ligne-18-ratp-idfm-le-bonbon-paris

Everything we know about the upcoming line 18 (the only one that will open on time!)

undefined undefined 26 février 2025 undefined 07h30

The Editor

© IDFM / Richez Associés

For several years now, and with the launch of the Grand Paris Express project, there’s no doubt that the metro is expanding beyond the limits of the capital. This expansion has already kicked off with the opening of new sections of line 14, and it’s set to grow even more thanks to the future line 18. Stations, connections, speed, and opening dates—we’re sharing all you need to know about this upcoming line!

Announced as a major new axis for transportation in the Île-de-France region, line 18, with its lovely mint green or icy blue color (which quite sneakily resembles the color of line 6), will open its doors by 2030, with the first section in service as early as 2026. Spanning 3 different departments, it will provide a new means of transportation for the southwest of the capital, and we have little doubt that it will quickly become indispensable.


From the castle to the airport, an all-terrain line

Stretching over 35.2 km (including 14 km above ground), crossing 13 municipalities and featuring 10 stations, the future new line of the Île-de-France Mobilité network will connect Versailles-Chantiers station to Orly Airport. A new exceptional route that will allow you to get there in less than 30 minutes!

free from French castles at the southern airport of the capital. And when we see the success of line 14 since it connects to Orly, we can say that the project can only be a success.

The new line, which will be opened in 3 separate sections, will enable a variety of new connections with some other major lines, such as line 14 and the RER B and C. In total, thanks to this new line, the daily lives of over 110,000 residents of the Île-de-France will be transformed, and for the better, let’s hope! Not only will it serve Orly Airport and Massy train station, but it will also stop at important activity hubs in the region, like Paris-Saclay University, the Orly-Rungis area, and the CEA Saclay.


The best line of the Grand Paris Express

Beyond its practical side, we’re ready to instantly vote line 18 as the best of the new lines, simply because if the opening of the15, 16, and 17 has recently been postponed (and it's not the first time). However, the latest addition is expected to stick to the announced schedule since the start of its construction. While this may seem like a minor update, at a time when the metro boasts an increasingly near-perfect punctuality, and where closures and construction work seem never-ending, it's certainly very promising news.

First, the section between Massy and Saclay is set to come to life by 2026, on time! This will be followed by the construction of the segment between Massy and Orly, which is expected to open in 2027. And to top it off, the tracks between Saclay and Versailles should welcome their first trains in 2030! After that, the line is planned to be extended to Saint-Denis, but just a heads up, that's not happening anytime soon. While we wait, we invite you to discover the new stations and their connections:

Orly Airport: line 14, T7, and Orlyval
Antonypole – Wissous Centre
Massy Opéra
Massy – Palaiseau: RER B and C, Transilien V, and T12
Marguerite Perey
Moulon Campus
Christ de Saclay
Guyancourt
Satory
Versailles Cha Lines: RER C, Transiliens N, U, and V