Paris Metro Line 3bis
Encyclopedia
Paris Métro Line 3bis is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro
(in Paris, France). It connects the Gambetta
and Porte des Lilas
stations in the 20th arrondissement of Paris (in the east of the city). With a length of 1.3 kilometre (0.807784557644749 mi) and only four stations, the line is the shortest in the network. It is also the least utilized line, having been travelled by a little more than only 1.5 million passengers in 2003.
Constructed during the 1910s as an extension to line 3
, line 3bis was disconnected in 1971 and henceforth operated in an autonomous manner at the same time line 3 was extended to Gallieni
.
As of 2011, six MF 67
, each composed of three cars, circulate the line.
granted the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
(CMP) the right to build a second east-west métro line, in addition to line 1
. On 19 October 1904, the section of line 3 running from Villiers
to Père Lachaise
was opened, and the remainder of the line to Gambetta
was opened on 25 January 1905. The new line contained seventeen stations. A westward extension of the line was progressively put into service, first to Pereire
on 23 May 1910 and later to Porte de Champerret
on 15 February 1911.
The Fulgence Bienvenü project was presented on 4 December 1901, and proposed a number of new lines and expansions, including one to line 3 from Gambetta
to the Romainville porte (Porte des Lilas
).
A second loan of 179 million francs, to be used for the work, was approved on 26 June 1903. On 28 December 1905, the Council of Paris awarded the expansion project to the CMP. The decision was formalized on 23 December 1907. Eventually, a third loan of 40 million francs was authorized on 10 April 1908, but this was not granted until April 1910 due to the associated déclaration d'utilité publique
, a process required in France to demonstrate the public benefits of a proposed project.
The planned extension, which would connect to line 7
(now 7bis
) at the stationPré-Saint-Gervais, stretched 2.157 kilometres (1.3 mi). It was constructed under the avenue Gambetta to porte Lilas, where a turnaround loop was installed under the city walls. The terrain of the area, which was especially moist and unstable—due to the ancient Saint-Fargeau Lake—made construction difficult. As a result, the tunnel was built in a layer of gypsum, very deep in the ground; stations were contained in a reinforced vault and equipped with elevators that linked the platforms to the surface. Beyond the porte des Lilas, a double-track tunnel extended by two single-track tunnels—the voie des Fêtes (south tunnel) and the voie navette (north tunnel) connected the extension to line 7—with the ability to extend the latter to the porte des Lilas in the future.
The work was nearly finished before the start of World War I, during which it ground to a halt. The project was returned to the CMP on 23 February 1920, but work did not resume immediately; the CMP waited for the city to provide the necessary funds that had been granted in the new 1920 convention. The final work was completed in December 1920.
Although originally planned, the idea to send trains from line 7 to the porte des Lilas was eventually abandoned, as trains on line 3 sufficiently provided this service (at the time, line 11
did not yet exist). Nevertheless, in order to connect lines 3 and 7, a shuttle was planned to run through the north connecting tunnel, later named la voie navette. The Sprague-Thomson
variant of rolling stock serviced this tunnel, taken from line 2
. This variant measured10.85 metres (35.6 ft) in length and consisted of one train powered by two motors. In light of these changes, the voie des Fêtes and the station Haxo
were left unused: the former serving as a garage for trains and the latter being left inaccessible by the public. The Gambetta – Porte des Lilas section and the shuttle were inaugurated on 27 November 1921.
The shuttle ceased operation as a part of the World War II service cutbacks, which became effective on 3 September 1939.
) from Gambetta. As the influx of passengers to Bagnolet was expected to be much greater than that to Porte des Lilas, the construction of a fork was ruled out. Using porte des Lilas as the terminus was abandoned in favor of creating a new terminus, and thus it was decided to construct an autonomous section of track running from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas, called line 3bis.
In order to accommodate these changes, Gambetta, which at the time consisted of only two half-stations, was significantly renovated. The southern half-station was demolished and the northern half-station was renovated to become the terminus of the new line 3bis, with two tracks running beside a central platform. New tracks were constructed for line 3, and the station Martin Nadaud, which sat only 235 metres (771 ft) from the old stations (under the square of the same name), was closed. This old station was in fact situated at the site of the new platforms, in the direction of Pont de Levallois; it is now barricaded, but explains the longer-than-normal platforms in Gambetta.
