The RER E Line extension, also known as EOLE (Est Ouest Liaison Express) project, involves the expansion of Line E of the RER rail network in Paris, France, westwards from its existing terminus in the Haussmann-Saint-Lazare railway station to the Nanterre La Folie station.
The extension project includes the development of new tracks, tunnelling and three new stations. It will also feature several underground walkways that connect Line E to Line A of the RER, lines L and U of the Île-de-France suburban rail network, and Line T2 of the tramway system.
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Serving more than 620,000 passengers a day, the RER E Line extension project will improve the frequency, speed and regularity of trains, as well as optimise the use of infrastructure.
Construction on the extension project started in 2015 and is expected to be fully completed in 2024.
RER E Line extension project background
Opened in 1999, the RER E line provides a horizontal link between the east and centre of Paris, connecting Chelles-Gournay / Tournan-en-Brie with the Haussmann Saint-Lazare centre within 30 minutes.
The RER Line E extension was proposed in 2007, in order to build east-west connections in the Île-de-France region. The expansion was declared as a public utility project in January 2013.
RER E Line extension details
The RER Line E will be extended by 55km to the west, including an 8km-long tunnel section between Haussmann Saint-Lazare and Mantes-la-Jolie train stations. The project will also involve the construction of three new stations at Porte Maillot, La Défense-CNIT, and Nanterre-la-Folie.
Construction on the train station at La Défense began in late-2015. The new station will provide easy interconnections and convenient access to the esplanade at La Défense.
The RER E Line extension project also includes the redevelopment of the Centre for New Industries and Technologies (CNIT), including the construction of a 7,000m² retail space.
It further involves the development of connections to public transport networks and CNIT, creation of exits for line E of the RER, and installation of lifts, platforms, ramps, slip-resistant passageways, and tactile bands for ensuring access to users with reduced mobility.
New stations will be fitted with 75 escalators and moving walkways. The escalators will feature the Doctor Step solution, which analyses and records the condition of each component in order to anticipate failures and limit downtime.
The RER Line E will also be equipped with the new NExTEO computer-based train operating system that handles automation, control and supervision of trains aiming to improve the operation of the line.
The line will be served by 28 trains an hour, which will travel at a maximum speed of 120km/h.
Contractors involved
SYSTRA was awarded a contract for the preliminary phase of the underground section and the design phase of the extension project.
It is also responsible for rearrangement of the Les Groues site at Nanterre La Folie, redesign of the existing line and delivery of a new signalling system.
SIXENSE Soldata received the monitoring contract for the extension project in July 2015. Siemens France was selected to provide NExTEO system for the RER Line E line extension in February 2016.
In June 2016, SNCF Réseau contracted a consortium of VINCI Construction and Spie batignolles for the construction of the new station at La Défense.
Otis France secured a contract for the installation of escalators and moving walkways. The contractual scope also includes provision of maintenance services for a term of 15 years.
