Paris Métro
Encyclopedia
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit
metro system in Paris
, France
. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau
. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km (133 mi) in length. There are 301 stations (384 stops), of which 62 facilitate transfer to another line.
Paris has one of the densest metro networks in the world, with 245 stations within 86.9 km² (34 sq mi) of the city of Paris. Lines are numbered 1 to 14, with two minor lines, 3bis and 7bis. The minor lines were originally part of lines 3 and 7 but became independent.
Lines are identified on maps by number and colour. Direction of travel is indicated by the destination terminus.
Paris is the second busiest metro system in Europe
, after Moscow
. It carries 4.5 million passengers a day, and an annual total of 1.479 billion (2009). Châtelet – Les Halles, with 5 Métro lines and three RER
commuter rail lines, is the world's largest underground station.
The first line opened without ceremony on 19 July 1900, during the World Fair (Exposition Universelle
). The system expanded quickly until the First World War and the core was complete by the 1920s. Extensions into suburbs (together with Line 11
) were built in the 1930s.
The network reached saturation after World War II. The Métro introduced newer trains to allow higher traffic. Further improvements are limited by the design of the network, such as short distances between stations. The solution was a second network, the RER
commuter rail, developed from the 1960s.
In the late 1990s, the automated line 14
was built to relieve RER line A.
Métro is the abbreviated name of the company which originally operated most of the network: La Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
, shortened to "Le Métropolitain". That was quickly abbreviated to métro, which became a common word also used to designate all subway networks (or any public passenger transportation systems operated on autonomous ways) in France or elsewhere (a genericized trademark
).
The Métro today is operated by the Régie autonome des transports parisiens (RATP), a public transport authority that also operates part of the RER network, bus services, light rail lines and many London
bus routes. The name métro proved very popular and was adopted in many languages, making it the most used word for a (generally underground) urban transit system. It is also possible that "Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain" was copied from the name of London's pioneering underground railway company, the Metropolitan Railway
, which had already been in business for almost 40 years prior to the inauguration of Paris's first line.
and up to one kilometre on the newer line 14, meaning Paris is heavily pockmarked with stations. In contrast, the surrounding suburbs are only served by later line extensions, thus traffic from one suburb to another must pass through the city. The slow commercial speed effectively prohibits service to the greater Paris area.
The Paris Métro is mostly underground (197 km of 214 km). Surface runs consists of the viaduct
sections within Paris (on lines 1, 2, 5 & 6) and the suburban ends of lines 1, 5, 8, and 13. The system's tunnels are relatively close to the surface due to the variable nature of Paris's earth which does not permit deep digging; exceptions include parts of line 12
under the hill of Montmartre
and line 2 under Ménilmontant
. Instead the tunnels follow the twisting lie of the streets, during construction in 1900 a minimum radius of curvature of 75 metres was imposed, though this low standard was not adhered to at Bastille
and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
.
Like the New York Subway, and in contrast with the London Underground
the Paris Métro mostly uses two-way tunnels. As in most French métro and tramway systems, trains circulate on the right; though the SNCF's run in the opposite direction. The internal gauge of the rails is 1.435 metres, a metro standard. Electricity is supplied by a third rail
which carries a constant tension of 750 volts.
The width of the carriages, 2.4 metres across, is relatively narrow (as opposed to 2.9m in Lyon) and lines 1, 4 and 14 have capacities between six and seven hundred passengers; against two thousand six hundred on the Altéo MI 2N trains of RER A. In contrast to those of the New York and London metros, all of Paris's lines have the same dimensions. Five Parisian lines (1, 4, 6, 11 and 14) are capable of running on a pneumatic system developed by the RATP in the 1950s; it is not currently employed but was later exported for use on the Métros of Montréal
, Santiago
and Mexico City
.
The number of cars in each train varies line by line from three to six; most have five and eight is possible on the new line 14
. Just two lines, 7 and 13, have branches at the end, and trains serve every station on the line except when they are closed for renovations.
at 1:15 am, except on Fridays (since 7 December 2007), Saturdays and on nights before a holiday, when the service ends at 2:15 am.
For New Year's Eve, Fête de la Musique
, Nuit Blanche
, and other events, some stations of lines 1, 4, 6, 9 and 14 remain open with service all night long.
Fares are sold at kiosks and at automated machines in the station foyer (see hereafter for details). Entrance to platforms is by automated gate, opened by smart cards as well as simple tickets. Gates return tickets for passengers to retain for the duration of the journey. Since there is normally no system to collect or check tickets at the end of the journey, tickets can be demanded for inspection at any point of the journey prior to final exit at the destination station. The exit from all stations is clearly marked as to the point beyond which possession of a ticket is no longer required.
The standard ticket is ticket "t+". It is valid for a multi-transfer journey within one and a half hours from the first validation. It can be used on the whole Métro network, on buses, trams and in zone 1 of the RER
. The ticket allows unlimited transfers using the same mode of transport (i.e. Métro to Métro, bus to bus and tram to tram), between bus and tram, and between metro and RER zone 1. When transferring between the Metro and the RER
, it is necessary to retain one's ticket. The RER
requires a valid ticket for entry and exit, even if it is only a transfer. It costs €1.70 or in tens (a carnet) for €12.50.
Other fares now exclusively use the Navigo pass, an RFID-based contactless smart card
. Particular fares include:
network. The average distance between stations is 562 m (1,845 ft). Trains stop at all stations. Lines do not share tracks, even at interchange (transfer) stations.
Trains average 20 km/h (12.4 mph) with a maximum of 70 km/h (44 mph) on all but the automated, driverless trains of line 14
, which average 40 km/h (25 mph)and reach 80 km/h. An average interstation trip takes 58 seconds. Trains travel on the right. The track is standard gauge
but the loading gauge
is smaller than on the mainline SNCF network. Power is from a lateral third rail
, 750 V
DC
, except on the rubber-tyred
lines where the current is from guide bars.
The loading gauge of Paris Metro trains is relatively small compared to those of other metro systems, with capacities between about 560 and 720 passengers per train on Lines 1–14. The minor lines use smaller trains. In comparison, other high-traffic metros use trains that can carry more than 1000 or even 2000 passengers. Unlike the networks in New York, London or Madrid, all lines are the same size in terms of tunnel cross-section. A feature of the Paris metro is the use of rubber-tired subway trains on five lines: this technique developed by RATP in 1950 was exported in some networks (Montreal, Mexico City, Santiago). So the 1, 4, 6, 11 and 14 have special adaptations to accommodate rubber-tyred trains. Trains are composed of 3 to 6 cars depending on the line, the most common being 5 cars (line 14 may have 8 cars in the future), but all trains on the same line have the same number of cars.
