RER works hit airport travellers

TRAVELLERS using Paris Charles-de-Gaulle Airport from today until Sunday will face severe disruption as works have started on the RER B – shutting the northern section in both directions for long periods – with replacement buses running.

The RATP in Paris warn that journeys from the capital to Charles-de-Gaulle are likely to take at least 1hr30mins – 40 minutes longer than normal.

However, despite this and with many thousands of travellers heading for the airport, it does not have any warning on its web cover page in English about the difficulties. Travellers have to scroll down to the list of summer works in the “Travelling” section to get any idea of the problems.

This weekend is also going to be difficult for drivers with traffic agency Bison Futé warning of major delays for traffic returning to Paris from holiday.

Work to test signalling on the RER B line from Gare du Nord starts this evening, with the last train to the airport at 23.00. The last train from the airport to Paris will be at 22.47. Buses will be running a shuttle service from Plaine - Stade de France to the airport and Mitry.

Tomorrow from 16.00 the line will be closed north of La Plaine Stade de France until 16.00 on Saturday – meaning no trains to the airport or Mitry, with 250 shuttle buses maintaining the link.

After 16.00 on Saturday the line will open between Stade de France and Aulnay-sous-Bois – five stops up the line – but will remain closed between Aulnay and the airport until late on Sunday. Trains will run to Mitry-Claye, where a shuttle bus will link to the airport.

The RATP warns that there will also be disruption with no trains running north of Stade de France after 22.15 between August 23-30.