Gambetta was opened on 23 August 1969, however line 3 bis did not open until 27 March 1971. The expansion to Bagnolet was opened on 2 April 1971. In 1970, line 3 bis was linked to a poste de commande centralisé (PCC), or central command post, along with line 3. Despite this, line 3 bis was never equipped with self-piloted cars, as the small amount of traffic on the line did not justify the installation of such a program.
Line 3bis is entirely underground. It has a total length of 1.289 kilometre. With only four stations the average distance between stations is 433 metres (1,420.6 ft).
The line begins at the Gambetta
terminus with its two tracks joined by a central platform. The line follows the avenue Gambetta in a north-easterly direction, following a nearly straight route to pass through the two deep stations of Pelleport
and Saint-Fargeau
, before reaching its terminus at Porte des Lilas
.
The line ends with a turnaround loop, with one of the two tracks allowing for trains to be transferred to the voie navette.
, line 3bis was until 2009 the only line to not have been equipped with SIEL
, a system that provides the waiting time until the arrival of the next two trains. At the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010, the two bis lines were equipped with this system; on these lines, however, the system provides only the waiting time for the next incoming train (as opposed to the times for the next two incoming trains). The installation of this system in the two bis lines completed the system's deployment along Paris' transportation network.
Line 3bis contains the following stations, beginning with its southern terminus (connections with other lines are indicated by the presence of the connecting line's number):
, Saint-Fargeau
, and Porte des Lilas
lying between 19 metres (62.3 ft) and 25 metres (82 ft) below the surface; these stations are accessible only by elevators. The architect Charles Plumet was charged with designing the outside entrances to the Pelleport, Saint-Fargeau, and Porte des Lilas stations.
Taking into consideration criticism of stations along other lines that required passengers to first descend to an area where tickets could be purchased, and then further descend to the platforms, Plumet designed the stations such that the elevators are accessible directly from the surface. The three stations are made of reinforced concrete and ciment de Grenoble; they are decorated with ceramics made by Gentil & Bourdet. The contractors of the station were Pinton and Nion Lacroix.
The latter connection consists of the original two tracks that were originally intended to connect lines 3 and 7.
In the direction of lines 3 towards line 7, the tunnel "Voie navette" runs from Pré Saint-Gervais
to Porte des Lilas. A shuttle operated along these tracks until it was closed shortly before the start of World War II.
In the opposite direction, the tunnel "Voie des Fêtes", begins at the station Place des Fêtes
, and ends at the station Haxo. Haxo was never opened to the public, and entrances to it were never built.
These two sets of tracks reunite in Porte des Lilas, and are often used for filming movies.
Repairs and regular maintenance (such as that for batteries, electrical wiring, and paint) are carried out at the depot atChoisy, just as for the rest of the rail network of Paris. Opened in 1931, it is situated in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, close to the boulevard périphérique and accessible via a branch off of line 7. The depot is split into two distinct entities: one that performs maintenance specifically on the trains of line 7 (AMT), and another that renovates all trains on the métro. The depot occupies a total area of approximately 34350 square metre. 330 agents were employed at this depot in 2007.
. Between 1972, and July 1981, the Sprague-Thomson
variant circulated the line. Finally, the rolling stock was replaced with MF 67
trains consisting of only three cars (because of the weak traffic on the line), which are still found on the line today. The trains on line 3bis are identical to those on line 9
, except for the fact that the 3bis trains do not containstrapontins, or fold-down seats.
), managing the stations, and ensuring the proper installation of instructional signs and other fixtures according to service needs. Some agents are at times relieved from their normal duties so that they can operate the ticket booth.
Conductors, on the other hand, ensure the proper operation of the trains. Service is broken down into three shifts: day, mixed, and night.
The financing of the operation of the line is guaranteed by the RATP
. Fares and subscription prices are regulated by the government and in fact their revenues do not cover the entire operating costs of the network. The difference is made up with funding provided by the Syndicat des transports d'Île-de-France (STIF), presided over since 2005 by the president of the Conseil régional d'Île-de-France and governed by locally elected officials. The organization defines the general conditions of operation including the duration and frequency of services. The operational budget is guaranteed by an annual subsidy provided to the general transportation network of the region; this subsidy is funded by a tax (the versement transport
(VT), which is imposed on all companies in the region that employee more than nine people, as well as other public funds.
