Paris - what to do in 2023

[class387]

Hi everyone,

Have my first long trip to Paris for a couple of years next month and was wondering what of note there is in terms of trains to ride? I'll be able to travel within the Z1-5 Navigo zones but no further, mainly I'm looking for any old stock/loco-hauled trains that are left, or any new stock from the last couple of years that might be worth sampling? I'm more than happy to target down any specific workings if anyone has them to hand.

All suggestions would be greatly appreciated, since almost all of the stuff I'm familiar with has been withdrawn - thanks in advance!

 

[CC 72100]

A LOT has gone.

No more RIB/RIO sets, no more BB17000s on suburban workings.

The 2x La Ferté-Milon at 1705 and 1805 loco-hauleds are no more. Provins electrification is done(?); some ex-Transilien P units have already found their way down South.

Possibly some of the TERs out of Austerlitz are still hauled, but only a few a day. I remember a move to a town called Angerville for one back (this is 9 years ago)

Still some VO2N on Normandie workings such as the Evreux and Rouen stoppers. Otherwise all units on Rouen/Le Havre/Caen/Cherbourg. Ex-Intercités Normandie coaches have found homes in the middle of TER rakes all over PACA and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

All the loco-hauled out of Montparnasse on Transilien N is gone.

Transilien J out of St Lazare is approaching the end; the BB7600s for the Rambouillet services have already gone, but some of the BB27300s remain.

In theory the TERs every 2 hours out of Paris Lyon (first stop Melun, can do a +6 to Fontainebleau-Avon for one back) are still hauled, although they too are on borrowed time. I say in theory, as I went for them in July '22 and the one train was a double unit according to the SNCF app, the other one had a 'tyrell style' message indicating that due to a shortage of stock* it would be formed of a suburban unit between Montereau and Paris Lyon. The plan is for this route to be split at Montereau upon the arrival of new units, guessing the former Laroche-Migennes TERs will become Transilien R between Paris and Montereau and TER Montereau to L-M.

*a shortage of Corail stock? When so much has been withdrawn? Really?!

 

[class387]

A LOT has gone.

No more RIB/RIO sets, no more BB17000s on suburban workings.

The 2x La Ferté-Milon at 1705 and 1805 loco-hauleds are no more. Provins electrification is done(?); some ex-Transilien P units have already found their way down South.

Possibly some of the TERs out of Austerlitz are still hauled, but only a few a day. I remember a move to a town called Angerville for one back (this is 9 years ago)

Still some VO2N on Normandie workings such as the Evreux and Rouen stoppers. Otherwise all units on Rouen/Le Havre/Caen/Cherbourg. Ex-Intercités Normandie coaches have found homes in the middle of TER rakes all over PACA and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

All the loco-hauled out of Montparnasse on Transilien N is gone.

Transilien J out of St Lazare is approaching the end; the BB7600s for the Rambouillet services have already gone, but some of the BB27300s remain.

In theory the TERs every 2 hours out of Paris Lyon (first stop Melun, can do a +6 to Fontainebleau-Avon for one back) are still hauled, although they too are on borrowed time. I say in theory, as I went for them in July '22 and the one train was a double unit according to the SNCF app, the other one had a 'tyrell style' message indicating that due to a shortage of stock* it would be formed of a suburban unit between Montereau and Paris Lyon. The plan is for this route to be split at Montereau upon the arrival of new units, guessing the former Laroche-Migennes TERs will become Transilien R between Paris and Montereau and TER Montereau to L-M.

*a shortage of Corail stock? When so much has been withdrawn? Really?!

Thank you for the updates!

I've done some planning and came up with the following list, does it look correct? There does seem to be a lot less old stuff now, quite a shame as I have good memories of them, but that's progress I suppose...

TER from Paris Lyon towards Laroche Migennes

0846, 1046, 1246, 1446, 1620, 1712*, 1721, 1812*, 1822, 1912*

57min to Montereau (*51min fast via Champagne sur Seine), 26min to Melun, 38min to Fontainebleau Avon

Theoretically still BB7200+Corail/V2N, now being replaced by Regiolis or substituted with TER or RER units

Bus 7 runs from Montereau to Provins at 1200, 1245 (Wednesday only via more rural route), 1400; bus 47 runs from Melun to Provins at least hourly at xx00, xx00 and xx30 after midday; or return from Montereau via Hericy or from Melun connecting onto next inbound TER


TER from Paris Bercy towards Nevers semi fast

0711, 1702, 1802

44-48min to Nemours Saint Pierre

Should be still BB22330+Corail, now being replaced by Omneo Premium

Bus 34 runs at least half hourly to Fontainebleau and Melun, or return from Nemours Saint Pierre on Transilien R at ~xx34


TER from Paris Montparnasse towards Chartres/Le Mans

Hourly at ~xx06 off peak, then 1609, 1624, 1639, 1709, then every 15min

Additional services at 1705, 1805; these do not call at Rambouillet

14min to Versailles Chantiers, 34min to Rambouillet

Possibly still BB7200+Corail (known working at 1506, 1705, 1805), though various double deck units more likely

Any of various return options from Versailles including connection onto inbound TER, (fairly long) connection onto inbound TER to return from Rambouillet


TER from Paris Saint Lazare towards Evreux/Rouen Rive Droite/Serquigny

Hourly at ~xx09 off peak, then 1611, 1630, 1650, 1730, 1752, 1811, 1821, 1830, 1930

~38min to Mantes la Jolie (Rouen services continue a few stops further to zone limit)

Either BB15000+VO2N/V2N or double deck unit

Connects onto inbound TER returning from Mantes la Jolie or take Transilien


Transilien J from Paris Saint Lazare towards Vernon

Half hourly (at ~xx16, ~xx46)

57-72min to Mantes la Jolie or short hops

BB27300+VB2N


TER from Paris Austerlitz towards Orleans

1635, 1726, 1826, 1926

~32min to Etampes (42-53min to zone limit at Angerville)

Should be BB26000/BB7200+Corail, Omneo Premium and other units can substitute

Return from Etampes on RER C at xx00, xx30, 58min to Paris Austerlitz (can change at Juvisy for RER D)

 

[317666]

In terms of older EMUs, the Z5300s and Z6400s are sadly no more. Still MI79/84s on the RER B and various Z2Ns on the C and D.

On line 6 of the metro, MP89s displaced from the 4 are about to start replacing the MP73s, and the MP59s on the 11 haven't got a huge amount of time left either.

 

[CC 72100]

@class387 that plan should work.

Not long left for loco-hauled out of Austerlitz either, the 'POLT' (Paris - Orleans- Tours) are also experiencing a delivery of new units at present.

I tried the Chartres and Le Mans services a couple of times during my time in Paris and always got a unit. Maybe I got unlucky, although I didn't have as much gen at the time.

You may already know this, but the SNCF app shows what they the deem the normal composition, but don't show loco-hauled sets. That's how I found about the one LM turn being a pair of AGC units. So if a train has no composition, that's a good (but not guaranteed, as I found out on one occasion in Lyon) sign.

 

[StephenHunter]

It shows the number of carriages and a filled-in icon on the left hand side that could represent a loco, but no more specific than that.