The heat peak will be brief this Friday. But it promises to be particularly painful in transport, especially since the compulsory mask.
There are a lucky few who will be entitled to air conditioning on their daily commute. On the bus side, 287 lines, out of the 3,700 in the RATP network, are thus equipped with air conditioning. 449 additional air-conditioned buses are on order and the device will be generalized for all those put into operation this year, specifies Ile-de-France Mobilités.
Air conditioning for Transilien ... in theory
Regarding the Transilien and RER lines operated by the SNCF, it depends on the type of train you are getting on ... Some have air conditioning, others not. So it's also the lottery on the quays. Except on the RER D. There, no (good) surprise possible: for the moment, no cooling system exists. The future Regio 2N should be put into service in 2021, if the delays linked to the health crisis are not too great.
On the RATP side, it's clear: zero air conditioning. An accepted choice to avoid having to reject the hot air generated by the device on the platforms of metro stations.
You can still opt for the lines that have forced refrigerated ventilation: 1, 2, 5, 9, part of the fleet of 14 (11 trains) as well as the RER A and trams. The outside air is used and cooled by a few degrees (around 4) to give travelers a feeling of freshness.
On lines 4, 7, 8, 13 and part of 14, it is forced mechanical ventilation. This device draws the air outside to reject it inside the lines. Better than nothing.
On the other hand, if you can, forget lines 3, 3a, 6, 7a, 10, 11 and 12. They are only equipped with natural ventilation: skylights placed on the roof circulate hot air.
Air conditioning, compatible with the Covid?
However, at the time of the Covid, the question of air conditioning arises, which could promote the circulation of the virus. "Now that the mask is compulsory, that it protects almost 100%, we cannot force people to not have air conditioning or ventilation in the event of high heat," said Martin Blachier, doctor, epidemiologist.
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Infectious disease specialist Anne-Claude Crémieux is more cautious: “Air renewal is a protective factor. All windows must be opened in order to best disperse all potentially contaminated aerosols. ” At the risk of preventing air conditioning from working in trains.
@ daniLX75 Hello, the refrigerated air system is automatic and can only work effectively if all the windows are closed. In this sense, at regular intervals, our agents automatically close the windows. Remi
- RER B (@RERB) July 30, 2020SNCF and RATP prefer to reassure: “The ventilation or air conditioning of our trains is mainly done by a permanent supply of outside air. The system renews all of the air inside the trains approximately every six minutes, ”explains SNCF.
It is every five minutes in the trams, metro and RER and every two to three minutes in the RATP buses: “There is therefore no effect of accumulation or stagnation of the indoor air ”, assures the latter.
And for those who considered taking refuge in the cabin of an air - conditioned taxi, forget it! “The first instinct should be to open the window. We don't know how long the driver has been there, ”advises Anne-Claude Crémieux.