, which are presented below:
.png)
The proposed merger of lines 3bis and Paris Métro Line 7bis
is currently in phase one and targeted for completion between 2010 and 2013; it is currently a pilot study within the Schéma directeur de la région Île-de-France (SDRIF). This merger may result in the re-opening of the voie des Fêtes and the voie navette, eventually allowing for the opening of the ghost station
Haxo
. An additional pilot study of the SDRIF is planning, in phase 2, an extension of line 7bis to Château-Landon
.
) is diametrically opposed to that of the popular lines1
, 4
, and 13
: its trains carry few passengers and its stations are nearly deserted.
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
(in Paris, France). It connects the Gambetta
Gambetta (Paris Metro)
Gambetta is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 3 and is the southern terminus of Line 3bis. It was opened on 25 January 1905 when the line was extended from Père Lachaise and was the eastern terminus of the line until 27 November 1921, when the line was extended to Porte des Lilas...
and Porte des Lilas
Porte des Lilas (Paris Metro)
Porte des Lilas is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 11 and is the northern terminus of Line 3bis.The station was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. The line 11 platforms opened as part of the original section of the line from Châtelet...
stations in the 20th arrondissement of Paris (in the east of the city). With a length of 1.3 kilometre (0.807784557644749 mi) and only four stations, the line is the shortest in the network. It is also the least utilized line, having been travelled by a little more than only 1.5 million passengers in 2003.
Constructed during the 1910s as an extension to line 3
Paris Metro Line 3
Line 3 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Connecting Pont de Levallois - Bécon station in the near western suburbs to Gallieni in the east, the location of Paris' international bus station...
, line 3bis was disconnected in 1971 and henceforth operated in an autonomous manner at the same time line 3 was extended to Gallieni
Gallieni (Paris Metro)
Gallieni is a station on Paris Métro Line 3, being its eastern terminus. It was opened on 2 April 1971 when the line was extended from Gambetta...
.
As of 2011, six MF 67
MF 67
The MF 67 is a steel-wheel variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system. It is the most common Paris Metro rolling stock variant, being used on Lines 2, 3, 3bis, 5, 9, 10 and 12...
, each composed of three cars, circulate the line.
Chronology
- 27 November 1921 – The section from GambettaGambetta (Paris Metro)Gambetta is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 3 and is the southern terminus of Line 3bis. It was opened on 25 January 1905 when the line was extended from Père Lachaise and was the eastern terminus of the line until 27 November 1921, when the line was extended to Porte des Lilas...
to Porte des LilasPorte des Lilas (Paris Metro)Porte des Lilas is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 11 and is the northern terminus of Line 3bis.The station was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. The line 11 platforms opened as part of the original section of the line from Châtelet...
on line 3Paris Metro Line 3Line 3 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Connecting Pont de Levallois - Bécon station in the near western suburbs to Gallieni in the east, the location of Paris' international bus station...
, and a shuttle between lines 3 and 7Paris Metro Line 7Paris Métro Line 7 is one of sixteen lines of the Paris Métro system. Crossing the capital from its north-eastern to south-eastern sections via a moderately curved path, it links La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 in the north with Mairie d'Ivry and Villejuif – Louis Aragon in the south, while passing...
, are opened. - 3 September 1939 – The shuttle is closed.
- 27 March 1971 – The Gambetta to Porte des Lilas section is disconnected from line 3 and designated line 3bis.
Metro Line 3
On 13 March 1903 the Council of ParisCouncil of Paris
The Council of Paris is the deliberative body responsible for the governing of Paris, the capital of France. It possesses simultaneously the powers of a Paris City Council and those of a General Council for the Département de Paris, as defined by the so-called PLM Law of 1982 that redefined the...
granted the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
The Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris , or CMP, was the forerunner of the RATP, the company managing the Parisian subway.- Origin :...
