Boulogne–Calais railway
Encyclopedia
The Boulogne–Calais railway is an electrified double track
railway running between the ports of Boulogne-sur-Mer
and Calais
in France
. An extension of the Longueau–Boulogne railway
it meets the Lille–Fontinettes railway
and Coudekerque-Branche–Fontinettes railway
to Dunkirk at Gare des Fontinettes
in Calais.
The line opened on 7 January 1867 with railway stations at Wimille
, Marquise
, Caffiers
and St Pierre
. It was used only for local traffic between Boulogne and Calais until that March when the Paris to Calais trains were diverted, cutting 30 minutes off the Paris to London mail route.
Until the start of the Eurostar
service from London to Paris in 1994 via LGV Nord
it was the main route for the boat train
s to Paris which met the ships carrying passengers from Great Britain. the line is used by TGV services from Rang-du-Fliers
via Calais-Fréthun to Lille-Europe and local TER
Nord-Pas-de-Calais services.
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
railway running between the ports of Boulogne-sur-Mer
Boulogne-sur-Mer
-Road:* Metropolitan bus services are operated by the TCRB* Coach services to Calais and Dunkerque* A16 motorway-Rail:* The main railway station is Gare de Boulogne-Ville and located in the south of the city....
and Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. An extension of the Longueau–Boulogne railway
Longueau–Boulogne railway
The Longueau-Boulogne railway is a French railway which runs from a junction with the Paris-Lille railway at Longueau to the coastal port of Boulogne. A double track...
it meets the Lille–Fontinettes railway
Lille–Fontinettes railway
The Lille–Fontinettes railway is a French railway which runs from Gare de Lille-Flandres to Gare des Fontinettes near Calais. Electrified double track it is long.Completed in 1848 it was the first railway to reach the coastal port of Calais...
and Coudekerque-Branche–Fontinettes railway
Coudekerque-Branche–Fontinettes railway
The Coudekerque-Branche–Fontinettes railway runs along the coast in France from a junction near Gare de Coudekerque-Branche in Dunkirk to a junction near Gare des Fontinettes in Calais. It is long and unelectrified single track for much of its length, except for the first from Dunkirk which is...
to Dunkirk at Gare des Fontinettes
Gare des Fontinettes
Les Fontinettes railway station is a railway station in Calais, France.It is situated on a triangular junction where the Coudekerque-Branche–Fontinettes railway, Lille–Fontinettes railway and Boulogne–Calais railway all meet...
in Calais.
The line opened on 7 January 1867 with railway stations at Wimille
Wimille
Wimille is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Wimille is a farming and light industrial town situated some north of Boulogne, at the junction of the D233 and the D237 roads, on the banks of the river Wimereux. The river Slack forms the...
, Marquise
Marquise, Pas-de-Calais
Marquise is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Marquise is a farming, quarrying and light industrial town, situated some northeast of Boulogne, at the junction of the D191, D231 and D238 roads...
, Caffiers
Caffiers
Caffiers is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Population:-References:* -External links:*...
and St Pierre
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
. It was used only for local traffic between Boulogne and Calais until that March when the Paris to Calais trains were diverted, cutting 30 minutes off the Paris to London mail route.
Until the start of the Eurostar
Eurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
service from London to Paris in 1994 via LGV Nord
LGV Nord
The LGV Nord is a French 333-kilometre long high speed rail line, opened in 1993, that connects Paris to the Belgian border and the Channel Tunnel via Lille....
it was the main route for the boat train
Boat train
A boat train is a passenger train which connects with a passenger ship, such as a ferry or ocean liner. Through ticketing is normally available. -Notable named boat trains:*The Flèche d'Or Paris Gare du Nord to Calais...
s to Paris which met the ships carrying passengers from Great Britain. the line is used by TGV services from Rang-du-Fliers
Rang-du-Fliers
Rang-du-Fliers is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Rang-du-Fliers is located on the Côte d'Opale , 4 miles from the beach and 5 miles southeast of Montreuil-sur-Mer on the D917 road.-History:Rang-du-Fliers became a commune in 1870,...
via Calais-Fréthun to Lille-Europe and local TER
Ter
Ter is a prefix or suffix designating the third instance of a thing, thus following bis and preceding quater.Ter can also refer to:* River Ter, in Essex;* Ter , the debut album of American rock band Sweet Water...
Nord-Pas-de-Calais services.