Originally scheduled for October, the launch of Line 18—the first line of the Grand Paris Express—will now take place in December. The first passengers will thus be able to travel through the four stations connecting Massy-Palaiseau and Christ de Saclay.
When this new section opens, the new stations to be inaugurated will be Massy-Palaiseau, Polytechnique, Université Paris-Saclay, and Christ de Saclay. This is good news for workers and students on the Saclay Plateau, who until now had to rely on buses or cars to get there. On the other side, in Massy, this new line will offer connections to the RER B, RER C, and T12 lines.
An automated metro every three minutes during rush hour
Like most recently inaugurated lines, Line 18 will operate driverless. IDF Mobilités has announced that trains will run every three minutes during peak hours. The trains will also be accessible to people with limited mobility and equipped with USB ports and mobile internet connectivity.
But this inauguration is only the first step in the project. Starting in 2027, the line is set to be extended to Orly Airport in one direction before continuing on to Versailles-Chantiers in the other direction in 2030. Ultimately, Line 18 will stretch 35 kilometers and serve 10 stations along its route. In terms of ridership, 110,000 daily passengers are expected, who will be able to reach Orly from Versailles in about 30 minutes.