View source for LGV Nord

{{short description|French high-speed railway}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width                       = auto
| name                            = LGV Nord
| color                           = 
| logo                            = 
| logo_width                      = 
| image                           = Viaduc de la Haute-Colme 01 09.jpg
| image_width                     = 321px
| caption                         = [[Eurostar]] north of [[Watten, Nord|Watten]]
| type                            = [[High-speed rail]]
| system                          = [[SNCF]]
| status                          = Operational
| locale                          = France ([[Hauts-de-France]],<br/>[[Île-de-France]])
| start                           = [[Channel Tunnel]]
| end                             = [[Gare du Nord]]
| stations                        = 4
| routes                          = 
| daily_ridership                 = 
| open                            = 1993
| close                           = 
| owner                           = [[SNCF Réseau]]
| operator                        = [[Eurostar]]<br>[[SNCF]]<br>[[Thalys]]
| character                       = 
| stock                           = High speed
| linelength                      = {{convert|333|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| tracklength                     = 
| tracks                          = [[Double track]] throughout + loops
| gauge                           = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}
| load_gauge                      = [[Loading gauge#Europe|UIC GC]]
| electrification                 = {{25 kV 50 Hz|conductor=overhead}}
| speed                           = {{convert|300|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=10}}
| signalling                      = [[Transmission Voie-Machine|TVM-430]]
| elevation                       = 
| map                             = {{LGV Nord}}
| map_state                       = collapsed
}}
The '''{{lang|fr|Ligne à Grande Vitesse Nord|italic=no}}''' ({{langx|en|North High-Speed Line}}), typically shortened to '''LGV Nord''', is a French {{convert|333|km|mile|adj=on}}-long [[high-speed rail]] line, opened in 1993, that connects [[Paris]] to the [[Belgium–France border|Belgian border]] and the [[Channel Tunnel]] via [[Lille]].

With a maximum speed of {{convert|300|km/h|mph}}, the line appreciably shortened rail journeys between Paris and Lille. Its extensions to the north ([[Belgium]], the [[Channel Tunnel]]) and the south (via the [[LGV Interconnexion Est]]) have reduced journey times to Great Britain and [[Benelux]] and for inter-regional trips between the Nord (Pas de Calais) region and the southeast and southwest of France. Its route is twinned with the [[A1 autoroute (France)|A1]] for {{convert|130|km|mi}}, which is why it was given its official nickname, the ''A1 Highway''.  As it is mostly built in flat areas, the [[ruling gradient|maximum incline]] is 25 metres per kilometre (2.5‰).

Of all French high-speed lines, the LGV Nord sees the widest variety of high-speed rolling stock: the [[Alstom]]-made [[TGV POS]], [[TGV Réseau]], [[TGV Atlantique]], [[TGV Duplex]], [[British Rail Class 373|Eurostar e300]], [[Thalys PBA]] [[Thalys PBKA|and PBKA]] and the [[Siemens Velaro]]-derived [[British Rail Class 374|Eurostar e320]], as well as rolling stock on local trains. Traffic is controlled by the Lille rail traffic centre.

==Route==
The LGV Nord begins at [[Arnouville-lès-Gonesse]], {{convert|16.6|km|mi}} from the [[Gare du Nord]] on the [[Paris–Lille railway]] line. At [[Vémars]], the [[LGV Interconnexion Est]] joins it via a triangular junction, leading to [[Charles de Gaulle Airport]] and [[Gare de Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy|Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy]]; this enables direct trains from London and [[Amsterdam]] to [[Disneyland Paris]], as well as the southern destinations ([[Lyon]], [[Avignon]] and [[Marseille]])

After passing east of the forest of [[Ermenonville]] over the [[viaduc de Verberie]], it joins the [[A1 autoroute (France)|A1]] around [[Chevrières, Oise|Chevrières]] and accompanies it to the [[Lille]] suburbs.

At [[Ablaincourt-Pressoir]] ([[Somme (department)|Somme]]), a new station, [[Gare TGV Haute-Picardie]], is served only by inter-regional TGVs. At [[Croisilles, Pas-de-Calais|Croisilles]], Pas-de-Calais, a junction leads to the [[Agny]] link towards [[Arras, France|Arras]]. The LGV crosses the [[A1 autoroute]] at [[Seclin]] ([[Nord (département)|Nord]]).