The Paris Metro is designed to provide local, point-to-point service in Paris proper and service into the city from some close suburbs. Stations within Paris are very close together to form a grid structure. This structure ensures that every point in the city is conveniently close to a metro station (less than 500 meters), but also keeps the speed of service at a relatively slow 20 km/h (12.4 mph), except on Line 14 where the stations are farther apart and the trains travel faster. The low speed virtually precludes feasible service to farther suburbs, which are instead serviced by the RER.
The Paris metro is mostly underground; surface sections include sections on viaduct in Paris (lines 1, 2, 5 and 6) and at the surface in the suburbs (lines 1, 5, 8 and 13). In most cases both tracks are laid in a single tunnel. Almost all lines follow roads, having been built by the cut-and-cover method near the surface (the earliest by hand). Hence line 1
follows the straight course of the Champs-Elysées
and on other lines some stations (for example, Commerce
) have platforms that do not align: the street above is too narrow to fit both platforms opposite each other. Furthermore, many lines have very sharp curves. The specifications established by the Paris Metro in 1900 required very low minimum curve radius by railway standards, but even this was often not fully respected, for example near Bastille and Notre Dame de Lorette stations. Parts of the network are built at depth, in particular a section of line 12
passing under Montmartre
and all of the line 14
.
Lines 7 and 13 have two terminal branches of different directions.
In contrast with many metro systems of Europe
, train doors on most lines do not open automatically. It is necessary to lift a lever (on all train series built before 1977) or press a button on the door (later stock). Doors open automatically on the newest trains, on lines 1 and 14 (and increasingly lines 2, 4, 5 and 9). Very high passenger numbers theoretically mean that passenger-operated doors cause inefficient dwell times, although Parisians are usually prompt at opening the doors and the driver enables them just before the train has come to a halt.
The rolling stock has steel-wheel ("MF" for matériel fer) and rubber-tyred trains ("MP", matériel pneu). The different versions of each kind are specified by year of design (not year of first use).
), or two tracks and a central platform (Porte Dauphine
). Some stations are single-track, either due to difficult terrain (Saint-Georges
), a narrow street above (Liège
) or track loops (Église d'Auteuil
).
Station length was originally 75 m. This was extended to 90 m on high-traffic lines (1
and 4
), with certain stations at 105 m
(the difference as yet unused).
In general stations were built near the surface by the cut-and-cover method, and are vaulted. Stations of the former Nord-Sud network (lines 12 and 13) have higher ceilings, due to the former presence of catenary. There are exceptions to the rule of near-surface vaulting:
Several ghost stations on the Paris Métro are no longer served by trains. Haxo
, built on an unused section of track, is often used as a backdrop in films.
Standard vaulted stations are lined by small white earthenware tiles, chosen because of the poor efficiency of early twentieth century electric lighting. From the outset walls have been used for advertising; posters in early stations are framed by coloured tiles with the name of the original network operator (CMP
or Nord Sud). Stations of the former Nord Sud (lines 12 and 13) generally have more meticulous decoration. Station names are usually inscribed in white onto blue metallic plaques (CMP) or in white tiles on a background of blue tiles (Nord Sud).
The first renovations took place after the Second World War, when the installation of fluorescent lighting revealed the poor state of the original tiling. Three main styles of redecoration followed in succession.
A number of stations have original decorations to reflect the cultural significance of their locations. The first to receive this treatment was Louvre – Rivoli
on line 1, which contains copies of the masterpieces on display at the museum above. Other notable examples of theme-decorated stations include Bastille
(line 1), Saint-Germain-des-Prés
(line 4), Cluny – La Sorbonne
(line 10) and Arts et Métiers
(line 11).
in a style that caused some surprise and controversy in 1900, there are two main variants:
Later stations and redecorations have brought increasingly simple styles to Métro entrances.
A handful of station entrances have entirely original architecture (Saint-Lazare
), and a number are integrated into residential or standalone buildings (Pelleport
).
Paris and the existing railway companies were already thinking by 1845 about an urban railway system to link inner districts of the city. The railway companies wanted to extend their existing lines to a new underground network, whereas the Parisians favoured a new and independent network. The disagreement lasted from 1856 to 1890. Meanwhile, the population became more dense and traffic congestion grew massively. The deadlock put pressure on the authorities and gave the city the chance to enforce its vision.
project, which was to serve only the city proper of Paris. Many Parisians worried that extending lines to industrial suburbs would reduce the safety of the city. Paris forbade lines to the inner suburbs and, as a guarantee, Métro trains were to run on the right, as opposed to existing suburban lines, which ran on the left.
The first line, Porte Maillot
–Porte de Vincennes
, was inaugurated on 19 July 1900 during the Paris World's Fair
. Entrances to stations were designed in art nouveau
style by Hector Guimard
. Eighty-six of his entrances are still in existence.
Fulgence Bienvenüe's project consisted of 10 lines, which correspond to today's lines 1 to 9. Construction was so intense that by 1920, despite a few changes from schedule, most lines had been completed.
Lines 1
and 4
were conceived as central east-west and central north-south lines. Two circular lines, ligne 2 Nord (line 2 North) and ligne 2 Sud (line 2 South), were also planned but line 2 South was merged with line 5
in 1906.
Line 3
was an additional east-west line to the north of line 1 and line 5 an additional north-south line to the east of line 4. Line 6
would run from Nation
to Place d'Italie
. Lines 7
, 8
and 9
would connect commercial and office districts around the Opéra
to residential areas in the north-east and the south-west.
Bienvenüe also planned a circular line, the ligne circulaire intérieure, to connect the six main-line stations. A section opened in 1923 between Invalides
and the Boulevard Saint-Germain
before the plan was abandoned.
Line A was finally inaugurated on 4 November 1910, after being postponed because of the flood Paris experienced in January of that year. Line B was inaugurated on 26 February 1911. Because of the high construction costs, the construction of line C was postponed. The Nord-Sud company and the C.M.P. company used compatible trains which could be used on both networks. But CMP trains catches current from + 600 volts at the third rail, and NS from the differential between − 600 volts on the aerial and + 600 volts on third rail. This was necessary due the high slope to climb on NS lines. Moreover, the Nord-Sud network distinguished itself from its competitor with the high-quality decoration of its stations, the train's extreme comfort and its pretty lighting.
Nord-Sud did not become profitable and bankruptcy became unavoidable. By the end of 1930, the C.M.P. bought Nord-Sud. Line A became line 12
and line B line 13
. Line C was built and renamed line 14, that line was reorganized in 1937 with line 8 and 10. This partial line is now the south part of line 13.
The last Nord-Sud train set was decommissioned on 15 May 1972.
