Paris Métro Line 15

Paris Métro Line 15 is one of four new lines of Grand Paris Express, a major expansion project of the Paris Métro. Currently under construction, the line will provide a new orbital route through the suburbs of Paris, servicing the departments of Hauts-de-Seine, Val-de-Marne and Seine-Saint-Denis.^[1] The southern section of the line is planned to open in late 2026,^[2] with the completed line planned to open in 2031.^[3]

Line 15
Construction at Les Ardoines
Overview
Termini	Noisy–Champs Pont de Sèvres (2026) Champigny Centre (2031)
Connecting lines
Stations	36 (entire line)
Service
System	Paris Métro
Operator(s)	ORA (Alstom, ComfortDelGro, RATP Dev)
Rolling stock	27 Alstom Metropolis MR6V
History
Planned opening	Late 2026 (Noisy–Champs – Pont de Sèvres) 2031 (rest of the line)
Technical
Line length	75 km (47 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line, 1,500 V DC
Route map Show line plan Show geographically accurate map Legend Rueil–Suresnes–Mont Valérien    Saint-Cloud Nanterre–La Boule   Seine Nanterre–La Folie   opens 2031 ↑ opens 2026 ↓ La Défense               Pont de Sèvres Bécon-les-Bruyères   Seine Bois-Colombes     Issy Les Agnettes     Clamart Les Grésillons       Châtillon–Montrouge Seine   Bagneux–Lucie Aubrac Hauts-de-Seine Seine-Saint-Denis Hauts-de-Seine Val-de-Marne Saint-Denis–Pleyel         Arcueil–Cachan Stade de France     Villejuif–Gustave Roussy Mairie d'Aubervilliers       Villejuif–Louis Aragon Fort d'Aubervilliers     Mairie de Vitry-sur-Seine Drancy–Bobigny    Bobigny–Pablo Picasso       Les Ardoines Pont de Bondy   Vitry workshop Bondy     Seine Rosny–Bois-Perrier       Le Vert de Maisons Rosny workshop   Créteil–L'Échat Seine-Saint-Denis Val-de-Marne Marne Val de Fontenay           Tvm  Saint-Maur–Créteil Nogent–Le Perreux   Marne Champigny Centre     Villiers–Champigny–Bry Champigny workshop Val-de-Marne Seine-et-Marne     Noisy–Champs All stations are accessible This diagram: view talk edit Show diagram map

In line with all Grand Paris Express lines, Line 15 will be fully automated. Upon completion, Line 15 will be the world's longest underground rapid transit tunnel dedicated to passenger service.^[4]

The line is being built by Société du Grand Paris, a public agency set up by the French Government to deliver the Grand Paris Express project.^[5]

History

The route for Line 15 bears a strong resemblance to the Arc Express proposal initially presented by RATP in 2006. It was subsequently incorporated as the "Red Line" within the Grand Paris public transportation network project, introduced by President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2009. The line received its current designation in 2013 when Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault announced the "New Grand Paris" project.^[6]

The initial 2013 government plan groundbreaking for the southern section in early 2015, groundbreaking for the western and eastern segments in 2020, opening of the southern section in 2024 (later revised to 2025,^[7] and then to summer 2026,^[8] then to the fourth quarter of 2026^[2]) and completion of the western and eastern sections in 2030^[9][10] (later revised to 2031^[3]).

Construction

The project will be constructed in two phases. The southern section, connecting Pont de Sèvres and Noisy-Champs, is scheduled to open in late 2026. The complete line, encompassing the western (Pont de Sèvres to Saint-Denis–Pleyel) and eastern sections (Saint-Denis–Pleyel to Champigny Centre), is projected for completion in 2030.^[11]

Line 15 South

The southern section (Pont de Sèvres to Noisy–Champs) encompasses 16 stations, two maintenance depots and stretches 33 kilometres (21 mi).^[12] The construction of this section has encountered delays, missing the targeted opening before the 2024 Summer Olympics.^[7][13] This section of the line is estimated to cost around €3.7 billion.^[14]

Station	Image	Commune	Opened	Interchanges	Distance (in km)
Noisy–Champs Champy–Nesles		Noisy-le-Grand, Champs-sur-Marne	Late 2026		–	0.0
Villiers–Champigny–Bry		Villiers-sur-Marne, Champigny-sur-Marne	Late 2026		5.4	5.4
Champigny Centre		Champigny-sur-Marne	Late 2026		2.1	7.5
Saint-Maur–Créteil		Saint-Maur-des-Fossés	Late 2026		3.2	10.7
Créteil–L'Échat Hôpital Henri Mondor		Créteil	Late 2026		2.4	13.1
Le Vert de Maisons		Maisons-Alfort, Alfortville	Late 2026		1.5	14.6
Les Ardoines		Vitry-sur-Seine	Late 2026		1.9	16.5
Mairie de Vitry-sur-Seine		Vitry-sur-Seine	Late 2026		2.0	18.5
Villejuif–Louis Aragon		Villejuif	Late 2026		1.5	20.0
Villejuif–Gustave Roussy		Villejuif	Late 2026		1.6	21.6
Arcueil–Cachan		Arcueil, Cachan	Late 2026		1.7	23.3
Bagneux–Lucie Aubrac		Bagneux	Late 2026		0.9	24.2
Châtillon–Montrouge		Châtillon, Montrouge	Late 2026		1.6	25.8
Clamart		Clamart, Issy-les-Moulineaux, Vanves, Malakoff	Late 2026		2.0	27.8
Issy		Issy-les-Moulineaux	Late 2026		1.5	29.3
Pont de Sèvres		Boulogne-Billancourt	Late 2026	(at Musée de Sèvres)	2.5	31.8

Line 15 East and West

Saint-Denis–Pleyel station under construction

The northern section comprises two segments: west (Pont de Sèvres to Saint-Denis–Pleyel) and east (Saint-Denis–Pleyel to Champigny Centre). Upon completion, tentatively scheduled for 2030, these sections will connect with the southern section to form the complete orbital route.^[4][15][16] This leg of the project will encompass 16 stations and a maintenance depot.^[15][16] The eastern section's initial cost estimate of €3.77 billion has been revised upwards to €5.65 billion (as of 2021^[update]).^[17]

While major construction contracts for the line itself haven't been awarded yet, preparatory work is underway at Saint-Denis–Pleyel and Champigny Centre stations, which are being built for other lines but will include platforms for Line 15.^[18][13]

Rolling stock

In July 2018, Alstom secured a €1.3 billion contract to supply 183 Alstom Metropolis trains for the Grand Paris Express project,^[19] with the initial 162 cars (27 six-car Alstom Metropolis MR6V trains) designated for Line 15 to be delivered starting in 2022.^[19]

Train Specifications^[20][21]

• Width: Minimum of 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
• Length: 108 m (354 ft 4 in) — 6 cars with full-open interior gangways
• Capacity: 960 passengers (based on 4 passengers per square meter)
• Electrification: 1,500 V DC via pantograph and overhead line^[22]
• Operation: Fully automated
• Maximum operating speed: 120 km/h (75 mph)^[23]
• Frequency:
  • Theoretical maximum: 34,560 passengers per hour^[24]
  • Average headway: 3 to 4 minutes^[23]
  • Minimum headway: 2 minutes^[23]