Train route Paris-Orléans-Limoges-Toulouse to face severe disruption in 2025

Major works are to begin on the Paris-Toulouse train line from April 2025, affecting daytime rail travel between the cities.

The line, which passes through Orléans and Limoges (sometimes called the POLT), will see exceptional works carried out in the day-time so overnight international freight using the line can maintain schedule.

The first phase of works, running until August 2025, will see no trains running on the route between 10:00 and 15:00 on weekdays, although schedules will remain normal outside of these times, and weekends will not be affected. 

Between August 2025 and the end of the works (predicted to be early 2026), trains will not run on weekdays between 09:30 and 17:30. 

Services on the weekend will not be affected and the work will be temporarily halted during the Christmas/New Year period to allow for uninterrupted travel.

Up to 400 people each day will work on the project, both during the day and overnight, which will replace around 70 km of rail on the route in the Loiret department.

The project will cost €133 million, paid for by SNCF Réseau (the line manager of the French railways), and has been delayed twice in recent years. 

Important freight route 

Unlike other rail projects on busy passenger lines, which usually take place overnight to minimise disruption, works are being carried out during the day. 

Read more: Ten months of limited service announced for major train route in south of France

This is because the route is a major freight line, with overnight goods trains being required to continue operations.

“60% of regional and international goods trains run at night on this line and have to comply with border crossing times,” said the SNCF.

Local authorities had attempted to change the project, asking for the work to take place overnight, but their requests were rejected. 

“While we welcome this essential work, we cannot ignore the difficulties it will cause for daily travellers,” said François Bonneau, President of the Centre-Val de Loire region where the project is taking place.

“We regret that our requests to give priority to night-time work, which would be less disruptive for users, have not been taken into account,” he added.

‘This is an extraordinary project, and we are aware of the impact this work will have on the daily lives of passengers,” said Olivier Bancel, Executive Director of Projects, Maintenance and Operations at SNCF Réseau to BFMTV. 

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