It may soon be possible to travel from Essonne to Paris and vice-versa without using road traffic. The RiverCat river shuttles, which were to link Soisy-sur-Seine, Juvisy-sur-Orge and Ris-Orangis to Paris in 25 minutes, were scheduled to go into service in July 2024. However, failure to reach an agreement with Haropa Port, the port infrastructure manager, has delayed the project, which is now scheduled for 2026 .
The service was due to kick off during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with a fast link between Soisy-sur-Seine, Juvisy-sur-Orge and Ris-Orangis, making it possible to reach the capital in 25 minutes. The shuttles were to run from 6.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m., offering a sustainable alternative to conventional road and public transport.
However, the RiverCat cooperative society (SCIC) has not obtained authorization to use the ports of call managed by Haropa Port, the public body in charge of port infrastructures in the Paris region.
In March, Haropa Port launched a call for tenders to award the right to occupy the public river domain. RiverCat hopes to win the tender in order to bring its project to fruitionby 2026.
This project is part of a worldwide trend to use urban waterways to reduce road congestion and limit pollutant emissions. If RiverCat gets the go-ahead, these river shuttles could provide a sustainable alternative for the inhabitants of theÎle-de-France region.
So, are you ready to go boating?
