France (Île-de-France) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
Obscure Services
The LGV Interconnexion runs through the country to the east of Paris and links LGVs Nord, Est, Sud-Est and (by a connection via the southern part of the Grande Ceinture) Atlantique; it is used by all TGVs between these routes. The Petite Ceinture which ran around central Paris is mostly closed, while the Grande Ceinture, which runs round the outer suburbs, is partly closed, partly freight-only and partly used for suburban services; it only carries regular passenger services transferring from one main line to another as shown below.
Paris-Bercy-Bourgogne-Pays d'Auvergne
[ERT 371] (ERA-E 24B3; ERA-R 66A3; S+W 31B:A2) FR25/151
This station is an annexe to Paris Gare-de-Lyon, being located behind carriage sidings outside the station. Few trains used to make use of the facility, but there are now various regular services, particularly stopping trains and and from Dijon. Trains also use the goods lines (M1 and M2) to access the station.
Paris Gare de Lyon Banlieue – Villeneuve St.Georges
(ERA-E 24B3-24B4; ERA-R 66A3-66A2; S+W 31B:A2-B4) FR25/152
Between the throat of Gare de Lyon and Villeneuve St.Georges there are three sets of tracks - not always following exactly the same alignment - in passenger use: 1. fast lines (1 and 2); 2. suburban or slow lines (1bis and 2bis), and 3. erstwhile goods lines (1M and 2M). The M tracks - which have platforms at most stations - have been observed being used by passenger stock but no definitive information of regular loaded workings is available - reports welcomed.
Villeneuve St.Georges – Vigneux sur Seine
(ERA-E 24C4; ERA-R 66A2; S+W 31B:B4) FR24/153
Between Villeneuve St.Georges and Vigneux sur Seine there are three pairs of tracks: 1. 1B and 2B; 2. 1C and 2C, and 3. 1M and 2M. The B tracks are used by RER line D trains, the M tracks by through trains between LGVs north or east of Paris and the Orléans main line via Valenton [the last were TGVs between Brive-la-Gaillarde and Lille, withdrawn in June 2016]. No definitive information of other regular loaded use is available - reports welcomed.
Vigneux sur Seine – Juvisy
(ERA-E 24C3; ERA-R 66A2; S+W 31B:A4) FR25/154
Between Vigneux sur Seine and Juvisy there are two pairs of tracks: 1. 1C and 2C, and 2. 1M and 2M. The northbound track 2M crosses over the Orléans main lines and back again by two bridges north of Juvisy. The C tracks are used by RER line D trains. The M tracks were used by through trains between LGVs north or east of Paris and the Orléans main line via Valenton, but not since June 2016. Reports welcomed.
Juvisy (PLM-side) – Athis-Mons (via TER tracks)
(ERA 24C3, not shown; ERA-R 66A2; S+W 31B:A4, not fully shown) FR24/155
Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.
Through RER line C trains use Orléans-side platforms (Quais F, G and H). Juvisy RER line C turn-back trains generally use PLM-side platforms (Quai C, now platform 48), reached by tracks 1 TER (inbound - train codes JILL and JADE) and 2 TER (outbound via overbridge). Together, these save such trains having to make the flat crossing movement which would be necessary if Quai E were used. Trains which start/finish in Juvisy are mainly to/from Versailles-Château-Rive-Gauche and Viroflay-Rive-Gauche.
Dourdan-la-Forêt
(ERA-E 24C2, not shown; ERA-R 65B1 not shown; S+W 31A4) FR25/156
Dourdan-la-Forêt is a dead-end single platform beyond Dourdan station, on a track parallel to the Vendôme line but separated from it by three carriage sidings. It is used to serve a nearby school and college by RER line C trains advertised as terminating there. These run twice per hour on Mondays to Saturdays between approximately 08:00 and 18:00 and only twice per day on Sundays before approximately 13:00.
Note that there is no service from mid July to late August or on holiday weekends.
Paris Montparnasse Vaugirard
(ERA-E 24B3; ERA-R 65C3; S+W 31B:A2) FR25/157
This station is an annexe to Paris Montparnasse and comprises additional platforms adjacent to the main running lines commencing about 0.5km from the main station. TGV Ouigo services between Paris and Nantes or Rennes are among the trains normally using Vaugirard, but of note is TER departures towards Verseilles-Chantiers can use a unique alignment, initially running parallel to the route used by TGV's, but then via a flyover to reach the most southern track on the classic main line. This is shown as track 1ter on OpenRailwayMap.