Fulgence Bienvenüe's project was nearly completed during the 1920s. Paris planned three new lines and extensions of most lines to the inner suburbs, despite the reluctance of Parisians. Bienvenüe's inner circular line having been abandoned, the already built portion between Duroc and Odéon for the creation of a new east-west line which would become today's line 10
and it would be extended west to Porte de Saint-Cloud and the inner suburbs of Boulogne
.
The line C planned by Nord-Sud between Montparnasse station and Porte de Vanves
would be built as an initial line 14 (different from present line 14
). It would also extend north in encompassing the already built portion between Invalides and Duroc which was initially planned as part of the inner circular.
The over-busy Belleville funicular tramway
would be replaced by a new line, line 11
, which would be extended to Châtelet
. Lines 10, 11 and 14 were thus the three new lines envisaged under this plan.
In addition, most existing lines would be extended to the inner suburbs. The first to leave the city proper was line 9, extended in 1934 to Boulogne-Billancourt
; more would follow it in the 1930s. World War II forced authorities to abandon projects such as the extension of lines 4 or 12 to the northern suburbs. By 1949, eight lines had been extended: line 1 to Neuilly
and Vincennes
, line 3 to Levallois-Perret
, line 5 to Pantin
, line 7 to Ivry
, line 8 to Charenton
, line 9 to Boulogne-Billancourt, line 11 to Les Lilas
and line 12 to Issy-les-Moulineaux
.
World War II had a massive impact on the Métro. Services were limited and many stations closed. The risk of bombing meant the service between Place d'Italie
and Étoile
was transferred from line 5 to line 6, so that most of the elevated portions of the Métro would be on a single line: line 6. As a result, lines 2 and 6 together now form a circle.
It took a long time to recover after liberation in 1944. Many stations had not reopened by the 1960s and some closed for good. On 23 March 1948, the C.M.P (the underground) and the STCRP (bus and tramways) merged to form the RATP, which still operates the Métro.
The network grew saturated during the 1950s. Outdated technology limited the number of trains. That led the RATP to stop extending lines and to concentrate instead on modernisation. The MP 51 prototype was built, testing both rubber-tyred metro
and basic automatic piloting on the voie navette. The first replacements of the older Sprague trains began with experimental articulated train units and then with mainstream rubber-tyred metro MP 55 and MP 59
, some of the latter are still in service today (line 4 and 11). Thanks to newer trains and better signalling, trains ran more frequently.
The population of Paris boomed from 1950 to 1980. Cars became more popular and suburbs grew further from the city. Paris' main railway stations, ere the termini of the suburban rail lines, were overcrowded during rush hour. The short distance between metro stations slowed the network and made it unprofitable to build extensions.
The solution in the 1960s was to revive a project abandoned at the end of the 19th century: joining suburban lines to new underground portions in the city centre. The system would be known as the réseau express régional (regional express network) (RER
).
The RER plan initially included one east-west line and two north-south lines. RATP bought two unprofitable SNCF lines—the Ligne de Saint-Germain (westbound) and the Ligne de Vincennes (eastbound) with the intention of joining them and to serve multiple districts of central Paris with new underground stations. The new line created by this merger became line A. The Ligne de Sceaux, which served the southern suburbs and was bought by the CMP in the 1930s, would be extended north to merge with a line of the SNCF
and reach the new Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy. This became line B
. These new lines were inaugurated in 1977 and their wild success outperformed all the most optimistic forecasts to the extent that line A is the most used urban rail line in the world with nearly 300 million journeys a year.
Because of the enormous cost of these two lines, the third planned line was abandoned and the French authorities decided that later developments of the RER network would be more cheaply developed by the SNCF
company, alongside its continued management of other suburban lines. However, the RER developed by the SNCF company would never match the success of the RATP's two RER lines. In 1979, SNCF developed line C
in joining the suburban lines of Gare d'Austerlitz
and Gare d'Orsay
, the latter being converted into a museum dedicated to impressionist paintings. During the 1980s, it would also develop line D
, which was the second line planned by the initial RER schedule, but would serve Châtelet instead of République
to reduce costs. A huge Métro-RER hub was created at the Châtelet-Les Halles
station, the world's largest underground station.
The same project of the 1960s also decided to merge lines 13 and 14 to create a quick connection between Saint-Lazare and Montparnasse thanks to a new full north-south line. Distances between stations on the lengthened line 13 differ from that on other lines in order to make it more "express" and hence to extend it farther in the suburbs. The new Line 13
was inaugurated on 9 November 1976.
In October 1998, Line 14
was inaugurated. It was the first fully new Métro (not RER) line in 63 years. The project, which was known during its conception as Météor (Métro Est-Ouest Rapide), is still the only fully automatic line within the network. It was also the first to feature platform screen doors
to prevent suicides and accidents.
It was conceived with extensions to the suburbs in mind, similar to the extensions of the line 13 built during the 1970s. As a result, most of the stations are at least a kilometre apart. Like the RER lines designed by the RATP, nearly all stations of line 14 offer connections with multiple Métro lines. The line currently runs between Saint-Lazare
and Olympiades
. Lines 7 and 13 are the only two on the network to be split in branches. The RATP would like to get rid of those saturated branches in order to improve the network's efficiency. As such, a project consists in attributing to the line 14 one branch of each line, and to extend them further into the suburbs. This project has not yet been approved.
In 1999, the RER line E
was inaugurated as the latest extension of the network. Known during its conception as Eole (Est-Ouest Liaison Express), it is the fifth RER line serving Paris. Currently, the RER E terminates at Haussmann – Saint-Lazare, but a new project, financed by EPAD, the public authority managing the La Défense
business district, should extend the line west into La Défense – Grande Arche and the suburbs beyond.
Line 4
is having a 3.2 km southern extension from Porte d'Orléans to Bagneux with two intermediary stations. Due to open in 2012
Line 8
is being extended to a new depot via one new station at Créteil Parc des Sports.
Line 12
is undergoing construction of its long talked about northern extension
There have also been proposals for:
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
metro system in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 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...
. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km (133 mi) in length. There are 301 stations (384 stops), of which 62 facilitate transfer to another line.
Paris has one of the densest metro networks in the world, with 245 stations within 86.9 km² (34 sq mi) of the city of Paris. Lines are numbered 1 to 14, with two minor lines, 3bis and 7bis. The minor lines were originally part of lines 3 and 7 but became independent.
Lines are identified on maps by number and colour. Direction of travel is indicated by the destination terminus.
Paris is the second busiest metro system in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, after Moscow
Moscow Metro
The Moscow Metro is a rapid transit system serving Moscow and the neighbouring town of Krasnogorsk. Opened in 1935 with one line and 13 stations, it was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union. As of 2011, the Moscow Metro has 182 stations and its route length is . The system is...
. It carries 4.5 million passengers a day, and an annual total of 1.479 billion (2009). Châtelet – Les Halles, with 5 Métro lines and three RER
RER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
commuter rail lines, is the world's largest underground station.
