[FR] LGV Sud-Est closed 9 to 12 November 2024

[Austriantrain]

The LGV Sud-Est will be completely closed for modernisation work from 9 to 12 November 2024, apparently including the TGV Rhone-Alpes past Valence.

Only about 30% of regular services will run, all diverted over classic lines, leading to very long journey times. The following link has some more information (in French):

Fermeture temporaire de la ligne à grande vitesse Paris-Lyon - RailTech.be

La LGV Sud-Est, Paris et Lyon, et première ligne à grande vitesse de France, sera fermée pendant quatre jours du 9 au 12 novembre 2024, en vue de la mise en place d'une nouvelle signalisation. En conséquence, SNCF Voyageurs adapte son plan de transport TGV sur l'ensemble de l'axe Sud-Est, et les...

www.railtech.be

So if anyone want to experience relatively fast, seldom stopping trains on classic SNCF lines, this is the time to travel. If you are in a hurry, avoid these dates though.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The translation says that the November block is for LGV-SE resignalling, concentrating this at a single location, and providing a power upgrade.
The work has been ongoing for several years, and is scheduled to complete in 2030, so more closures are in prospect.
I forget the scope of the work, but a line speed increase comes into it (260km/h to 300km/h I think, on the original section north of Lyon).
Not sure if the signalling system will change to ETCS or not.

The text on services during the block suggests reductions on other lines (to Strasbourg for instance), but this might simply be the inter-regional services that also run on the SE network.
TGVs won't run beyond Toulon or Montpellier, or serve other countries (including Belgium, which doesn't sound right).

There doesn't seem to be an effort to extend services on other LGV routes to serve some destinations (eg Paris-Basel via Strasbourg, or Paris-Perpignan via Bordeaux/Toulouse).

 

[Austriantrain]

I understood it to mean that services touching the LGV SE from Belgium will not run; not all Belgium HS services.

 

[k-c-p]

SNCF Reseau provides some more details about project "Modernisation de la ligne Paris-Lyon (LGV+)"

• https://www.sncf-reseau.com/fr/travaux/modernisation-ligne-paris-lyon-lgv
• https://www.sncf-reseau.com/fr/projets-et-travaux-majeurs/ligne-lgv-paris-lyon-un-projet-innovant

Important elements

• install ETCS
• strengthen power supply
• new command centre in Lyon
• increase capacity from 13tph to 16tph in each direction

 

[MarcVD]

Similarly, belgian high speed line n°1 will be closed for 2 weeks between 12 and 30 Aug. for track renewal. Same will take place for the next 10 years. Trains will be diverted via conventional lines.

 

[rf_ioliver]

Similarly, belgian high speed line n°1 will be closed for 2 weeks between 12 and 30 Aug. for track renewal. Same will take place for the next 10 years. Trains will be diverted via conventional lines.

Do you mean 2 weeks every year for 10 years, or closed for 10 years.

 

[Halish Railway]

I would imagine that the Paris to Zurich services would be re-routed to run from Paris Est and along LGV Est towards Strasbourg, before heading south along the Alsace plain to resume their usual route at Mulhouse. Correct me if I'm wrong but this was the route used prior to the construction of LGV Rhin-Rhone, albeit not using the last bit of LGV Est towards Strasbourg which hadn't been built yet.

If this were the case I'd imagine that passengers heading towards Geneva and Lausanne would be encouraged to change at Basel and take an SBB service rather than using one of the limited TGV services via Dijon.

 

[stuu]

Do you mean 2 weeks every year for 10 years, or closed for 10 years.

Definitely the first one

 

[MarcVD]

Do you mean 2 weeks every year for 10 years, or closed for 10 years.

Two weeks every year for the next ten years. That's the Infrabel plan to entirely renew the tracks of this line, which is now more than 25 years old and supports some 300 trains per day.
Some more details :
This year will see works on the section between Silly and Antoing. 17 km of track will be renewed (rail, crossties, and ballast).
Trains to/from Paris will be diverted via lines 96 (Mons), 97 (Saint Ghislain), and 78 (Antoing) and come back on the high speed line before the french border.
Trains to/from London will be diverted over line 94 from Silly to Lille via Tournai and go back on the french LGV just before entering Lille Europe.
Time penalty will be about 30 minutes.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Makes sense to do works in August, while most business travel is lighter

 

[rf_ioliver]

Definitely the first one

I would hope so It was written in an ambiguous way (also seen it written in that way in some railway journals too).

 

[MarcVD]

Makes sense to do works in August, while most business travel is lighter

Yes. Also timed just after the Olympics. And during those works, the extra classical trains Brussels-Paris will not run, in order to leave enough capacity on line 96 for the diverted TGVs.