Paris Métro Line 2

Line 2

An MF 2000 stock train at Nation
Overview
System Paris Métro
Termini Porte Dauphine
Nation
Connecting lines Paris Métro Paris Métro Line 1 Paris Métro Line 3 Paris Métro Line 4 Paris Métro Line 5 Paris Métro Line 6 Paris Métro Line 7 Paris Métro Line 7bis Paris Métro Line 9 Paris Métro Line 11 Paris Métro Line 12 Paris Métro Line 13
RER RER A RER B RER D
Transilien Transilien Paris – Nord Transilien Paris – Nord
Stations 25
Ridership 92,100,000 (2010) (avg. per year)
7th/16 (2010)
Operation
Opened 1900
Operator(s) RATP
Conduction system Conductor (PA)
Rolling stock MF 2000
(45 trains as of March 22, 2011)
Technical
Line length 12.4 km (7.7 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Route map

Line 2 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Situated almost entirely above the former city walls (boulevards extérieurs), it runs in a semi-circle in the north of Paris.

As its name suggests, Line 2 was the second line of the Métro to open, with the first section put into service in December 1900; it adopted its current configuration in April 1903, running between Porte Dauphine and Nation. There have been no changes in its service pattern since.

At 12.4 km (7.7 mi) in length, it is the seventh-busiest line of the system, with 92.1 million passengers in 2004. Slightly over 2 km (1.2 mi) of the line is built on an elevated viaduct with four aerial stations. In 1903, it was the location of the worst incident in the history of the Paris Métro, the fire at Couronnes.

History

Chronology

Birth of the line

A metro car departing from Jaurès along the Boulevard de la Villette

On March 30, 1898 a déclaration d'utilité publique was made, recognizing the public benefit of the first six planned lines of the Paris metro. In response, the city began rapidly constructing the first line in hopes of opening it in time for the world's fair in 1900. During the first stage of development, three lines designated A, B, and C were planned for construction:

However, after a detailed traffic study was conducted, changes were proposed to the tracks lying west of Étoile: the segment from Étoile to Porte Maillot of line C would be integrated into line A, and line C would pick up the segment from Étoile to Porte Dauphine. This change allowed trains on line B to stop at Porte Dauphine, and thus Porte Dauphine was designated the terminus and origin of line B.

Shortly thereafter, line B was split into two lines in hopes of simplifying its use; the section from Porte Dauphine to Nation was designated as Line 2 North, and the remaining section from Nation to Étoile was designated Line 2 South. Line 2 South would eventually become line 6.

The first 1,600 metres (0.99 mi) section of line 2 was constructed at the same time as line 1, opening only a little later on December 3, 1900. This section consisted of three stations, Porte Dauphine, Victor Hugo, and Étoile, and was circulated by rolling stock consisting of three cars each. At Étoile, trains reversed direction via a track transfer (due to it serving as only a temporary terminus), while at Porte Dauphine and Nation direction was reversed using a turn-around loop.

Map and stations

This line counts 25 stations.

Map of Paris Métro Line 2

Renamed stations

Date Old name New name
15 October 1907 Boulevard Barbès Barbès – Rochechouart
1 August 1914 Rue d'Allemagne Jaurès
6 October 1942 Aubervilliers Aubervilliers – Boulevard de la Villette
19 August 1945 Combat Colonel Fabien
10 February 1946 Aubervilliers – Boulevard de la Villette Stalingrad
1970 Étoile Charles de Gaulle – Étoile
13 September 1970 Bagnolet Alexandre Dumas

Tourism

See also

English

French

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