The first line opened without ceremony on 19 July 1900, during the World Fair (Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1900)
The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from April 15 to November 12, 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next...
). The system expanded quickly until the First World War and the core was complete by the 1920s. Extensions into suburbs (together with Line 11
Paris Metro Line 11
Paris Métro Line 11 is one of 16 Paris métro lines. It links Les Lilas in the North East of the city to Châtelet in the center of Paris. It is the shortest of the 14 metro lines having independent management...
) were built in the 1930s.
The network reached saturation after World War II. The Métro introduced newer trains to allow higher traffic. Further improvements are limited by the design of the network, such as short distances between stations. The solution was a second network, the RER
RER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
commuter rail, developed from the 1960s.
In the late 1990s, the automated line 14
Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
was built to relieve RER line A.
Naming
Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
The Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris , or CMP, was the forerunner of the RATP, the company managing the Parisian subway.- Origin :...
, shortened to "Le Métropolitain". That was quickly abbreviated to métro, which became a common word also used to designate all subway networks (or any public passenger transportation systems operated on autonomous ways) in France or elsewhere (a genericized trademark
Genericized trademark
A genericized trademark is a trademark or brand name that has become the colloquial or generic description for, or synonymous with, a general class of product or service, rather than as an indicator of source or affiliation as intended by the trademark's holder...
).
The Métro today is operated by the Régie autonome des transports parisiens (RATP), a public transport authority that also operates part of the RER network, bus services, light rail lines and many London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
bus routes. The name métro proved very popular and was adopted in many languages, making it the most used word for a (generally underground) urban transit system. It is also possible that "Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain" was copied from the name of London's pioneering underground railway company, the Metropolitan Railway
Metropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
, which had already been in business for almost 40 years prior to the inauguration of Paris's first line.
Network
Since the Métro was built to comprehensively serve the city inside its walls the stations are very close: 548 metres apart on average, ranging down to 424 m on line 4Paris Metro Line 4
Line 4 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Situated entirely within the boundaries of the City of Paris, it connects Porte de Clignancourt in the north and Porte d'Orléans in the south, travelling across the heart of the city. As a result, it is sometimes called...
and up to one kilometre on the newer line 14, meaning Paris is heavily pockmarked with stations. In contrast, the surrounding suburbs are only served by later line extensions, thus traffic from one suburb to another must pass through the city. The slow commercial speed effectively prohibits service to the greater Paris area.
The Paris Métro is mostly underground (197 km of 214 km). Surface runs consists of the viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
sections within Paris (on lines 1, 2, 5 & 6) and the suburban ends of lines 1, 5, 8, and 13. The system's tunnels are relatively close to the surface due to the variable nature of Paris's earth which does not permit deep digging; exceptions include parts of line 12
Paris Metro Line 12
Paris Métro Line 12 is one of sixteen metro lines in Paris, France. It links Issy-les-Moulineaux in southern Paris to Porte de la Chapelle in the north. With 72 million journeys per year, Line 12 is the eleventh busiest on the Parisian Métropolitan system...
under the hill of Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
and line 2 under Ménilmontant
Ménilmontant
Ménilmontant is a neighbourhood of Paris, situated in the city's 20th arrondissement. It is affectionately known to locals as "Ménilmuche".-History:...
. Instead the tunnels follow the twisting lie of the streets, during construction in 1900 a minimum radius of curvature of 75 metres was imposed, though this low standard was not adhered to at Bastille
Bastille (Paris Metro)
Bastille is a station on lines 1, 5 and 8 of the Paris Métro. It is located near the former location of the Bastille and remains of the Bastille can be seen on line 5. The platforms for line 1 are situated below road level but above the Basin of the Arsenal and Canal Saint Martin in a short-open...
and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
Notre-Dame-de-Lorette (Paris Metro)
Notre-Dame-de-Lorette is a station on Line 12 of the Paris Métro in the 9th arrondissement.The station opened on 5 November 1910 as part of the original section of the Nord-Sud company's line A between Porte de Versailles and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. It was the northern terminus of the line until its...
.
Like the New York Subway, and in contrast with the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
the Paris Métro mostly uses two-way tunnels. As in most French métro and tramway systems, trains circulate on the right; though the SNCF's run in the opposite direction. The internal gauge of the rails is 1.435 metres, a metro standard. Electricity is supplied by a third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
which carries a constant tension of 750 volts.
The width of the carriages, 2.4 metres across, is relatively narrow (as opposed to 2.9m in Lyon) and lines 1, 4 and 14 have capacities between six and seven hundred passengers; against two thousand six hundred on the Altéo MI 2N trains of RER A. In contrast to those of the New York and London metros, all of Paris's lines have the same dimensions. Five Parisian lines (1, 4, 6, 11 and 14) are capable of running on a pneumatic system developed by the RATP in the 1950s; it is not currently employed but was later exported for use on the Métros of Montréal
Montreal Metro
The Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transportation underground in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
, Santiago
Santiago Metro
Metro de Santiago is South America's most extensive metro system with 5 lines, 108 stations and 103 kilometres of track making it the second longest in Latin America after that of Mexico City. The metro system serves the city of Santiago, Chile. Three of the lines are rubber-tyred...
and Mexico City
Mexico City Metro
The Mexico City Metro , officially called Sistema de Transporte Colectivo, is a metro system that serves the metropolitan area of Mexico City...
.
The number of cars in each train varies line by line from three to six; most have five and eight is possible on the new line 14
Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
. Just two lines, 7 and 13, have branches at the end, and trains serve every station on the line except when they are closed for renovations.
Opening hours
The first train leaves the terminus at either end of each line at 5:30 am, although, on some lines, additional trains may also start from an intermediate station. The last train, often called the "balai" (broom) because it sweeps up remaining passengers, arrives at the terminal stationTerminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
at 1:15 am, except on Fridays (since 7 December 2007), Saturdays and on nights before a holiday, when the service ends at 2:15 am.
For New Year's Eve, Fête de la Musique
Fête de la Musique
The Fête de la Musique, also known as World Music Day, is a music festival taking place on June 21.-History:The idea was first broached in 1976 by American musician Joel Cohen, then employed by the national French radio station France Musique. Cohen proposed an all-night music celebration at the...
, Nuit Blanche
Nuit Blanche
Nuit Blanche is an annual all-night or night-time arts festival. A Nuit Blanche will typically have museums, private and public art galleries, and other cultural institutions open and free of charge, with the centre of the city itself being turned into a de facto art gallery, providing space for...
, and other events, some stations of lines 1, 4, 6, 9 and 14 remain open with service all night long.