(CMP) the right to build a second east-west métro line, in addition to line 1
Paris Metro Line 1
Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
. On 19 October 1904, the section of line 3 running from Villiers
Villiers (Paris Metro)
Villiers is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 2 and Line 3 on the border of the 8th and 17th arrondissement of Paris.The Line 2 platforms opened on 21 January 1903, although trains had been operating between Étoile and Anvers since 7 October 1902. On 19 October 1904, it became the terminus...
to Père Lachaise
Père Lachaise (Paris Metro)
Père Lachaise is a station of the Paris Métro, serving line 2 and 3 on the border of the 11th and 20th arrondissements.The station was opened on 31 January 1903 as part of the extension of line 2 from Anvers to Bagnolet...
was opened, and the remainder of the line to Gambetta
Gambetta (Paris Metro)
Gambetta is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 3 and is the southern terminus of Line 3bis. It was opened on 25 January 1905 when the line was extended from Père Lachaise and was the eastern terminus of the line until 27 November 1921, when the line was extended to Porte des Lilas...
was opened on 25 January 1905. The new line contained seventeen stations. A westward extension of the line was progressively put into service, first to Pereire
Pereire (Paris Metro)
-History:Pereire was opened on 23 May 1910 when the line was extended from Villiers. The station is named after the Boulevard Pereire and the Place du Maréchal Juin. The Péreire brothers, Émile Péreire and his brother Isaac , created the Crédit Immobilier bank in 1852. They established railroad...
on 23 May 1910 and later to Porte de Champerret
Porte de Champerret (Paris Metro)
Porte de Champerret is a station on Paris Métro Line 3.The station is named after the Porte de Champerret, a gate in the nineteenth century Thiers Wall of Paris on the way to the hamlet of Champerret, which was merged with the commune of Levallois-Perret in 1867...
on 15 February 1911.
Expansion of Line 3
On 14 June 1901 the Council of Paris announced its desire to have a study conducted regarding the construction of a network that would complement the first lines; the goal was to leave no point in the city more than 400 metre (0.248549094659923 mi) away from a métro station.The Fulgence Bienvenü project was presented on 4 December 1901, and proposed a number of new lines and expansions, including one to line 3 from Gambetta
Gambetta (Paris Metro)
Gambetta is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 3 and is the southern terminus of Line 3bis. It was opened on 25 January 1905 when the line was extended from Père Lachaise and was the eastern terminus of the line until 27 November 1921, when the line was extended to Porte des Lilas...
to the Romainville porte (Porte des Lilas
Porte des Lilas (Paris Metro)
Porte des Lilas is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 11 and is the northern terminus of Line 3bis.The station was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. The line 11 platforms opened as part of the original section of the line from Châtelet...
).
A second loan of 179 million francs, to be used for the work, was approved on 26 June 1903. On 28 December 1905, the Council of Paris awarded the expansion project to the CMP. The decision was formalized on 23 December 1907. Eventually, a third loan of 40 million francs was authorized on 10 April 1908, but this was not granted until April 1910 due to the associated déclaration d'utilité publique
Déclaration d'utilité publique
A Déclaration d'utilité publique, or declaration of public utility, is a formal recognition that a proposed project has public benefits. Many large construction projects in France, especially relating to infrastructure, must achieve DUP before work can begin....
, a process required in France to demonstrate the public benefits of a proposed project.
The planned extension, which would connect to line 7
Paris Metro Line 7
Paris Métro Line 7 is one of sixteen lines of the Paris Métro system. Crossing the capital from its north-eastern to south-eastern sections via a moderately curved path, it links La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 in the north with Mairie d'Ivry and Villejuif – Louis Aragon in the south, while passing...
(now 7bis
Paris Metro Line 7bis
Paris Métro Line 7bis is the second shortest line of the metro operating in Paris, France. It serves the 19th and 20th arrondissements in the North East of the city.-Chronology:...
) at the stationPré-Saint-Gervais, stretched 2.157 kilometres (1.3 mi). It was constructed under the avenue Gambetta to porte Lilas, where a turnaround loop was installed under the city walls. The terrain of the area, which was especially moist and unstable—due to the ancient Saint-Fargeau Lake—made construction difficult. As a result, the tunnel was built in a layer of gypsum, very deep in the ground; stations were contained in a reinforced vault and equipped with elevators that linked the platforms to the surface. Beyond the porte des Lilas, a double-track tunnel extended by two single-track tunnels—the voie des Fêtes (south tunnel) and the voie navette (north tunnel) connected the extension to line 7—with the ability to extend the latter to the porte des Lilas in the future.
The work was nearly finished before the start of World War I, during which it ground to a halt. The project was returned to the CMP on 23 February 1920, but work did not resume immediately; the CMP waited for the city to provide the necessary funds that had been granted in the new 1920 convention. The final work was completed in December 1920.
