France (Grand Est) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

Obscure Services

Attigny - Voncq - Challerange

(ERA-E 30C2 - 31A2; ERA-R 71B5; S+W 18B3) FR24/201

CFT du Sud des Ardennes currently operates between Amagne Village and Attigny during the summer season. Trains used to run regularly to Vouziers, but only during the Fête du Rail weekend, usually in mid-August, did they continue to the end of the line at Challerange. It appears likely that in the immediate future any operations beyond Attigny will run only as far as Voncq. The future of the line between Voncq, Vouziers and Challerange is under consideration.

Mulhouse

[ERT 379] (ERA-E 31B4; ERA-R 72C1 inset; S+W 69B1)

Three possible routes exist for TGVs between Strasbourg and Belfort-Montbéliard TGV (or beyond) to traverse the Mulhouse area. Most trains use the original main line via Mulhouse-Dornach, with reversal in Mulhouse Ville. Those taking 46 minutes or less to/from Strasbourg are highly likely to take this route.

Contournement de Mulhouse and Raccordement de Wanne: Lutterbach (Haut-Rhin) (Bifurcation de Lutterbach) – Mulhouse (via Mulhouse Nord)

FR24/202

This route enables these trains to avoid reversal at Mulhouse. Trains from Mulhouse have been noted using a route around the north side of some parts of Mulhouse yards, trains to Mulhouse a route around the south side of some parts of Mulhouse yards. More than 10 tracks separate the two routes.

Most TGV services between Strasbourg and Lyon call at Mulhouse Ville for only 3 or 4 minutes, which is hardly enough time for reversal, so regularly use this route as did the 09:04 Strasbourg to Marseille TGV on 10 April 2023. On 29 November 2023 TGVs 5516/2242 and 2239/5537, Nice - Strasbourg/Nancy and v.v. were noted taking this route.

The compilers would welcome additional reports of specific trains running this way..

Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.

Mulhouse-Dornach – Brunstatt

FR24/203

This direct curve, to the west of Mulhouse, between the Colmar line near Mulhouse-Dornach and the Belfort line near Brunstatt, enables trains to avoid Mulhouse altogether. All trains are scheduled to call at Mulhouse from December 2019, so the curve is not currently used.

Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.

(Flüh [Switzerland] –) frontier – Leymen – frontier (– Rodersdorf [Switzerland])

(ERA-E 31C5, not shown; ERA-R 134A3; S+W 69C2) FR24/204

BLT operate through France - see Swiss table 50.010 - over this route which is not linked to the French national network.

(Vendenheim –) Mundolsheim – Strasbourg via ligne 1 bis on the west side of Hausbergen Yard

[fiche A03] (ERA-E 31A5, not shown; ERA-R 72C5; S+W 39B1-39B2) FR24/205

Track 1 bis runs on the west side of the main lines, veering away at Mundolsheim station to run on the far side of Hausbergen yard. It comes back alongside the main lines at the south end of the yard, near the PRS / Poste 1. This line has been known to be used by trains booked more than the usual 12 minutes between Brumath or Stephansfeld and Strasbourg. There are none in the 2020 timetable.

In the opposite direction, track 2 bis runs on the east side of the yard, close to the main lines. It seems most unlikely it would be used as there is no operational reason for this and it creates further conflictions at Vendenheim.

On 29 November 2023 830305 14:42 Metz to Strasbourg was noted using this line

The compilers would welcome reports of use of this route in either direction.

Onville

(ERA-E 72A4; ERA-R 72A4; S+W 36A1)

East of Onville the old main line from Paris Est to Metz makes a triangular junction with the line from Nancy to Metz. West of Onville there is a triangular junction where the line to Conflans-Jarny joins the line from Paris. There are trains between Metz and Nancy, avoiding Onville to the east, half hourly on weekdays and hourly at weekends. There are no passenger trains between the Paris line and Conflans-Jarny, avoiding Onville to the west.

Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.

The four curves from Onville are used thus:

Onville - Pagny-sur-Moselle

[ERT 392, fiche L25 Nancy - Longwy] FR24/206

The curve to the southeast is used by trains between Nancy and Conflans-Jarny.

From Nancy: 08:39 SuX, 12:39, 16:26/16:39 SuO, 17:39 SSuX, 18:39, 19:54 D FO

From Conflans-Jarny: 06:48 SSuX, 07:48 SuX, 11:48 SSuO, 13:48 SSuX, 15:48 SSuX, 17:44 SSuO, 19:46 SuO, 20:27 SuO

Onville - Thiaucourt

[Fiche L28 Metz - Bar-le-Duc] FR24/207

The curve to the southwest is used by trains between Metz and Bar-le-Duc.

From Metz: 08:26 SSuX, 12:36 SO, 14:04 D SSuX, 17:24 SuO, 18:00 SO, 18:31 SSuX

From Bar-le-Duc: 07:16 SuX, 13:14 SSuX, 16:46 SO, 17:16 SX, 19:16 SuO

This curve is also taken by the Paris Est <=> Berlin sleeper on the dates it travels via Forbach.