Tickets
Fares are sold at kiosks and at automated machines in the station foyer (see hereafter for details). Entrance to platforms is by automated gate, opened by smart cards as well as simple tickets. Gates return tickets for passengers to retain for the duration of the journey. Since there is normally no system to collect or check tickets at the end of the journey, tickets can be demanded for inspection at any point of the journey prior to final exit at the destination station. The exit from all stations is clearly marked as to the point beyond which possession of a ticket is no longer required.
The standard ticket is ticket "t+". It is valid for a multi-transfer journey within one and a half hours from the first validation. It can be used on the whole Métro network, on buses, trams and in zone 1 of the RER
RER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
. The ticket allows unlimited transfers using the same mode of transport (i.e. Métro to Métro, bus to bus and tram to tram), between bus and tram, and between metro and RER zone 1. When transferring between the Metro and the RER
RER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
, it is necessary to retain one's ticket. The RER
RER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
requires a valid ticket for entry and exit, even if it is only a transfer. It costs €1.70 or in tens (a carnet) for €12.50.
Other fares now exclusively use the Navigo pass, an RFID-based contactless smart card
Contactless smart card
A contactless smart card is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits that can process and store data, and communicate with a terminal via radio waves. There are two broad categories of contactless smart cards. Memory cards contain non-volatile memory storage components, and perhaps...
. Particular fares include:
- daily (Mobilis; the Ticket Jeunes, for youth under 26 years on weekends and national holidays, comes for half the cost of a Mobilis pass).
- weekly or monthly (the former Carte orangeCarte orangeThe Carte orange was a pass for the public transportation system in Paris and the surrounding Île-de-France region. A holder of the pass is entitled to unlimited use of the public transit system within a given period of time, with Cartes oranges being available for durations of one week or one month...
, nowadays sold as the weekly Navigo ("hebdo"), and the monthly Navigo) - yearly (Navigo intégrale, or Imagine R for students)
- The (Paris Visite) travel card is available for one, two, three or five days, for either zones 1–3 covering the centre of Paris, or zones 1–5 covering the whole of the network including the RER out to the airports, Versailles and Disneyland Paris. It was conceived mainly for visitors to Paris and it is available through RATP's distributors in the UK, Switzerland and Belgium. Interestingly enough if a traveler arrives on or near a Monday and stays for 5 days or more, it may be a better deal to buy a weekly card (up to €10 savings). However, the weekly card always runs from Monday to Monday (and is reset every Monday), irrespective of when it was purchased, whereas the Paris Visite card is valid for the number of days purchased.
Overview
The Métro has 213 km (roughly 132 mi) of track and 300 stations (384 stops), 62 connecting between lines. These figures do not include the RERRER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
network. The average distance between stations is 562 m (1,845 ft). Trains stop at all stations. Lines do not share tracks, even at interchange (transfer) stations.
Trains average 20 km/h (12.4 mph) with a maximum of 70 km/h (44 mph) on all but the automated, driverless trains of line 14
Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
, which average 40 km/h (25 mph)and reach 80 km/h. An average interstation trip takes 58 seconds. Trains travel on the right. The track is standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
but the loading gauge
Loading gauge
A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...
is smaller than on the mainline SNCF network. Power is from a lateral third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
, 750 V
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
, except on the rubber-tyred
Rubber-tyred metro
A rubber-tyred metro is a form of rapid transit system that uses a mix of road and rail technology. The vehicles have wheels with rubber tyres which run on rolling pads inside guide bars for traction, as well as traditional railway steel wheels with deep flanges on steel tracks for guidance through...
lines where the current is from guide bars.
The loading gauge of Paris Metro trains is relatively small compared to those of other metro systems, with capacities between about 560 and 720 passengers per train on Lines 1–14. The minor lines use smaller trains. In comparison, other high-traffic metros use trains that can carry more than 1000 or even 2000 passengers. Unlike the networks in New York, London or Madrid, all lines are the same size in terms of tunnel cross-section. A feature of the Paris metro is the use of rubber-tired subway trains on five lines: this technique developed by RATP in 1950 was exported in some networks (Montreal, Mexico City, Santiago). So the 1, 4, 6, 11 and 14 have special adaptations to accommodate rubber-tyred trains. Trains are composed of 3 to 6 cars depending on the line, the most common being 5 cars (line 14 may have 8 cars in the future), but all trains on the same line have the same number of cars.
The Paris Metro is designed to provide local, point-to-point service in Paris proper and service into the city from some close suburbs. Stations within Paris are very close together to form a grid structure. This structure ensures that every point in the city is conveniently close to a metro station (less than 500 meters), but also keeps the speed of service at a relatively slow 20 km/h (12.4 mph), except on Line 14 where the stations are farther apart and the trains travel faster. The low speed virtually precludes feasible service to farther suburbs, which are instead serviced by the RER.
The Paris metro is mostly underground; surface sections include sections on viaduct in Paris (lines 1, 2, 5 and 6) and at the surface in the suburbs (lines 1, 5, 8 and 13). In most cases both tracks are laid in a single tunnel. Almost all lines follow roads, having been built by the cut-and-cover method near the surface (the earliest by hand). Hence line 1
Paris Metro Line 1
Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
follows the straight course of the Champs-Elysées
Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
and on other lines some stations (for example, Commerce
Commerce (Paris Metro)
Commerce is a station on line 8 of the Paris Métro in the Rue du Commerce, at the intersection with the Place du Commerce in the 15th arrondissement....
) have platforms that do not align: the street above is too narrow to fit both platforms opposite each other. Furthermore, many lines have very sharp curves. The specifications established by the Paris Metro in 1900 required very low minimum curve radius by railway standards, but even this was often not fully respected, for example near Bastille and Notre Dame de Lorette stations. Parts of the network are built at depth, in particular a section of line 12
Paris Metro Line 12
Paris Métro Line 12 is one of sixteen metro lines in Paris, France. It links Issy-les-Moulineaux in southern Paris to Porte de la Chapelle in the north. With 72 million journeys per year, Line 12 is the eleventh busiest on the Parisian Métropolitan system...
passing under Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
and all of the line 14
Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
.
Lines 7 and 13 have two terminal branches of different directions.
Rolling stock
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, train doors on most lines do not open automatically. It is necessary to lift a lever (on all train series built before 1977) or press a button on the door (later stock). Doors open automatically on the newest trains, on lines 1 and 14 (and increasingly lines 2, 4, 5 and 9). Very high passenger numbers theoretically mean that passenger-operated doors cause inefficient dwell times, although Parisians are usually prompt at opening the doors and the driver enables them just before the train has come to a halt.
The rolling stock has steel-wheel ("MF" for matériel fer) and rubber-tyred trains ("MP", matériel pneu). The different versions of each kind are specified by year of design (not year of first use).
