Paris Métro 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 (boulevards extérieurs), it runs in a semi-circle in the north of Paris.

Line 2
An MF 2000 stock train at Nation
Overview
System	Paris Métro
Termini	Porte Dauphine Nation
Connecting lines
Stations	25
Ridership	92,100,000 (2010) (avg. per year) 7th/16 (2010)
Operation
Opened	1900
Operator(s)	RATP
Conduction system	Conductor (PA)
Rolling stock	MF 2000 (45 trains as of March 22, 2011)
Technical
Line length	12.4 km (7.7 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in)
Route map Porte Dauphine Victor Hugo Charles de Gaulle–Étoile  Ternes Courcelles Monceau Villiers Rome Place de Clichy Blanche Pigalle Anvers Barbès – Rochechouart Gare du Nord Paris-Nord La Chapelle Magenta Stalingrad Canal Saint-Martin Jaurès Colonel Fabien Belleville Couronnes Ménilmontant Père Lachaise Philippe Auguste Alexandre Dumas Avron Nation Charonne Shops

As its name suggests, Line 2 was the second line of the Métro to open, with the first section put into service in December 1900; it adopted its current configuration in April 1903, running between Porte Dauphine and Nation. There have been no changes in its service pattern since.

At 12.4 km (7.7 mi) in length, it is the seventh-busiest line of the system, with 92.1 million passengers in 2004. Slightly over 2 km (1.2 mi) of the line is built on an elevated viaduct with four aerial stations. In 1903, it was the location of the worst incident in the history of the Paris Métro, the fire at Couronnes.

History

Chronology

• 13 December 1900: The first portion of line "2 Nord" was opened between Porte Dauphine and Étoile.
• 7 October 1902: The line was extended from Étoile to Anvers.
• 31 January 1903: The line was extended from Anvers to Bagnolet.
• 2 April 1903: The line was extended from Bagnolet to Nation.
• 10 August 1903: A short circuit on a train caused a disastrous fire that killed 84 people at Couronnes and Ménilmontant stations.
• 14 October 1907: Line "2 Nord" was renamed line 2.

Birth of the line

On March 30, 1898 a déclaration d'utilité publique was made, recognizing the public benefit of the first six planned lines of the Paris metro. In response, the city began rapidly constructing the first line in hopes of opening it in time for the world's fair in 1900. During the first stage of development, three lines designated A, B, and C were planned for construction:

• A: from Porte de Vincennes to Porte Dauphine.
• B: circular route along the old city walls
• C: from Porte Maillot to Menilmontant, using line B tracks from Étoile to Batignolles.

However, after a detailed traffic study was conducted, changes were proposed to the tracks lying west of Étoile: the segment from Étoile to Porte Maillot of line C would be integrated into line A, and line C would pick up the segment from Étoile to Porte Dauphine. This change allowed trains on line B to stop at Porte Dauphine, and thus Porte Dauphine was designated the terminus and origin of line B.

Shortly thereafter, line B was split into two lines in hopes of simplifying its use; the section from Porte Dauphine to Nation was designated as Line 2 North, and the remaining section from Nation to Étoile was designated Line 2 South. Line 2 South would eventually become line 6.

The first 1,600 metres (0.99 mi) section of line 2 was constructed at the same time as line 1, opening only a little later on December 3, 1900. This section consisted of three stations, Porte Dauphine, Victor Hugo, and Étoile, and was circulated by rolling stock consisting of three cars each. At Étoile, trains reversed direction via a track transfer (due to it serving as only a temporary terminus), while at Porte Dauphine and Nation direction was reversed using a turn-around loop.

Map and stations

This line counts 25 stations.

Map of Paris Métro Line 2

Renamed stations

Date	Old name	New name
15 October 1907	Boulevard Barbès	Barbès – Rochechouart
1 August 1914	Rue d'Allemagne	Jaurès
6 October 1942	Aubervilliers	Aubervilliers – Boulevard de la Villette
19 August 1945	Combat	Colonel Fabien
10 February 1946	Aubervilliers – Boulevard de la Villette	Stalingrad
1970	Étoile	Charles de Gaulle – Étoile
13 September 1970	Bagnolet	Alexandre Dumas

Tourism

• The elevated line between Barbès – Rochechouart and Jaurès stations offers views of Paris.
• Metro line 2 passes near several places of interest :
  • Avenue Foch, which is the largest avenue in Paris, and the Arc de Triomphe.
  • Parc Monceau.
  • Pigalle and the Moulin Rouge.
  • Barbès and Belleville and their African and Asian influences.
  • Père Lachaise Cemetery.
  • Place de la Nation.

Gallery

• 
  Barbès – Rochechouart
• 
  Charles de Gaulle – Étoile
• 
  Monceau
• 
  New MF 2000 train used on the route
• 
  Interior of an MF 2000
• 
  Dynamic destination display
• 
  A metro car departing from Jaurès along the Boulevard de la Villette

See also

• Paris
• Transport in Paris
• List of stations of the Paris Métro
• List of stations of the Paris RER
• List of metro systems
• Rail transport in France

External links

English

• RATP English website
• Interactive Map of the RER (from RATP's website)
• Interactive Map of the Paris métro (from RATP's website)

French

• RATP official website
• Mobidf website, dedicated to the RER (unofficial)
• Metro-Pole website, dedicated to Paris public transports (unofficial)