Versailles Chantiers – St.Cyr l'École
(ERA-E 24B3-B2, not shown; ERA-R 65C3-65B3; S+W 31A:C3-B3) FR25/158
Main line trains from Paris Montparnasse to Plaisir Grignon or beyond (including Granville line trains) are not believed to use the main lines between Versailles and St. Cyr, but a separate alignment to the north (tracks M1/M2 - formerly freight) via Versailles-Matelots. Additionally westbound local services from Versaille Chantiers G, H or J may use the diveunder routing to reach the north side lines.
For eastbound trains from St Cyr, any service calling at platforms 1 & 2 must use the northern route, through 3 and 4 can go either way, and through 5 or 6 must use the main line. Which, if any of the first two possible eastbound services then uses the diveunder routing is not known.
No trains have been identified as using the flat junction (Bifurcation de Granville), just west of St.Cyr station, to gain access to the Granville line. Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.
Épluches (Bifurcation d'Épluches) – St.Ouen-l'Aumone-Liesse (Bifurcation de Liesse (Nord))
(ERA-E 24A2; ERA-R 65C5; S+W 31A1) FR25/159
No regular use. It had been thought that some TER line H trains between Paris Nord and Persan Beaumont with a longer non-stop journey time (35 or more minutes instead of 27-30) used this route to avoid a conflicting movement via Montsoult-Maffliers. However, they merely run slowly on the normal route... It may be used by occasional engineering diversions.
Poissy
(ERA-E 24B2 (not shown); ERA-R 65B4; S+W ?) FR25/159A
RER line A services terminating at Poissy in Bay platforms D & E if calling at Acheres Grand Cormier platform 1bis must use a 1km long diveunder routing to cross to the north side tracks. A journey in May 2025 late in the evening peak took this route.
Similarly, any RER line J services travelling beyomd Poissy and calling at Acheres Grand Cormier platform 1bis would initially drop down using part of the diveunder access line, but then climb back up using a 350m long connection to remain on south side tracks.
Raccordement de Piquettes: Mantes la-Jolie – Rosny-sur-Seine
(ERA-E 24A1, not shown; ERA-R 65A4 not shown; S+W 30B2) FR25/160
This curve connects the south side of Mantes-la-Jolie station and the Rouen line and any train to the Rouen line calling at platforms F to H must use the Raccordement. The following train has been observed using this route departing from platform H but in August 2025 the SNCF JP showed it booked from the usual Rouen bound platform C. To assist further with JP searches, the platforms at Mantes la-Jolie are A: Paris facing Bay, B & C to/from Rouen [but see below], D & E in the middle are only for access to the new Depot/turnback sidings and F, G & H are on the Evreux line side.
| See above remark | SSuX | TER13103 | Paris St. Lazare - 06:49 Mantes la-Jolie - Rouen |
The compilers would welcome further observations on use of this curve, especially as a new flyover allowing trains to/from the Evreux line to access platforms B & C is completed. August 2025 searches showed this did not yet have any scheduled services but if it does, it may affect use of the above.
Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.
Provins - Villiers-St.Georges
(ERA-E 31A1; ERA-R 71A3; S+W 32C4) FR25/161
AJECTA resumed occasional excursions over this 15 km section of SNCF freight line in 2020. Note these services may start from/terminate at the AJECTA Depot at Longueville where all tracks on its 0.5km branch by-pass the station platforms. In October 2023 the line beyond Provins was closed until further notice due to poor condition of the track.
Lines used on an occasional basis for engineering work diversions
Raccordement de Bezons and Raccordement de la Folie: Houilles Carrières sur Seine (Bifurcation de Bezons) – Puteaux (Bifurcation de Puteaux)
(ERA-E 24B3; ERA-R 65C4-65C3; 31A:D2) FR25/181
This west to south connection is an alternative to the Mantes la-Jolie - Plaisir Grignon - Versailles line during engineering work.
Juvisy - Les Saules via Grand Ceinture
(ERA-E 24B3/C3; ERA-R 66A2; S+W 31B:A4/B4 FR25/182
This route may be used when TGV services from the LGV Sud-Est to the LGV Nord or LGV Est are unable to call at Massy-TGV
| D | TGV5202 | Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV - 07:47 Marne-la-Vallée Chessy TGV - Bordeaux St. Jean | |
| D | TGV5284 | Bordeaux St. Jean - 14:30 St. Pierre-des-Corps - Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV | |
| D | TGV5440 | Bordeaux St. Jean - 09:39 St. Pierre-des-Corps- Strasbourg | |
| D | SO | TGV5454 | Strasbourg - 16:19 Marne-la-Vallée Chessy TGV - Bordeaux St. Jean |
| D | SuO | TGV5454 | Strasbourg - 15:33 Marne-la-Vallée Chessy TGV - Bordeaux St. Jean |
Note:D 17,18,24,25 May 14,15,28 and 29 June 2025
