RER C

RER C
RER RER C
RER C train crossing the Pont Rouelle, with the Eiffel Tower in the background, as seen from Île aux Cygnes
Overview
Termini
Connecting lines
  • Paris Métro Paris Métro Line 1 Paris Métro Line 2 Paris Métro Line 3 Paris Métro Line 4 Paris Métro Line 5 Paris Métro Line 6 Paris Métro Line 7 Paris Métro Line 8 Paris Métro Line 9 Paris Métro Line 10 Paris Métro Line 12 Paris Métro Line 13 Paris Métro Line 14
  • RER RER B RER D RER E
  • Transilien Transilien Line H (Paris-Nord) Transilien Line J (Paris-Saint-Lazare) Transilien Line N (Paris-Montparnasse) Transilien Line U Transilien Line V
  • Tramways in Île-de-France Île-de-France tramway Line 1 Île-de-France tramway Line 2 Île-de-France tramway Line 3a Île-de-France tramway Line 3b Île-de-France tramway Line 6 Île-de-France tramway Line 7 Île-de-France tramway Line 8 Île-de-France tramway Line 9 Île-de-France tramway Line 11 Île-de-France tramway Line 12
Stations75
Service
TypeRapid transit/commuter rail
SystemRéseau Express Régional
Operator(s)SNCF
Rolling stockZ 5600, Z 8800, Z 20500, Z 20900
Ridership140 million journeys per year
History
Opened26 September 1979
(last extension in 2006)
Technical
Line length185.6 km (115.3 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification
Route map
TransilienTransilien Line H (Paris-Nord)Transilien Line J (Paris-Saint-Lazare)
 C1  Pontoise
TransilienTransilien Line H (Paris-Nord)
Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône
TransilienTransilien Line H (Paris-Nord)
Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône-Liesse
TransilienTransilien Line H (Paris-Nord)
Pierrelaye
TransilienTransilien Line H (Paris-Nord)
 C3  Montigny–Beauchamp
TransilienTransilien Line H (Paris-Nord)
Franconville – Le Plessis-Bouchard
TransilienTransilien Line N (Paris-Montparnasse)
Coignières
Cernay
TransilienTransilien Line H (Paris-Nord)
TransilienTransilien Line N (Paris-Montparnasse)Transilien Line U
La Verrière
Ermont–Eaubonne
TransilienTransilien Line H (Paris-Nord)
TransilienTransilien Line N (Paris-Montparnasse)Transilien Line U
Trappes
Saint-Gratien
TransilienTransilien Line H (Paris-Nord)
TransilienTransilien Line N (Paris-Montparnasse)Transilien Line U
Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines  C7 
Épinay-sur-Seine
Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 8Île-de-France tramway Line 11
TransilienTransilien Line N (Paris-Montparnasse)Transilien Line U Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 13
Saint-Cyr
TransilienTransilien Line N (Paris-Montparnasse)Transilien Line UTransilien Line V TER Centre-Val de LoireTER Normandie Ouigo#Ouigo Train Classique SNCF
Versailles Chantiers  C8 
Gennevilliers
Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 1
Versailles Château Rive Gauche  C5 
Les Grésillons
Porchefontaine
Saint-Ouen
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 14
TransilienTransilien Line N (Paris-Montparnasse) Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 6
Viroflay-Rive-Gauche
Porte de Clichy
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 13Paris Métro Line 14 Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 3b
Chaville–Vélizy
Pereire–Levallois
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 3
Neuilly–Porte Maillot
RERRER E Paris MétroParis Métro Line 1 Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 3b
Meudon-Val-Fleury
Avenue Foch
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 2Île-de-France tramway Line 3b
Issy
Avenue Henri Martin
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 9
Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 2
Issy–Val de Seine
Boulainvilliers
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 9
Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 3a
Pont du Garigliano
Avenue du Président Kennedy
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 10
Javel
Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 6
Pont de l'Alma
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 9
Invalides
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 8Paris Métro Line 13
Musée d'Orsay
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 12
Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame
RERRER B Paris MétroParis Métro Line 4Paris Métro Line 10
RERRER B Paris MétroParis Métro Line 18* TransilienTransilien Line V Ouigo#Ouigo Train Classique SNCF Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 12
Massy–Palaiseau  C2 
Gare d'Austerlitz
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 5Paris Métro Line 10 TER Centre-Val de Loire Ouigo#Ouigo Train Classique Intercités SNCF
RERRER B
Massy–Verrières
Bibliothèque François Mitterrand
Paris MétroParis Métro Line 14
Chemin d'Antony
[Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 3a Avenue de France]
 
Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 7
Rungis–La Fraternelle
Ivry-sur-Seine
Pont de Rungis–Aéroport d'Orly  C12 
Vitry-sur-Seine
Orly-Ville
Les Ardoines
Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 9
Les Saules
Choisy-le-Roi
Villeneuve-le-Roi
Ablon
Athis-Mons
 C10  Juvisy
RERRER D Ouigo#Ouigo Train Classique SNCF Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 7*
Savigny-sur-Orge
Épinay-sur-Orge
Tramways in Île-de-FranceÎle-de-France tramway Line 12
Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois
Saint-Michel-sur-Orge
Brétigny
La Norville–Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon
Arpajon
Marolles-en-Hurepoix
Égly
Bouray
Breuillet–Bruyères-le-Châtel
Lardy
Breuillet–Village
Chamarande
Saint-Chéron
Étréchy
Sermaise
Étampes
TER Centre-Val de Loire
TER Centre-Val de Loire
Dourdan
 C6  Saint-Martin-d'Étampes
Dourdan-la-Forêt  C4 

Disabled access Wheelchair accessibility must be booked in advance.[1]

RER C 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 and its suburbs. The 186-kilometre (116 mi) line crosses the region from north to south. Briefly, between September 1979 and May 1980, the line was known as the Transversal Rive Gauche. The line is operated by SNCF.

The line runs from the northern termini Pontoise (C1), Versailles-Château-Rive-Gauche (C5) and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (C7) to the southern termini Massy-Palaiseau (C2), Dourdan-la-Forêt (C4) and Saint-Martin d'Étampes (C6).

The RER C line is the second-longest in the network, created from an amalgamation and renovation of several old SNCF commuter lines unlike RER A and B which had newer sections owned and constructed by RATP. Each day, over 531 trains run on the RER C alone, and carries over 540,000 passengers daily,[2] 150,000 passengers more than the entirety of the TGV network.

It is the most popular RER line for tourists, who represent 15% of its passengers, as the line serves many monuments and museums, including the Palace of Versailles. However, the numerous stops, combined with the old and fragile infrastructure the line inherited, makes the Parisian section of the RER C slow and inefficient. The numerous old curves and steep grades on RER C mean trains sometimes need to slow down to 30 km/h (19 mph) to safely pass sections with tight alignments.[3] In contrast, RER A was constructed with more modern standards enabling much higher average operating speeds. These problems are particularly evident on trips to and from the northern suburbs to the city center as taking Transilien lines and transferring to the Métro can be faster than taking the RER C with its closely spaced stops. In addition, the RER C's complicated operating schedule created by its complex network of numerous branches means the entire line is vulnerable to delays from even small incidents.

  1. ^ "Map for journeys by wheelchair users" (PDF). Île-de-France Mobilités (in French and British English). Paris: Région Île-de-France. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  2. ^ "JEUDI, le mag des jeudis de la ligne C Transilien", 27, Novembre 2012, p. 2.
  3. ^ André Jacquot, La ligne C du RER, p 108