Onville - Conflans-Jarny

[ERT 392, fiche L25 Nancy - Longwy and L30 Metz - Verdun] FR24/208

The curve to the northwest is used by trains from Metz or Nancy to Conflans-Jarny, if not via Hagondange. It is used by trains listed under route FR23/208 and by:

From Metz: 06:06 SSuX, 18:21 SSuX

From Conflans-Jarny: 07:20 SSuX, 18:50 SSuX

Onville - Metz

[Fiche L28 Metz - Bar-le-Duc and L30 Metz - Verdun] FR24/209

The curve to the northeast is used by trains between Metz and Bar-le-Duc or Conflans-Jarny, if not via Hagondange. It is used by trains listed under route FR23/209 and by:

From Metz: 06:06 SSuX, 18:21 SSuX

From Conflans-Jarny: 07:20 SSuX, 18:50 SSuX

This curve is also taken by the Paris Est <=> Berlin sleeper on the dates it travels via Forbach.

Bouzonville – Niedaltdorf (Germany)

(ERA-E 30C4-31A4; ERA-R 72A5-72B5; S+W 20B3-20C2) FR210

This line has no regular service but a special shuttle service has operated from Dillingen in conjunction with the Good Friday market at Bouzonville - see Germany route Niedaltdorf – Bouzonville (France) for details and train timings.

Sarrebourg avoiding line: Sarraltroff – Réding

[ERT 383, fiche A14 Strasbourg - Metz] (ERA-E 31A4; ERA-R 72B4; S+W 37B3) FR24/211

Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.

This is used by 'classic' trains between Metz and Strasbourg not calling at Sarrebourg. Non-stop TGVs run via the LGV Est.

For the other two sides of the triangle:

• [Berthelming -] Sarraltroff - Sarrebourg: see fiche A14 Strasbourg - Metz
• Sarrebourg - Réding: see fiche A13 Strasbourg - Nancy for TER services. TGV services in the LGV Est entries.

Contournement de Metz: Metz Ville – Woippy

[fiche L01B Metz - Hagondange - Thionville - Luxembourg] (ERA-E 31A3; ERA-R 72A4; S+W 20A4) FR24/212

The original Metz - Thionville line provides an alternative route to the west of the current main line of 1908. Trains using this line arrive and depart at the south end of Metz Ville station, instead of the north. Trains taking at least 15 minutes between Metz and Hagondange may use this route.

Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.

Train 37680 from Metz to Thionville at 13:48 SSuX is the only stopping service not to call at Metz Nord, so seems particularly likely to use this route.

There is a temporary timetable between Thionville and Metz from 30 October to 24 November, probably due to engineering work. Trains from Thionville to Metz on Saturdays and Sundays are given 16-17 minutes between Hagondange and Metz, rather than the usual 11-12 minutes, so would appear likely to run via this obscure route. There are also two similarly timed trains on weekdays and these continue into the 2024 timetable. 837682 14:09 Metz - Thionville and 837699 09:24 Thionville - Metz

The compilers would welcome reports of use of this route.

Metz Southern avoiding line: Ars-sur-Moselle - Metz Sablon - Peltre

(ERA-E 31A3; ERA-R 72A4; S+W 20A4) FR24/212A

This curve allows trains from Onville and Pagny-sur-Moselle to proceed directly to the Remilly line without calling at Metz main station.

The Paris Est <=> Berlin Hbf sleeper service takes this route on the days it runs via Forbach, and may take it as an alternative to Nancy when the trains is routed via Strasbourg. If routed by Strasbourg trains use DE24/602 (Appenweier kurve) in Germany.

The compilers would appreciate any information on routing

Note 1		NJ 40469	19:12 Paris Est - Berlin Hbf
Note 1		NJ 40424	Berlin Hbf - 18:49 Berlin Sudkreuz - Paris Est

Note 1: Dates of operation and routing can be found on the OBB Scotty app and website

Woippy – Maizières-lès-Metz (via Woippy-Triage (west side))

[fiche L01B Metz - Hagondange - Thionville - Luxembourg] (ERA-E 31A3, not shown; ERA-R 72A4, not shown; S+W 20A3) FR24/213

Some local passenger trains are scheduled to use this route (voies 1B /2B) for pathing purposes, taking slightly longer than usual between Woippy and and Maizières-lès-Metz. The actual routing is therefore particularly susceptible to the timekeeping not only of the train itself but of those around it. Trains via the Contournement de Metz, route FR23/216, may also use this route.

Click on the thumbnail for a full size map.

Lines used on an occasional basis for engineering work diversions

Racc de Mohon: Poix-Terron (Bif Km 139.6) - Lumes (Bif Km 140.6)

(ERA-E 16B2; ERA-R 71B5; 18B1) FR24/231

This south to east curve enables trains to run between Reims and Sedan without reversing at Charleville-Mézières. It is not normally used by passenger trains, but some services were diverted this way between 15 April and 17 May 2019, omitting the normal stop at Charleville-Mézières. This is unlikely to be repeated.

Raccordement d'Uckange: Uckange (Bif. d'Uckange) – Hayange (Bif. de Florange)

[CFL website plus fiche L01B Metz - Hagondange - Thionville - Luxembourg] (ERA-E 63C2; ERA-R 72A5, 20A3) FR24/232

This line avoiding Thionville enables trains to run direct between Metz and Longuyon.

The line between Luxembourg and Bettembourg was completely closed from 10 to 18 February 2018 and two pairs of Monday to Friday rush hour trains between Luxembourg and Metz were diverted via Rodange, Longuyon and Uckange, non-stop to/from Uckange. These diversions may have been repeated during a long blockade in July-August 2018.