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Metro: why is line 5 going to be crowded this summer?

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The Editor

© Jagoda Bartus / Le Bonbon

A few days ago, Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM) released an initial schedule of summer disruptions. On the agenda: 4 metro lines affected, and only 1 spared on the RER. It's bad news for the users of these lines, but also for those on some others that might be overwhelmed by Parisians searching for alternatives.

When summer comes to the capital, it means construction on the Île-de-France network. It's just like the return of the swallows in spring, or Thanos in the Avengers (for those in the know): inevitable. But that doesn't mean we enjoy it—quite the opposite! And 2026 won’t be any different, as weeks-long service interruptions have already been announced on several lines. Bad news: these disruptions directly affect other lines, especially the line 5.


A RER in a Tough Spot

Once again, this summer, getting from point A to point B in the capital and surrounding areas is likely to not be a walk in the park. The culprit? Countless disruptions affecting notably metro lines 4, 8, 12, and 13, but also 4 out of the 5 lines of the RER. And this is exactly what interests us here, especially the closures of RER lines B, C, and D in central Paris for varying lengths of time.

Here's what's happening: No RER B between Gare-du-Nord and Denfert-Rochereau on August 29 and 30 (not to mention the disruptions outside Paris). On the RER C, total shutdown from Gare d’Austerlitz to the western terminus (Versailles-Château, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, and Pontoise) from July 15 to August 22. And we'll finish strong with line D, which will be interrupted from Gare de Lyon to Gare du Nord from July 24 to August 16.


A Plan B that might spark some envy

To make up for these gaps, many commuters are expected to flock to the other lines in the capital, particularly the metro with its lovely orange color, which runs through the stations Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, République, Bastille, and Gare d'Austerlitz, so quite a few points affected by the work, or at least nearby. Consequently, many may be rushing to catch these lines.

to traverse the capital from north to south. The only glimmer of hope for those who refuse to be overwhelmed: all these interruptions taking place this summer, we can hope that enough Parisians have decided to go on vacation or work from home in La Baule or around the Arcachon Basin so that the situation isn't too disastrous after all.