- Rubber-tyred
- MP 59MP 59The MP 59 is a rubber tired variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system, and is the oldest type still in regular passenger service. Manufactured by GEC Alsthom, they were first introduced in 1963 when the busiest routes of Lines 1 and 4 were converted to rubber tired pneumatic...
: lines 4Paris Metro Line 4Line 4 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Situated entirely within the boundaries of the City of Paris, it connects Porte de Clignancourt in the north and Porte d'Orléans in the south, travelling across the heart of the city. As a result, it is sometimes called...
and 11Paris Metro Line 11Paris Métro Line 11 is one of 16 Paris métro lines. It links Les Lilas in the North East of the city to Châtelet in the center of Paris. It is the shortest of the 14 metro lines having independent management...
(To be phased out of line 4 once transfer of MP 89 CC from line 1 is complete.) - MP 73MP 73The MP 73 is a rubber tired variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system. The cars were delivered in 1974, when the RATP decided to convert Line 6 to rubber tyred pneumatic operation...
: line 6Paris Metro Line 6Line 6 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Following a semi-circular route around the southern half of the city above boulevards formed by ancient city walls , it runs from Charles de Gaulle – Étoile in the west and Nation in the east.Opened between 1900 and 1906... - MP 89 CA: line 14Paris Metro Line 14Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
- MP 89 CC: line 1Paris Metro Line 1Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
(To be transferred over to line 4) - MP 05MP 05The MP 05 Rubber-tyred metro ordered in 2005 is a rubber-tyred electric multiple unit with automatic opearation, ordered by the RATP in 2005 for the Paris Métro. The units are to replace the older MP 89s on line 1 in order to remove drivers from the line...
: started service on line 1Paris Metro Line 1Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
on 2 November 2011 following complete automation of the line.
- MP 59
- Steel-wheel
- MF 67MF 67The MF 67 is a steel-wheel variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system. It is the most common Paris Metro rolling stock variant, being used on Lines 2, 3, 3bis, 5, 9, 10 and 12...
: lines 2Paris Metro Line 2Line 2 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Situated almost entirely above the former city walls , it runs in a semi-circle in the north of Paris....
, 3Paris Metro Line 3Line 3 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Connecting Pont de Levallois - Bécon station in the near western suburbs to Gallieni in the east, the location of Paris' international bus station...
, 5Paris Metro Line 5Paris Métro Line 5 is one of the 16 metro lines built in Paris, France. It crosses the east of Paris from Bobigny to Place d'Italie. It is the eighth busiest line on the network....
, 9Paris Metro Line 9Paris Métro Line 9 is one of 16 lines of the Paris Métro. The line links Pont de Sèvres in Boulogne in the west with Montreuil in the east. It is the fourth busiest line on the network....
, 10Paris Metro Line 10Paris Métro Line 10 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. The line links the Boulogne – Pont de Saint Cloud metro station in Boulogne in the west with the Gare d'Austerlitz, travelling under the neighborhoods situated on the Rive Gauche in the southern half of Paris and the commune of...
, 12Paris Metro Line 12Paris Métro Line 12 is one of sixteen metro lines in Paris, France. It links Issy-les-Moulineaux in southern Paris to Porte de la Chapelle in the north. With 72 million journeys per year, Line 12 is the eleventh busiest on the Parisian Métropolitan system...
and as a shortened three-car version on 3bisParis Metro Line 3bisParis Métro Line 3bis is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the Gambetta and Porte des Lilas stations in the 20th arrondissement of Paris . With a length of and only four stations, the line is the shortest in the network... - MF 77MF 77The MF 77 is a steel-wheeled variant of the rolling stock used on the Paris Métro. First used in 1978, it now runs on Lines 7, 8, and 13....
: lines 7Paris Metro Line 7Paris Métro Line 7 is one of sixteen lines of the Paris Métro system. Crossing the capital from its north-eastern to south-eastern sections via a moderately curved path, it links La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 in the north with Mairie d'Ivry and Villejuif – Louis Aragon in the south, while passing...
, 8Paris Metro Line 8Paris Métro Line 8 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. It connects the Balard station in southwestern Paris, to Créteil – Préfecture station in Créteil, a town south-east of the French capital, following a parabolic route on the right bank of Seine River...
and 13Paris Metro Line 13Line 13 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. The result of the fusion of the now-extinct Line B of the Nord-Sud Company and the old Line 14 of the CMP. Their creation was destined to be replaced by a north-south RER line before the reorganisation of the... - MF 88MF 88The MF 88 is a steel-wheel variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system. RATP contracted a consortium of manufacturers together following successful tests of the BOA prototype, with Ateliers du Nord de la France in charge of the project.A total of nine train-sets were built,...
: line 7bisParis Metro Line 7bisParis Métro Line 7bis is the second shortest line of the metro operating in Paris, France. It serves the 19th and 20th arrondissements in the North East of the city.-Chronology:... - MF 2000MF 2000The MF 2000 is a model of steel-wheeled electrical multiple units used on Paris's Metro system. The cars first arrived in December 2007 and delivery will be completed by 2015. RATP ordered 160 trains or 800 cars in 2001, to replace the aging MF 67...
: line 2Paris Metro Line 2Line 2 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Situated almost entirely above the former city walls , it runs in a semi-circle in the north of Paris....
, will be then also operated on line 5Paris Metro Line 5Paris Métro Line 5 is one of the 16 metro lines built in Paris, France. It crosses the east of Paris from Bobigny to Place d'Italie. It is the eighth busiest line on the network....
, then on line 9Paris Metro Line 9Paris Métro Line 9 is one of 16 lines of the Paris Métro. The line links Pont de Sèvres in Boulogne in the west with Montreuil in the east. It is the fourth busiest line on the network....
.
- MF 67
- No longer in service
- MA 51MA 51Matériérel Articulé was a type of rolling stock on the Paris Métro and was in service between 1951 and 1994.-Conception:The MA 51 rolling stock was a result of research conducted by the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris and the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens during the...
: in service on lines 10Paris Metro Line 10Paris Métro Line 10 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. The line links the Boulogne – Pont de Saint Cloud metro station in Boulogne in the west with the Gare d'Austerlitz, travelling under the neighborhoods situated on the Rive Gauche in the southern half of Paris and the commune of...
and 13Paris Metro Line 13Line 13 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. The result of the fusion of the now-extinct Line B of the Nord-Sud Company and the old Line 14 of the CMP. Their creation was destined to be replaced by a north-south RER line before the reorganisation of the...
until 1994. - Sprague-ThomsonSprague-ThomsonSprague-Thomson is the name of the first rolling stock on the Paris Métro made completely of metal.-Research before 1908:In light of the Paris Métro train fire of 1903, the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris searched for a rolling stock that was both durable and safe. The Thomson...
