After 15 branches receiving compensation in 2023 and only 5 in 2024, the year 2025 marks a new decline. According to punctuality data published by Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), only two branches of the RER network have crossed the threshold for automatic reimbursement.
These are the Aulnay-sous-Bois – Mitry-Claye branch, on the northern RER B in Seine-Saint-Denis, which fell below 80% punctuality for five months, and the Dourdan – La Norville line, on the C line in Essonne, which struggled for four months out of eleven. Passengers holding a Navigo pass for these routes will therefore receive financial compensation in spring 2026.
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Established in 2021, this system provides compensation when the punctuality of a line falls below 80% for at least three months in the year. It’s designed to make up for the daily inconveniences of a much-used network.
Overall improvement… but uneven depending on the lines
On paper, the numbers look encouraging. The RER A, the busiest line in Europe, is set to end 2025 with a punctuality close to 94.5%, an increase from 2024 and above the contractual targets. The RER B also shows a notable improvement at 88.8%, nearing the target set for 2025.
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Line C follows the same trend with 88.26%, not quite meeting the expected goals. On the other hand, the RER E drops to 90.22%, affected by its extension to Nanterre at the end of 2024, while the RER D sees the biggest decline in the network, becoming the line furthest from its punctuality targets.
These disparities fuel a feeling of unfairness among many users, especially those who frequently experience delays but do not meet the criteria for compensation.
A compensation system that divides users
In the same vein, passenger associations criticize a mechanism deemed too rigid. And for good reason: a branch with 79% punctuality qualifies for reimbursement, but one achieving 80.01% does not, even if one in five trains is delayed or canceled. An arbitrary threshold!
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On the C line, some non-compensated branches in Essonne are feeling just as penalized as the Dourdan–La Norville axis. Users of the RER E, affected by extension works, or those on the RER D, which is still in noticeable decline, will not receive any compensation.
On the solutions side, the outlook remains far off. The new trains for the RER B, ordered in 2020, will only start operating from 2030. On line C, the transformation of the Essonne branches into line Y is only expected around 2032.
Until then, only passengers on the Aulnay – Mitry-Claye and Dourdan – La Norville branches will see their delays from 2025 partially compensated in 2026.