First known as the Regional Metro when inaugurated in 1969, the RER A is a major transport axis for the Ile-de-France region. It forms a vital link between dense residential areas and the main employment areas, including the Auber-Saint-Lazare-Haussmann business triangle and the La Défense business district. With passenger traffic increasing almost continuously, the RER A is one of the world’s most heavily travelled rapid transit lines.
Published on 28 March 2017
- 6 July 1961: Groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the Étoile – La Défense segment at Ile de Neuilly
- 14 December 1969: Inauguration of the Regional Metro following the start-up of service at the Nation station, the new terminus for the former Vincennes line
- 19 January 1970: Service starts up on the Étoile – La Défense segment
- 23 November 1971: Eastward extension from Étoile to Auber
- 1 October 1972: Westward extension from La Défense to Saint-Germain-en-Laye, by connecting with the former Paris – Saint-Germain-en-Laye line
- 1 October 1973: Opening of the Nanterre – Préfecture station
- 8 December 1977: The Regional Metro is renamed the RER A following the inauguration of the central Auber – Nation trunk, connecting service with the former Sceaux line – which became the RER B with the opening of the Châtelet-les-Halles station – and the opening of the Vincennes segment to Noisy-le-Grand – Mont d’Est
- 19 December 1980: Eastward extension from Noisy-le-Grand to Torcy
- 29 May 1988: Inauguration of the western interconnection with the opening of the Cergy branch
- 29 May 1989: Opening of the Poissy branch
- 1 April 1992: Eastward extension from Torcy to Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy
- 29 August 1994: Westward extension from Cergy – Saint-Christophe to Cergy – Le Haut
- 6 June 1997: Start-up of the first double-decker trains, the MI 2N
- 14 June 2001: Opening of the Serris-Montévrain – Val d’Europe station
- 26 April 2006: Start-up of the first renovated MS 61
- April 2009: Order placed for the first 60 units of the MI 09, a modernised version of the MI 2N
- 8 February 2011: Presentation of the first MI 09
- 9 February 2011: STIF launches the elaboration of a masterplan for the RER A
- 5 December 2011: Start-up of service for the MI 09
- 6 June 2012: STIF approves the masterplan for the RER A
- 29 June 2012: Order placed for the last 70 units of the MI 09
- 25 July 2015: Track replacement work begins
In recent content
What is the construction work for?
The tracks of the RER A, which has been operating for more than 40 years, incur heavy use, since they now carry
Track replacement: how does it work?
By 2021, the renovation project will allow 24 kilometres of ballasted track to be entirely replaced, all of whi