- MA 51
Stations
The typical Paris Métro station comprises two central tracks flanked by two 4‑m-wide platforms. About 50 stations, generally current or former line termini, are exceptions; most have three tracks and two platforms (Porte d'OrléansPorte d'Orléans (Paris Metro)
Porte d'Orléans is a station and southern terminus of line 4 of the Paris Métro and a stop on tramway line 3. It is situated in the 14th Arrondissement, in the quartier of Petit-Montrouge. A terminal loop is provided at the station for trains to turn around to return north towards Porte de...
), or two tracks and a central platform (Porte Dauphine
Porte Dauphine (Paris Metro)
Porte Dauphine is a station of the Paris Métro. It is the western terminus of Line 2. Nearby, one can transfer to the RER C at Avenue Foch station...
). Some stations are single-track, either due to difficult terrain (Saint-Georges
Saint-Georges (Paris Metro)
Saint-Georges is a station on Line 12 of the Paris Métro in the 9th arrondissement.The station opened on 8 April 1911 as part of the extension of the Nord-Sud company's line A from Notre-Dame-de-Lorette to Pigalle. On 27 March 1931 line A became line 12 of the Métro...
), a narrow street above (Liège
Liège (Paris Metro)
Liège is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro on the border of the 8th and 9th arrondissements.It was built as part of the Nord-Sud Company's Line B from Saint-Lazare to Porte de Saint-Ouen and opened on 26 February 1911 as Berlin, named after the nearby Rue Berlin...
) or track loops (Église d'Auteuil
Église d'Auteuil (Paris Metro)
Église d'Auteuil is a station of the Paris Métro in the 16th arrondissement, serving Line 10 . With around 150,000 passengers per year, it is the least-used station on the Paris Métro network.-Location:...
).
Station length was originally 75 m. This was extended to 90 m on high-traffic lines (1
Paris Metro Line 1
Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
and 4
Paris Metro Line 4
Line 4 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Situated entirely within the boundaries of the City of Paris, it connects Porte de Clignancourt in the north and Porte d'Orléans in the south, travelling across the heart of the city. As a result, it is sometimes called...
), with certain stations at 105 m
(the difference as yet unused).
In general stations were built near the surface by the cut-and-cover method, and are vaulted. Stations of the former Nord-Sud network (lines 12 and 13) have higher ceilings, due to the former presence of catenary. There are exceptions to the rule of near-surface vaulting:
- Certain stations particularly close to the surface, generally on line 1 (Champs-Elysées – ClémenceauChamps-Élysées - Clemenceau (Paris Metro)Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau is a station on lines 1 and 13 of the Paris Métro in the 8th arrondissement.The stations platforms and access tunnels lie beneath Avenue des Champs-Élysées and Place Clemenceau. It is one of the eight original stations opened as part of the first section of line 1...
), have flat metal ceilings. - Elevated (above-street) stations, in particular on peripheric lines 2 and 6, are built in brick and covered by platform awnings (line 2) or glass canopies (line 6).
- Stations on the newest line (14), built at depth, comprise 120 m platforms, high ceilings and double-width platforms. Since the trains on this line are driverless, the stations have platform screen doorsPlatform screen doorsPlatform screen doors and platform edge doors at train or subway stations screen the platform from the train. They are a relatively new addition to many metro systems around the world, with some platform doors retrofitted rather than installed with the metro system itself. They are widely used in...
.
Several ghost stations on the Paris Métro are no longer served by trains. Haxo
Haxo (Paris Métro)
Haxo is a ghost station on the Paris Métro. It lies on an unused connecting branch between lines 3bis and 7bis. - History :The station is situated on a line which was constructed in the 1920s between Porte des Lilas and Pré Saint-Gervais...
, built on an unused section of track, is often used as a backdrop in films.
Interior decoration
Paris Métro train halls are decorated in a style defined at the Métro's opening in 1900. The spirit of this aesthetic has generally been respected in the various renovations since then.Standard vaulted stations are lined by small white earthenware tiles, chosen because of the poor efficiency of early twentieth century electric lighting. From the outset walls have been used for advertising; posters in early stations are framed by coloured tiles with the name of the original network operator (CMP
Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
The Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris , or CMP, was the forerunner of the RATP, the company managing the Parisian subway.- Origin :...
or Nord Sud). Stations of the former Nord Sud (lines 12 and 13) generally have more meticulous decoration. Station names are usually inscribed in white onto blue metallic plaques (CMP) or in white tiles on a background of blue tiles (Nord Sud).
The first renovations took place after the Second World War, when the installation of fluorescent lighting revealed the poor state of the original tiling. Three main styles of redecoration followed in succession.
- Between 1948 and 1967 the RATP installed standardised coloured metallic wall casings in 73 stations (École MilitaireÉcole Militaire (Paris Metro)École Militaire is a station on line 8 of the Paris Métro near the École Militaire .The station was opened on 13 July 1913 as part of the original section of Line 8 between Beaugrenelle and Opéra....
). - From the end of the 1960s a new style was rolled out in around 20 stations, known as Mouton-Duvernet after the first stationMouton-Duvernet (Paris Metro)Mouton-Duvernet is a small, typically Parisian metro station on line 4 in the 14th arrondissement.The line 4 platforms were opened on 30 October 1909 when the southern section of the line opened between Raspail and Porte d'Orléans. The name refers to the Rue Mouton-Duvernet, named after...
concerned. The original white tiles were replaced to a height of 2 m with non-bevelled tiles in various shades of orange. Intended to be warm and dynamic, the renovations proved unpopular. The decoration has been undone as part of the "Renouveau du métro" programme. - From 1975 certain stations were redecorated in the Motte style, which emphasised original white tiling but brought touches of colour to light fixtures, seating and the walls of connecting tunnels. The subsequent Ouï Dire style features audaciously shaped seats and light housings with complementary multi-coloured uplighting.
A number of stations have original decorations to reflect the cultural significance of their locations. The first to receive this treatment was Louvre – Rivoli
Louvre - Rivoli (Paris Metro)
Louvre Rivoli is a station on Paris Métro Line 1. It is near the Louvre and Rue de Rivoli.The station was opened on 13 August 1900, almost a month after trains began running on the original section of line 1 between Porte de Vincennes and Porte Maillot on 19 July 1900, under the name Louvre...
on line 1, which contains copies of the masterpieces on display at the museum above. Other notable examples of theme-decorated stations include Bastille
Bastille (Paris Metro)
Bastille is a station on lines 1, 5 and 8 of the Paris Métro. It is located near the former location of the Bastille and remains of the Bastille can be seen on line 5. The platforms for line 1 are situated below road level but above the Basin of the Arsenal and Canal Saint Martin in a short-open...
