The operators RATP and SNCF

• NOCTILIEN and RATP: promoting night travel

The Noctilien service is based on the former Noctambus routes.

Hailing from the service created in 1921 between Les Halles and the outskirts of Paris, Noctambus buses underwent a major extension in the middle suburbs in 1997. “Long-term” traffic forecasts at the time were 1.8 million journeys but the 2.3 million figures was reached in 1999, and almost 4 million in 2004!

Noctambus became Noctilien in September 2005, offering an efficient night service which has almost doubled in terms of distance covered and frequency. Of all the routes throughout the Noctilien network, three-quarters are operated by the RATP and provide bus services in Paris and to the inner suburbs.

• NOCTILIEN with TRANSILIEN: when the trains shut down for the night, the coach service jumps into action

The Noctilien service is also based on the former ‘Bus de Nuit’ routes.

SNCF is central to public service in the greater Paris area. Thus, at the end of 2000, the “Bus de nuit Transilien” service was introduced to relieve the day-time train service with a night coach service running to and from the main train stations.

The three new coach services, launched in December 2004 to facilitate travel in and around Paris, soon proved popular, as they were based on the Transilien values of proximity (on-board guides), safety (video surveillance and geotracking of vehicles) and accessibility (bus stops in front of stations).

It is therefore only natural that this service (with 5 additional new routes) should become part of the Noctilien service. These 8 routes provide direct or semi-direct services to the outer suburbs.