Paris Métro Line 2

Line 2
Line 2
	An MF 01 stock train at Nation
Overview
Locale	Paris
Termini	Porte Dauphine; Nation
Connecting lines	; ; ;
Stations	25
Service
System	Paris Métro
Operator(s)	RATP
Rolling stock	MF 01; (45 trains as of 22 March 2011)
Ridership	88 million (2022) (avg. per year)
History
Opened	13 December 1900; 123 years ago
Technical
Line length	12.4 km (7.7 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification	750 V DC third rail
Conduction system	Conductor (PA)
Average inter-station distance	513 m (1,683 ft)
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	Gare du Nord
	Gare du Nord
	This diagram: view; talk; edit;

Paris Métro Line 2 (French: Ligne 2 du métro de Paris) is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro. Situated almost entirely above the former customs barrier around the capital (Boulevards extérieurs), it runs in a semicircle in the north of Paris.

As its name suggests, Line 2 was the second line of the Métro network to open, with the first section put into service on 13 December 1900; it adopted its current configuration on 2 April 1903, running between Porte Dauphine and Nation. There have been no changes in its layout since then.

At 12.4 km (7.7 mi) in length, it is the ninth-busiest line of the system, with 105.2 million riders in 2017. 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.

Works

On 30 March 1898 a déclaration d'utilité publique was published, recognising the public benefit of the first six planned lines of the Paris Métro. In response, the city began rapidly constructing the first line in hopes of opening it in time for the 1900 World's Fair. 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; Line C would pick up the segment from Étoile to Porte Dauphine. This change allowed trains on Line B to stop at Porte Dauphine. Porte Dauphine was thus 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; 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 3 December 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 turnaround loop.

Map and stations

This line counts 25 stations.

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.