It's a complicated weekend.
The Paris-Rouen-Le Havre line will be strongly impacted on the weekend of Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 May, due to the works which will allow, according to the SNCF, "
an improvement in the passenger service
" from 2024,
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From Thursday May 26 at 12 p.m. until Sunday May 29 at 4 p.m. - i.e. almost all of this long weekend - traffic will be completely cut off between the stations of Mantes-la-Jolie and Vernon.
Coaches will then be made available on Friday and Saturday between the stations of Vernon, Mantes-la-Jolie, Val-de-Reuil and Rouen.
For the Paris-Caen-Cherbourg and Paris-Trouville-Deauville lines, the travel time will be extended by around 30 minutes (allow 3 hours for a Paris-Deauville instead of the usual 2h20).
As for the trains in the direction of Le Havre, they will pass by the alternative route of the Serqueux-Gisors line.
Consequences: only one train will circulate on Thursday in each direction, on Friday and Saturday, only two trains in each direction, and on Sunday only one train, departing from Le Havre.
The reason: the project called EOLE.
This project consisting of extending the current RER line E by 55 km westwards includes several areas for improving traffic, including 47 km of redevelopment of the existing track to Mantes-la-Jolie.
“
From mid-May to mid-September 2022, the EOLE work to extend the RER E to the west of Île-de-France is intensifying in the Mantes sector, particularly during certain weekends.
“said the SNCF in a statement of May 12.
Before the total traffic cut scheduled for Thursday May 26 at 12 p.m., trains traveling between Mantes-la-Jolie and Vernon from Wednesday evening 10:50 p.m. to Thursday May 26 12 p.m. will experience a 30-minute longer journey time.
The SNCF specifies however that all the trains will be able to accommodate more than 1000 travelers each.
Despite the alternatives put in place, the SNCF specifies that it is advisable to plan your departure on Wednesday evening and/or Thursday before 12 p.m., and your return on Sunday from 4 p.m.
In order to alleviate these disturbances, the SNCF plans to mobilize 31 additional agents "
in red vests
" distributed in the stations of Vernon, Mantes-la-Jolie, Rouen and Paris Saint-Lazare, as well as to set up colored flags in Mantes station to guide travelers.
User associations who deplore a "lack of consultation" from the SNCF
The Paris-Cherbourg Users' Union (UDUPC) did not fail to react to this SNCF announcement.
The latter, in a tweet posted on April 15, deplores "
a lack of consultation
" from the SNCF which, according to her, had initially announced changes only from July 14.
Tensions are not uncommon in Normandy between the SNCF and user associations, the latter often criticizing the transport company for its lack of communication.
Disturbances that announce others
And the bad news doesn't end there.
SNCF has also informed its users that similar disruptions are to be expected on the Paris-Rouen-Le Havre line for several weeks in the summer.
For example, from July 11 to August 15 an additional time of 30 minutes will be expected on this line.
No disturbances are to be expected during the Pentecost weekend.
For the moment.
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