Bayonne–Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port railway

The Bayonne - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port railway is a French 52-kilometre long railway line, that connects the Bayonne to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, running through the foothills of the Pyrenees. The railway was opened fully in 1898.

Bayonne - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port railway
A train on the line in 2011.
Overview
SystemSNCF
StatusOperational
LocaleFrance (Aquitaine)
TerminiGare de Bayonne
Gare de Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Operation
Opened1891 - 1898
OwnerRFF
Operator(s)SNCF
Technical
Line length52 km (32 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track[1]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification1.5 kV DC[2]
Route map
 Line to Bordeaux
 Bayonne
Line to Toulouse
Line to Hendaye
 Villefranque
 Ustaritz
 Jatxou
 Halsou-Larressore
 Cambo-les-Bains
 Itxassou
 Louhossoa
 Pont-Noblia-Bidarray
 Ossès-Saint-Martin-d'Arrossa
Line to Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry
 Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Route
Map of the line in 2013

The Bayonne - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port railway leaves the Gare de Bayonne in a southerly direction. It crosses the river Adour south of Bayonne town centre, and then splits with the Toulouse-Bayonne railway and Bordeaux-Irun railway. It continues through valleys within the Pyrenees until it reaches Gare de Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, its south-western terminus.

History

The line opened in 3 sections between 1891 and 1898 as follows:

  • Bayonne - Cambo-les-Bains on 19 January 1891
  • Cambo-les-Bains - Ossès on 20 August 1892
  • Ossès - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on 11 December 1898

Between 1930 and 1931 the line was electrified to 1.5 kV DC, however in May 2010 the line was de-electrified to reduce the costs of renewing the electrical equipment.

As of 2014 no trains run south from Cambo-les-Bains and a rail replacement bus service is used from this station onwards to SJPP. The rails are rusty and there are weeds growing up between the crossties. The line hugs a river valley and in places is only 20 feet above the Nive river. At one point, where the line crosses the river on a truss bridge, the ballast has been washed away over a distance of about 30 feet and the rail and crossties are suspended in mid-air. There is a collection of driftwood at this point; evidence of flood damage (probably at this location: 43.256303, -1.320315).

Line has been reopened on November, 22nd, 2015.

Services

The Bayonne - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port railway is used by the following passenger services:

  • TER Aquitaine regional services between Bayonne and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
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References
  1. "RFF - Network map" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2011.
  2. "RFF - Map of electrified railway lines" (PDF).

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