Although originally planned, the idea to send trains from line 7 to the porte des Lilas was eventually abandoned, as trains on line 3 sufficiently provided this service (at the time, line 11
Paris Metro Line 11
Paris Métro Line 11 is one of 16 Paris métro lines. It links Les Lilas in the North East of the city to Châtelet in the center of Paris. It is the shortest of the 14 metro lines having independent management...
did not yet exist). Nevertheless, in order to connect lines 3 and 7, a shuttle was planned to run through the north connecting tunnel, later named la voie navette. The Sprague-Thomson
Sprague-Thomson
Sprague-Thomson is the name of the first rolling stock on the Paris Métro made completely of metal.-Research before 1908:In light of the Paris Métro train fire of 1903, the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris searched for a rolling stock that was both durable and safe. The Thomson...
variant of rolling stock serviced this tunnel, taken from line 2
Paris Metro Line 2
Line 2 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Situated almost entirely above the former city walls , it runs in a semi-circle in the north of Paris....
. This variant measured10.85 metres (35.6 ft) in length and consisted of one train powered by two motors. In light of these changes, the voie des Fêtes and the station Haxo
Haxo (Paris Métro)
Haxo is a ghost station on the Paris Métro. It lies on an unused connecting branch between lines 3bis and 7bis. - History :The station is situated on a line which was constructed in the 1920s between Porte des Lilas and Pré Saint-Gervais...
were left unused: the former serving as a garage for trains and the latter being left inaccessible by the public. The Gambetta – Porte des Lilas section and the shuttle were inaugurated on 27 November 1921.
The shuttle ceased operation as a part of the World War II service cutbacks, which became effective on 3 September 1939.
Creation of Line 3 bis
During the 1960s, the general public complained that no public transportation system sufficiently serviced the porte de Bagnolet area, despite great demand. It was therefore decided to expand line 3 to Bagnolet (GallieniGallieni (Paris Metro)
Gallieni is a station on Paris Métro Line 3, being its eastern terminus. It was opened on 2 April 1971 when the line was extended from Gambetta...
) from Gambetta. As the influx of passengers to Bagnolet was expected to be much greater than that to Porte des Lilas, the construction of a fork was ruled out. Using porte des Lilas as the terminus was abandoned in favor of creating a new terminus, and thus it was decided to construct an autonomous section of track running from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas, called line 3bis.
In order to accommodate these changes, Gambetta, which at the time consisted of only two half-stations, was significantly renovated. The southern half-station was demolished and the northern half-station was renovated to become the terminus of the new line 3bis, with two tracks running beside a central platform. New tracks were constructed for line 3, and the station Martin Nadaud, which sat only 235 metres (771 ft) from the old stations (under the square of the same name), was closed. This old station was in fact situated at the site of the new platforms, in the direction of Pont de Levallois; it is now barricaded, but explains the longer-than-normal platforms in Gambetta.
Gambetta was opened on 23 August 1969, however line 3 bis did not open until 27 March 1971. The expansion to Bagnolet was opened on 2 April 1971. In 1970, line 3 bis was linked to a poste de commande centralisé (PCC), or central command post, along with line 3. Despite this, line 3 bis was never equipped with self-piloted cars, as the small amount of traffic on the line did not justify the installation of such a program.
Route
The line begins at the Gambetta
Gambetta (Paris Metro)
Gambetta is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 3 and is the southern terminus of Line 3bis. It was opened on 25 January 1905 when the line was extended from Père Lachaise and was the eastern terminus of the line until 27 November 1921, when the line was extended to Porte des Lilas...
terminus with its two tracks joined by a central platform. The line follows the avenue Gambetta in a north-easterly direction, following a nearly straight route to pass through the two deep stations of Pelleport
Pelleport (Paris Metro)
Pelleport is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 3bis. It was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. On 27 March 1971 it was transferred to Line 3bis on its establishment....
and Saint-Fargeau
Saint-Fargeau (Paris Metro)
Saint-Fargeau is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 3bis. It was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas...
, before reaching its terminus at Porte des Lilas
Porte des Lilas (Paris Metro)
Porte des Lilas is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 11 and is the northern terminus of Line 3bis.The station was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. The line 11 platforms opened as part of the original section of the line from Châtelet...
.
The line ends with a turnaround loop, with one of the two tracks allowing for trains to be transferred to the voie navette.
List of stations
Along with line 7bisParis Metro Line 7bis
Paris Métro Line 7bis is the second shortest line of the metro operating in Paris, France. It serves the 19th and 20th arrondissements in the North East of the city.-Chronology:...
, line 3bis was until 2009 the only line to not have been equipped with SIEL
Siel
Societa Industrie Elettroniche was an Italian company that made electronic organs and synthesizers in the 1980s.- Timeline of major products :* 1979 - Orchestra Societa Industrie Elettroniche (SIEL) was an Italian company that made electronic organs and synthesizers in the 1980s.- Timeline of...
, a system that provides the waiting time until the arrival of the next two trains. At the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010, the two bis lines were equipped with this system; on these lines, however, the system provides only the waiting time for the next incoming train (as opposed to the times for the next two incoming trains). The installation of this system in the two bis lines completed the system's deployment along Paris' transportation network.
Line 3bis contains the following stations, beginning with its southern terminus (connections with other lines are indicated by the presence of the connecting line's number):
Themed or otherwise unique stations
The stations on the line contain platforms measuring 75 metres (246.1 ft) in length, accessible by trains containing up to five cars. The line was constructed at a considerable depth below the surface, with the platforms at PelleportPelleport (Paris Metro)
Pelleport is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 3bis. It was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. On 27 March 1971 it was transferred to Line 3bis on its establishment....
, Saint-Fargeau
Saint-Fargeau (Paris Metro)
Saint-Fargeau is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 3bis. It was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas...
, and Porte des Lilas
Porte des Lilas (Paris Metro)
Porte des Lilas is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 11 and is the northern terminus of Line 3bis.The station was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. The line 11 platforms opened as part of the original section of the line from Châtelet...
lying between 19 metres (62.3 ft) and 25 metres (82 ft) below the surface; these stations are accessible only by elevators. The architect Charles Plumet was charged with designing the outside entrances to the Pelleport, Saint-Fargeau, and Porte des Lilas stations.
Taking into consideration criticism of stations along other lines that required passengers to first descend to an area where tickets could be purchased, and then further descend to the platforms, Plumet designed the stations such that the elevators are accessible directly from the surface. The three stations are made of reinforced concrete and ciment de Grenoble; they are decorated with ceramics made by Gentil & Bourdet. The contractors of the station were Pinton and Nion Lacroix.
Connections
The line contains two connections with the rest of the network:- with line 3Paris Metro Line 3Line 3 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Connecting Pont de Levallois - Bécon station in the near western suburbs to Gallieni in the east, the location of Paris' international bus station...
, at the northern side of the terminus GambettaGambetta (Paris Metro)Gambetta is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 3 and is the southern terminus of Line 3bis. It was opened on 25 January 1905 when the line was extended from Père Lachaise and was the eastern terminus of the line until 27 November 1921, when the line was extended to Porte des Lilas...
, on the tracks in the direction of Porte des LilasPorte des Lilas (Paris Metro)Porte des Lilas is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 11 and is the northern terminus of Line 3bis.The station was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. The line 11 platforms opened as part of the original section of the line from Châtelet...
; - with line 7bisParis Metro Line 7bisParis Métro Line 7bis is the second shortest line of the metro operating in Paris, France. It serves the 19th and 20th arrondissements in the North East of the city.-Chronology:...
, at the exit of the terminus Porte des LilasPorte des Lilas (Paris Metro)Porte des Lilas is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 11 and is the northern terminus of Line 3bis.The station was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. The line 11 platforms opened as part of the original section of the line from Châtelet...
, on the tracks in the direction of GambettaGambetta (Paris Metro)Gambetta is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 3 and is the southern terminus of Line 3bis. It was opened on 25 January 1905 when the line was extended from Père Lachaise and was the eastern terminus of the line until 27 November 1921, when the line was extended to Porte des Lilas...
.
The latter connection consists of the original two tracks that were originally intended to connect lines 3 and 7.
In the direction of lines 3 towards line 7, the tunnel "Voie navette" runs from Pré Saint-Gervais
Pré Saint-Gervais (Paris Metro)
Pré Saint-Gervais is a station of the Paris Métro, the eastern terminus of Line 7bis, in the 19th arrondissement....
to Porte des Lilas. A shuttle operated along these tracks until it was closed shortly before the start of World War II.