[[Image:Fretin-triangle-diagram.svg|thumb|right|200px|Fretin triangle [[flying junction]]]]
At [[Fretin]], a triangular junction links the LGV to the Lille-[[Brussels]] [[HSL 1]] high-speed line eastwards, crossing the border at [[Wannehain]] and joining the conventional network at [[Lembeek]], south of Brussels. After the Fretin junction, the LGV has a connection to the conventional network at [[Lezennes]], near Lille. This junction is used for TGVs terminating at Lille, which use [[Gare de Lille-Flandres|Lille-Flandres]]. TGVs that continue beyond Lille, as well as some [[Eurostar]] services, stop at [[Gare de Lille-Europe|Lille-Europe]] instead. Non-stop Eurostars pass through a tunnel under the city of Lille at {{convert|200|km/h|mph}}.

The line passes south of [[Armentières]] and north of [[Hazebrouck]]. At Cassel, a link provides a connection with [[Dunkirk]]. The LGV continues west, crossing the [[A26 autoroute]] at Zouafques and ends at [[Gare de Calais-Fréthun|Calais-Fréthun]], at the [[Eurotunnel]] terminal. This enables TGV service to [[Calais]] and Eurostars through the [[Channel Tunnel]] to London. The TGVs continue to [[Calais-Ville]] or reverse in either Calais stations and go on to [[Boulogne-sur-Mer]] and [[Gare d'Étaples-Le Touquet|Étaples-Le Touquet]] and [[Gare de Rang-du-Fliers-Verton|Rang-du-Fliers-Verton]].
The route was much criticised, particularly by those in the [[Picardy]] region. The LGV crosses the region without a stop; [[Amiens]] in particular would have liked to have been on the line. The government judged a route via Amiens to be impracticable, as the Lille route demanded a straight line between Paris and Lille in order to give a reasonable Paris-Lille-London journey time. The [[LGV Picardie]] project would address this issue by serving Amiens, and would reduce the Paris–London journey time to less than 2 hours.

==Stations==

The LGV Nord serves the following stations:
* [[Gare du Nord]] (Paris)
* [[Gare TGV Haute-Picardie]]<sup>1</sup>
* [[Gare d'Arras]]²
* [[Gare de Lille-Europe]]
* [[Gare de Calais-Fréthun]]

<sup>1</sup> Haute-Picardie station has been nicknamed "Gare des Betteraves" or "Beetroot Station," since it is located in the middle of nowhere and is only accessible by good road connections. [[Amiens]] wanted a station closer to the town centre, stopping at [[Gare d'Amiens]].<br />
² Arras station is reached via a branch of the LGV Nord that splits off near the village of [[Croisilles, Pas-de-Calais|Croisilles]].

==History==

* {{Timeline-event |date={{Start date|1984}} |event= The [[Lyon]]-Lille connection by [[TGV]] began, using conventional lines between the [[Île-de-France]] and [[Lille]].}}
* {{Timeline-event |date={{Start date|1989|09|29|df=y}} |event= [[Déclaration d'utilité publique|declaration of public utility]]}}
* {{Timeline-event |date={{Start date|1991|09|02|df=y}} |event= commencement of tracklaying}}
* {{Timeline-event |date={{Start date|1992|09|09|df=y}} |event= catenary in service}}
* {{Timeline-event |date={{Start date|1992|10|20|df=y}} |event= first trials with [[TGV Atlantique]] trainset 301}}
* {{Timeline-event |date={{Start date|1993|05|23|df=y}} |event= service commences between Paris and [[Arras]]}}
* {{Timeline-event |date={{Start date|1993|12|21|df=y}} |event= TGV 7150 from Valenciennes to Paris, operated by set 511, derailed at {{convert|300|km/h|mph}} at the site of TGV Haute Picardie station (before it was built). Rain had caused a hole to open up under the track; the hole dated from the First World War but had not been detected during construction. The front power car and the front four carriages derailed, but remained aligned with the track. Out of the 200 passengers, one was slightly injured.}}
* 14 November 1994: First [[Eurostar]] service from [[Waterloo International railway station|Waterloo international]] To [[Gare du Nord|Paris Nord]]. The first service from The UK to France by Eurostar was made on the 14 November Connecting the now disused London Waterloo international via [[High Speed 1|HS1]] and the  [[Channel Tunnel]], Across LGV Nord to Paris [[Gare du Nord|(Gare du Nord)]]. The full day service through to Paris Nord and [[Brussels-South railway station|Brussels south]] began later (28 May 1995.)

