Share

France launches €1.7bn rail project

Paris - After many years of hesitation, France's government has launched a 1.7bn ($2.3bn) project to link Paris to its main international airport, Charles de Gaulle, with an express train that will go into operation in a decade's time.

French Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier said construction on the eight kilometres (five miles) of track needed to join up to the existing rail network will begin in 2017.

Once complete in 2023, the CDG Express, as the link will be known, will speed travellers non-stop along the 32 kilometres (20 miles) between the capital's central Gare de l'Est railway station to the airport in just 20 minutes.

That is twice as fast as the existing suburban train that stops along the way, and which is often overcrowded and stalled by technical problems.

A one-way express ticket is projected to cost €24 ($33), compared with less than 10 euros for the suburban train.

"That price is in the average for what you see around Europe," one of the minister's aides explained.

Ticket revenue will be used to reimburse the cost of building the link. The government is also looking at possibly tacking on a euro to airline tickets through Charles de Gaulle to also contribute to the cost.

The CEO of the Aeroports de Paris company that runs the capital's airports, Augustin de Romanet, said the project was now "irreversible" and would boost the attractivity "of one of the most important airports in Europe".

Some 62 million passengers passed through Charles de Gaulle airport in 2013, and an estimated eight million of them used the suburban train to get to or from Paris.


We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.94
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.90
-0.0%
Rand - Euro
20.43
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.34
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.1%
Platinum
907.85
+1.2%
Palladium
1,012.25
+1.1%
Gold
2,221.12
+1.2%
Silver
24.86
+0.9%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,346
+1.0%
All Share
74,536
+0.8%
Resource 10
57,251
+2.8%
Industrial 25
103,936
+0.6%
Financial 15
16,502
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders