiers-Limoges, LGV PACA to Nice, and the West / South branches of the LGV Rhin-Rhone.

The LGVs south of Bordeaux to Tououse and Irun are in the early stages of planning, roughly similar to where HS2 was 2 years ago. Interestingly, if you drive down the A62 from Bordeaux to Toulouse you will see signs everywhere saying LGV NON! Anyone know French for NIMBY?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Ne pas dans mon jardin???

 

[jopsuk]

with the line to Irun, presumably this (rather than via Barcelona) will be the faster Paris-Madrid route once the Spanish lines are completed as well? At the momennt the lines in spanish Euskadi are all either broad or narrow gauge. I wonder what sort of regular journey time will be achievable on that route- and also for London-Madrid, once the southern interconnection around Paris is built.

 

[Bald Rick]

with the line to Irun, presumably this (rather than via Barcelona) will be the faster Paris-Madrid route once the Spanish lines are completed as well? At the momennt the lines in spanish Euskadi are all either broad or narrow gauge. I wonder what sort of regular journey time will be achievable on that route- and also for London-Madrid, once the southern interconnection around Paris is built.

It will be the quickest route Paris - Madrid. Journey time about 5 1/2 hrs (8hrs London) depending on stops.

Although I hear from a chum working on the feasibility that RFF/SNCF are going cold on the idea of the southern Paris link.

 

[cle]

I can't wait for the Montpellier - Perpignan link, it will connect up the network very nicely.

What would be the journey time from Paris to Barcelona I wonder?

 

[Bald Rick]

I can't wait for the Montpellier - Perpignan link, it will connect up the network very nicely.

What would be the journey time from Paris to Barcelona I wonder?

About 4h15 if it was non-stop, which is unlikely, so expect it to be nearer 5h. But it's at least a decade away.

There's still a lot of work to do on the Spanish side, rumours are that the opening planned for this December will be missed.