The line was designed to facilitate European connections. The foreseen opening of the [[Channel Tunnel]] made it a project of the utmost urgency, leading to an acceleration of work. It opened in 1993, a year before the tunnel, from Arnouville to Fréthun; the Belgian section followed in 1997.

==Services==
''Journey times and daily train frequency'':

===From Paris===
* Paris–[[Lille]] 1:00/24
* Paris–[[Douai]] 1:09/10
* Paris–[[Valenciennes]] 1:42/10
* Paris–[[Arras]] 0:49/9
* Paris–[[Dunkirk]] 1:38/9
* Paris–[[Lens, Pas-de-Calais|Lens]] 1:05/7
* Paris–[[Béthune]] 1:15/7
* Paris–[[Calais]] 1:23/5
* Paris–[[Cambrai]] 1:40/1
* Paris–[[St-Omer]] 1:56/1
* Paris–[[Boulogne-sur-Mer|Boulogne]] 1:57/1

===Inter-regional===
* [[Lyon]]–Lille 2:48/11
* Lyon–[[Arras]] 2:46/3
* Lyon–[[Brussels]] 3:40/2
* [[Nantes]]–Lille 3:53/4
* [[Rennes]]–Lille 3:49/4
* [[Bordeaux]]–Lille 5:00/5

===International===
* Paris – London 2:15
* Paris – [[Brussels]] 1:20
*London - [[Marne-la-Vallee - Chessy]] (for [[Disneyland Paris]]) 2:43
*[[London]] - Marseille: 6:28
* Paris – [[Liège]] 2:10
* Paris – [[Cologne]] 3:14
* Paris – [[Amsterdam]] 3:18
*[[Lille]] – London 1:20
*Amsterdam - London - 3:55

===Future services===
At present, only Deutsche Bahn has applied for use of the line and in 2009 regulations were relaxed to allow its trains to use the Channel Tunnel. Other proposals are yet to be formalised.

====Deutsche Bahn====
[[File:Amsterdam ICE 3M 001.JPG|thumb|A Deutsche Bahn high-speed train]]
{{update|section|date=May 2017}}
In 2009, [[Eurotunnel]] (the owners of the Channel Tunnel) announced that it was prepared to start relaxing the [[fire safety]] regulations, in order to permit other operators, such as Deutsche Bahn, to transport passengers via the Tunnel using other forms of rolling stock via LGV Nord.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5018915,00.html?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf|title=Deutsche Bahn gets access to Channel Tunnel|date=16 December 2009|publisher=Deutsche Welle|access-date=27 September 2010}}</ref> Under the deregulation of European railway service, high-speed lines were opened up to open access on 1 January 2010; the Inter-Governmental Commission on the Channel Tunnel (IGC) announced that it was considering relaxing the safety requirements concerning train splitting. LCR suggested that high-speed rail services between London and Cologne could commence before the 2012 Olympics.<ref name="ES-DB2">{{cite news|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23801905-the-train-at-st-pancras-will-be-departing-for-germany-via-channel-tunnel.do |title=The train at St Pancras will be departing for ... Germany via Channel Tunnel |last=Lydall |first=Ross |date=3 February 2010 |work=London Evening Standard |access-date=7 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206220255/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23801905-the-train-at-st-pancras-will-be-departing-for-germany-via-channel-tunnel.do |archive-date= 6 February 2010 }}</ref> As of March 2010 Eurotunnel, [[High Speed 1]], DB and other interested train operators formed a working group to discuss changes to the safety rules, including allowing DB's {{convert|200|m|ft}} trains through the tunnel on a Frankfurt to London service.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7055789.ece | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629133136/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7055789.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=29 June 2011 | work=The Times | location=London | title=Deutsche Bahn may run London to Frankfurt service | date=10 March 2010 | access-date=2 April 2010 | first=Angela | last=Jameson}}</ref>

