retards-metro-lignes-15-16-17-idfm-rames-le-bonbon

Metro: the opening of lines 15, 16, and 17 DELAYED AGAIN in Paris

undefined undefined 23 février 2025 undefined 07h30

The Editor

© © Gérard Rollando / ALSTOM / Île-de-France Mobilités / Groupe-6 / Société des grands projets

It was supposed to launch in 2022. Two years later, we're still waiting for the rollout of the first section of line 15, located in the southern part of the capital. This delay seems to be becoming the norm, as delays have also been announced for the opening of its sister lines, 16 and 17. Several months of postponements could lead to some unhappy faces.

Yes, in recent months, the development of the future lines of the network and the plans for the Grand Paris Express made a huge leap forward, but it seems that this time, the brakes have been fully engaged. So yes, after more than 8 years of work, some trains have already run, but unfortunately it was only preliminary tests. As for the serious stuff, it seems we will have to wait a little... a lot.


Line 15, awaited like the Messiah

Our favorite architect Numerobis understood it well: as soon as it comes to construction, we're talking about delays. And the Grand Paris Express project is no exception. Indeed, the first rides on line 15 were scheduled for 2022, but Île-de-France Mobilités...quickly revising its plans downwards, in response to unexpected technical and budget constraints.

A few months ago, we were told about a launch scheduled for 2025, but it was postponed to summer 2026 last December… and it's been delayed again! This Tuesday, February 18, the Société des Grands Projets (SGP) confirmed a new delay of several months, now setting the opening of Line 15 for the 4th quarter of 2026, between October and December.


Lines 16 and 17 become urban legends

As for the other two, it's a similar story, as their schedule has also been pushed back by 6 months, with an opening currently planned for “the second quarter of 2027”. We prefer to keep you updated!

Don't get too excited, considering the scenario of the last few months; you might end up disappointed. Announcements from the SGP have certainly stirred up anger from Valérie Pécresse, the president of Île-de-France Mobilités, who has called for the establishment of a commission to monitor the progress of the work and ensure more transparency.

To explain these delays, the company mentions the challenge of a common driving automation system for the lines 15, 16, and 17. Basically, this means that the different lines are very interconnected, and a delay on one line inevitably causes delays on the others (a process also known as the "snowball effect"). So, all this to say that we won't be hopping on board these new lines just yet!