Opened 1876 | Status Operational | |
Termini Les Fontinettes, CalaisCoudekerque-Branche, Dunkirk | ||
The Coudekerque-Branche–Fontinettes railway runs along the English Channel and North Sea coast of France from a junction near Gare de Coudekerque-Branche in Dunkirk to a junction near Gare des Fontinettes in Calais. It is 41.159 kilometres (25.575 miles) long and unelectrified single track for much of its length, except for the first 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) from Dunkirk which is double track electrified with 25kV 50 Hz. Line speeds are from 80 km/h (50 mph) to 120 km/h (75 mph).
There is a movable bridge over the Aa at Gravelines to allow navigation of the river.
As of August 2011, an irregular service of 3 to 5 trains run each day.
History
The line was built by Compagnie du Nord-Est and opened 10 August 1876. Operations were transferred on 5 June 1883 to Compagnie des chemins de fer du Nord.
The whole length of the line was doubled in 1915, to be resingled along much of its length in 1960. The first ten kilometres of the line from Coudekerque was electrified in 1962 and the marshalling yard (triage de Grande-Synthe) at Grande-Sythe built between 1962 and 1965.
There are plans to electrify the line by 2014.