Deutsche Bahn hope to run an ICE&nbsp;3 train through the Channel Tunnel on 19 October 2010,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thelocal.de/national/20100902-29563.html | title=Deutsche Bahn eyes Chunnel link to UK | publisher=[[The Local]]|date=2 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.railjournal.com/newsflash/date-set-for-channel-tunnel-ice-test.html | title=Date set for Channel Tunnel ICE test | publisher=[[International Railway Journal]] | date=1 September 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906045155/http://www.railjournal.com/newsflash/date-set-for-channel-tunnel-ice-test.html | archive-date=6 September 2010 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> in preparation for possible future operations.<ref name="rg-ice3-chunnel">{{cite news | url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/deutsche-bahn-to-run-ice3-to-britain-this-year.html | title=Deutsche Bahn to run ICE3 to Britain this year | publisher=[[Railway Gazette International]]|date=29 July 2010}}</ref> The current Velaro [[ICE3]] sets do not meet the fire safety requirements necessary for the carriage of passengers through the Channel Tunnel, but the [[Siemens Velaro##Velaro D|Siemens Velaro D]] sets on order include the necessary additional fire-proofing.<ref name="rg-ice3-chunnel"/> DB are considering a Frankfurt to London service which could start in 2020 taking about 4 to 5 hours with stops at Cologne and Brussels. The ICE 4 trains that are planned to be used on the route are yet to be given their permit to travel at speed through northern France and Belgium, increasing the time it will take for this service to come in fruition, but DB now allegedly plan to start a dual service. This would entail the use of two ICE 4 trains tethered together, travelling as far as Brussels Midi, before splitting, where one train will carry on to Amsterdam via Rotterdam and the other to Frankfurt via Cologne.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/19/london-frankfurt-train-high-speed Auf Wiedersehen jet: London to Frankfurt by train], The Guardian (19 September 2010)</ref>

====Veolia====
[[File:Alstom AGV Cerhenice img 0365.jpg|thumb|Veolia's planned use of the [[Automotrice à grande vitesse|AGV]] train would cut journey times to London]]

In September 2008, [[Air France-KLM]] indicated a desire to take advantage of the change in the law and apply to run rail services.
However, in October 2009, Air France withdrew its interest. This led to Veolia looking for new partners, with the announcement that it would begin working on new proposals in cooperation with [[Trenitalia]] to run services from Paris to Strasbourg, London and Brussels.<ref>[http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/veoila-and-trenitalia-mount-rival-eurostar-service/ Veoila and Trenitalia mount rival Eurostar service] – Breaking Travel News, 24/12/09</ref>

====Renfe====
[[File:Talgo 350.jpg|thumb|Spanish AVE train]]
Spanish railway operator [[RENFE]] has also shown an interest in running [[AVE]] services from Spain to London<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-09/eurostar-failures-bolster-deutsche-bahn-s-tunnel-bid-update1-.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315163103/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-09/eurostar-failures-bolster-deutsche-bahn-s-tunnel-bid-update1-.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 March 2010|publisher=Bloomberg|title=Eurostar Failures Bolster Deutsche Bahn's Tunnel Bid (Update2)|date=9 March 2010|access-date=22 June 2010|quote=Renfe said ... it's looking for opportunities to expand ... through the [Channel] tunnel.}}</ref> via Paris, [[Lyon]], Barcelona and Madrid via its [[AVE]] network which is connected to France via the [[Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line|Barcelona to Figueras]] and [[LGV Perpignan–Figueres|Perpignan to Figueras lines]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article6934799.ece | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611190323/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article6934799.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=11 June 2011 | work=The Times | location=London | title=Rail offers London to Madrid in eight hours | date=27 November 2009 | access-date=2 April 2010 | first=Graham | last=Keeley}}</ref>

==See also==
{{commons category}}

*[[High-speed rail in France]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{in lang|fr}} [http://lgv2030.free.fr/ligne1.htm#Nord Information on LGVs]

{{Channel tunnel}}
{{High-speed rail in France}}
{{High-speed railway lines}}
{{Eurostar navbox}}

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[[Category:High-speed railway lines in France|Nord]]
[[Category:Eurostar]]
[[Category:Standard-gauge railways in France]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1993]]
[[Category:Railway lines in Île-de-France]]
[[Category:Railway lines in Hauts-de-France]]
[[Category:Cross-border railway lines in France]]