In the opposite direction, the tunnel "Voie des Fêtes", begins at the station Place des Fêtes
Place des Fêtes (Paris Metro)
Place des Fêtes is a station of the Paris Métro, serving lines 7bis and 11 in the 19th arrondissement and the Belleville district. It is one of the deepest stations in the metro, at 22.45 meters below the surface. The station was opened on 18 January 1911 as part of a branch of line 7 from Louis...
, and ends at the station Haxo. Haxo was never opened to the public, and entrances to it were never built.
These two sets of tracks reunite in Porte des Lilas, and are often used for filming movies.
Service Depots
The rolling stock of line 3bis is kept along with that of line 3 at the depot at Saint-Fargeau, accessible at the station Gambetta.Repairs and regular maintenance (such as that for batteries, electrical wiring, and paint) are carried out at the depot atChoisy, just as for the rest of the rail network of Paris. Opened in 1931, it is situated in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, close to the boulevard périphérique and accessible via a branch off of line 7. The depot is split into two distinct entities: one that performs maintenance specifically on the trains of line 7 (AMT), and another that renovates all trains on the métro. The depot occupies a total area of approximately 34350 square metre. 330 agents were employed at this depot in 2007.
Service
In 2010, a complete trip across the line took only four minutes. Just like the principal lines on the métro network, the first departure takes place at the beginning of the line at around 5:30 am (5:27 am at Porte des Lilas and 5:32 am at Gambetta); the last departure takes place at 1:04 am at Porte des Lilas and at 1:11 am at Gambetta, except on Friday and Saturday nights and on holidays. Despite the light traffic on the line, times between trains are still relatively short, with the average time between trains being between three and five minutes during the day and eight and nine minutes late at night. On Sunday mornings, the average time between trains is about six to eight minutes, and about ten minutes on Friday and Saturday nights (after 1:15 am) and on holidays (after 12:30 am).Rolling stock
Until 1971, the rolling stock on line 3bis was the same as that of line 3Paris Metro Line 3
Line 3 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Connecting Pont de Levallois - Bécon station in the near western suburbs to Gallieni in the east, the location of Paris' international bus station...
. Between 1972, and July 1981, the Sprague-Thomson
Sprague-Thomson
Sprague-Thomson is the name of the first rolling stock on the Paris Métro made completely of metal.-Research before 1908:In light of the Paris Métro train fire of 1903, the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris searched for a rolling stock that was both durable and safe. The Thomson...
variant circulated the line. Finally, the rolling stock was replaced with MF 67
MF 67
The MF 67 is a steel-wheel variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system. It is the most common Paris Metro rolling stock variant, being used on Lines 2, 3, 3bis, 5, 9, 10 and 12...
trains consisting of only three cars (because of the weak traffic on the line), which are still found on the line today. The trains on line 3bis are identical to those on line 9
Paris Metro Line 9
Paris Métro Line 9 is one of 16 lines of the Paris Métro. The line links Pont de Sèvres in Boulogne in the west with Montreuil in the east. It is the fourth busiest line on the network....
, except for the fact that the 3bis trains do not containstrapontins, or fold-down seats.
Employees
Employees on the network are divided into two categories: station agents and conductors. Station agents are responsible for selling tickets, ensuring that passengers have not entered the métro illegally (i.e. preventing fare evasionFare evasion
Fare evasion, as distinct from fare avoidance, is the act of travelling on public transport in disregard of the law and/or regulation, having deliberately not purchased the required ticket to travel . It is a problem in many parts of the world, and revenue protection officers operate on many systems...
), managing the stations, and ensuring the proper installation of instructional signs and other fixtures according to service needs. Some agents are at times relieved from their normal duties so that they can operate the ticket booth.
Conductors, on the other hand, ensure the proper operation of the trains. Service is broken down into three shifts: day, mixed, and night.
Fares and Financing
Fares are identical to those on the rest of the metropolitan network, and the line is accessible by the same transit subscriptions. A ticket t+ allows for a one-way trip on the line, regardless of the number of connections made with other métro lines or the RER (so long as the RER is taken only within the city of Paris, i.e. Paris intra-muros).The financing of the operation of the line is guaranteed by the RATP
RATP
The RATP Group , also known as the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens is a state-owned public transport operator headquartered in Paris, France. Formed in 1948, the group has its origins as the public transport operator for the city of Paris...
. Fares and subscription prices are regulated by the government and in fact their revenues do not cover the entire operating costs of the network. The difference is made up with funding provided by the Syndicat des transports d'Île-de-France (STIF), presided over since 2005 by the president of the Conseil régional d'Île-de-France and governed by locally elected officials. The organization defines the general conditions of operation including the duration and frequency of services. The operational budget is guaranteed by an annual subsidy provided to the general transportation network of the region; this subsidy is funded by a tax (the versement transport
Versement transport
In France, the versement transport is a hypothecated local tax levied on the total gross salaries of all employees of companies of more than nine employees, originally intended to raise capital for investment in local public transport infrastructure, but more and more used to cover its operating...
(VT), which is imposed on all companies in the region that employee more than nine people, as well as other public funds.
Traffic
The traffic along line 3bis is included with the statics of line 3Paris Metro Line 3
Line 3 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Connecting Pont de Levallois - Bécon station in the near western suburbs to Gallieni in the east, the location of Paris' international bus station...
, which are presented below:
Projects
Paris Metro Line 7bis
Paris Métro Line 7bis is the second shortest line of the metro operating in Paris, France. It serves the 19th and 20th arrondissements in the North East of the city.-Chronology:...
is currently in phase one and targeted for completion between 2010 and 2013; it is currently a pilot study within the Schéma directeur de la région Île-de-France (SDRIF). This merger may result in the re-opening of the voie des Fêtes and the voie navette, eventually allowing for the opening of the ghost station
Ghost stations of the Paris Métro
Ghost stations of the Paris Métro are stations that have been closed to the public and are no longer used in commercial service. For historical or economical reasons, many stations on the Paris Métro have been made inaccessible and lie unused, conferring a sense of mystery over Parisians.The...
Haxo
Haxo (Paris Métro)
Haxo is a ghost station on the Paris Métro. It lies on an unused connecting branch between lines 3bis and 7bis. - History :The station is situated on a line which was constructed in the 1920s between Porte des Lilas and Pré Saint-Gervais...
. An additional pilot study of the SDRIF is planning, in phase 2, an extension of line 7bis to Château-Landon
Château-Landon (Paris Metro)
Château-Landon is a station on line 7 of the Paris Métro in the 10th arrondissement.The station was opened on 5 November 1910 as part of the first section of the line from Opéra to Porte de la Villette. It is named after the Rue Château-Landon, a street which was built on property once owned by a...
.
Tourism
Line 3bis serves only four stations in the 20th arrondissement of Paris and as such does not stop near any touristy neighborhoods or lively areas of the city; therefore the line is little-known by few others than Parisians. The line's almost bizarre atmosphere (similar to that of line 7bisParis Metro Line 7bis
Paris Métro Line 7bis is the second shortest line of the metro operating in Paris, France. It serves the 19th and 20th arrondissements in the North East of the city.-Chronology:...
) is diametrically opposed to that of the popular lines1
Paris Metro Line 1
Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
, 4
Paris Metro Line 4
Line 4 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Situated entirely within the boundaries of the City of Paris, it connects Porte de Clignancourt in the north and Porte d'Orléans in the south, travelling across the heart of the city. As a result, it is sometimes called...
, and 13
Paris Metro Line 13
Line 13 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. The result of the fusion of the now-extinct Line B of the Nord-Sud Company and the old Line 14 of the CMP. Their creation was destined to be replaced by a north-south RER line before the reorganisation of the...
: its trains carry few passengers and its stations are nearly deserted.
See also
- Paris MétroParis MétroThe Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
- List of stations of the Paris Métro
- Architecture of the Paris MétroArchitecture of the Paris MétroThe Paris Métro comprises 300 stations and 384 train halls . From the original plain white tilework and art nouveau entrances, station decoration has evolved with successive waves of building and renovation....
- Merger of Paris Métro Lines 3bis and 7bis
- Ghost stations of the Paris MétroGhost stations of the Paris MétroGhost stations of the Paris Métro are stations that have been closed to the public and are no longer used in commercial service. For historical or economical reasons, many stations on the Paris Métro have been made inaccessible and lie unused, conferring a sense of mystery over Parisians.The...