(line 1), Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés (Paris Metro)
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is a station on line 4 of the Paris Métro, serving the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area in the heart of the Left Bank in the 6th arrondissement....
(line 4), Cluny – La Sorbonne
Cluny - La Sorbonne (Paris Metro)
Cluny - La Sorbonne is a station on line 10 of the Paris Metro in the 5th arrondissement. It is in the heart of the Latin Quarter and Paris' Left Bank.-History:...
(line 10) and Arts et Métiers
Arts et Métiers (Paris Metro)
Arts et Métiers is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 3 and Line 11. It takes its name from the Musée des Arts et Métiers, which is served by the station. It opened on 19 October 1904 as part of the first section of line 3 opened between Père Lachaise and Villiers...
(line 11).
Exterior decoration
The Métro's original art nouveau entrances are iconic symbols of Paris, and 83 survive. Designed by Hector GuimardHector Guimard
Hector Guimard was an architect, who is now the best-known representative of the French Art Nouveau style of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries....
in a style that caused some surprise and controversy in 1900, there are two main variants:
- The most elaborate feature glass canopies. Three still exist, at Porte DauphinePorte Dauphine (Paris Metro)Porte Dauphine is a station of the Paris Métro. It is the western terminus of Line 2. Nearby, one can transfer to the RER C at Avenue Foch station...
, AbbessesAbbesses (Paris Metro)Abbesses is a station on Paris Métro Line 12, in the Montmartre district and the 18th arrondissement. Abbesses is one of the few deep stations of Paris métro, at 36 metres below ground, as it is located on western side of the butte of Montmartre...
, and at the intersection of Rue des Halles and Rue Sainte-Opportune. - The rest have a cast-iron balustrade decorated in plant-like motifs, accompanied by a "Métropolitain" sign supported by two orange globes atop ornate cast-iron supports in the form of plant stems.
- Several of the iconic Guimard entrances have been given to other cities. The only original one on a metro station outside Paris is the one at Square-VictoriaSquare-Victoria (Montreal Metro)Square-Victoria is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal...
station in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, as a monument to the collaboration of RATP engineers. Replicas cast from the original molds have been given to the Lisbon MetroLisbon MetroThe Lisbon Metro is the metro system of Lisbon, Portugal. Opened in December 1959, it was the first subway system in Portugal.As of 2011, the four Lisbon subway lines total about in length and comprise 52 stations.- History :- Idea :...
(Picoas station); the Mexico City MetroMexico City MetroThe Mexico City Metro , officially called Sistema de Transporte Colectivo, is a metro system that serves the metropolitan area of Mexico City...
(Metro Bellas ArtesMetro Bellas ArtesMetro Bellas Artes is a station along Line 2 and Line 8 of the Mexico City Metro system. It is located in the Colonia Centro district of the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City, on the junction of Avenida Juárez and Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas, on the eastern end of the Alameda Central, west of the...
, with a "Metro" sign), offered as a gift in return for a Huichol mural currently displayed at Palais Royal – Musée du LouvrePalais Royal - Musée du Louvre (Paris Metro)Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre is a station on lines 1 and 7 of the Paris Métro.It is one of the eight original stations opened as part of the first section of line 1 between Porte de Vincennes and Porte Maillot on 19 July 1900, under the name Palais Royal. The line 7 platforms were opened on 1...
station; and Chicago Metra (Van Buren StreetVan Buren Street (Metra)The Van Buren Street Station is a commuter rail station in downtown Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line to University Park, Blue Island, and South Chicago neighborhood; and the South Shore Line to Gary and South Bend, Indiana....
, at South Michigan Avenue and East Van Buren Street, with a "Metra" sign), given in 2001. Also, there is an entrance on display at the Sculpture Garden in Downtown Washington D.C. This does not actually lead to an actual D.C. metro station, it is just for pleasure.
- Several of the iconic Guimard entrances have been given to other cities. The only original one on a metro station outside Paris is the one at Square-Victoria
Later stations and redecorations have brought increasingly simple styles to Métro entrances.
- Classical stone balustrades were chosen for certain early stations in prestigious locations (Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt (Paris Metro)Franklin D. Roosevelt is a station of the Paris Métro serving both Lines 1 and 9. With 12.19m passengers annually, Franklin D. Roosevelt is the fourteenth busiest station in the Paris Métro system.-History:...
, RépubliqueRépublique (Paris Metro)République is a station of the Paris Métro, serving lines 3, 5, 8, 9, and 11.The station opened on 19 October 1904 as part of the first section of line 3 between Père Lachaise and Villiers. The line 5 platforms opened on 15 November 1907 with the extension of the line from Jacques Bonsergent to...
). - Simpler metal balustrades accompany a "Métro" sign crowned by a spherical lamp in other early stations (Saint-PlacideSaint-Placide (Paris Metro)Saint-Placide is a station on line 4 of the Paris Métro in the 6th arrondissement.The station was opened on 9 January 1910 as part of the connecting section of the line under the Seine between Châtelet and Raspail. The station, in the Montparnasse area, is after the Rue Saint-Placide, commemorating...
). - Minimalist stainless-steel balustrades (Havre – CaumartinHavre - Caumartin (Paris Metro)Havre-Caumartin is a station of the Paris Métro, serving both lines 3 and 9.-History:Its opening dates from October 1904, with the opening of the first section of Line 3 between the Avenue de Villiers and Père Lachaise...
) appeared from the 1970s and signposts with just an "M" have been the norm since the war (OlympiadesOlympiades (Paris Métro)Olympiades is a station of the Paris Métro. It is the southern terminus of Line 14.The station was formally inaugurated on June 25, 2007 in the presence of the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, and opened to the general public at just before 5.30am on June 26, 2007.It takes its name from the area...
, opened 2007).
A handful of station entrances have entirely original architecture (Saint-Lazare
Saint-Lazare (Paris Metro)
Saint-Lazare is a station on lines 3, 12, 13 and 14 of the Paris Métro on the border of the 8th and 9th arrondissements. It is the second busiest station of the metro system and is the western terminus of line 14....
), and a number are integrated into residential or standalone buildings (Pelleport
Pelleport (Paris Metro)
Pelleport is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 3bis. It was opened on 27 November 1921 when Line 3 was extended from Gambetta to Porte des Lilas. On 27 March 1971 it was transferred to Line 3bis on its establishment....
).
History
Fulgence Bienvenüe project
On 20 April 1896, Paris adopted the Fulgence BienvenüeFulgence Bienvenüe
Fulgence Bienvenüe was a French civil engineer, best known for his role in the construction of the Paris Métro....
project, which was to serve only the city proper of Paris. Many Parisians worried that extending lines to industrial suburbs would reduce the safety of the city. Paris forbade lines to the inner suburbs and, as a guarantee, Métro trains were to run on the right, as opposed to existing suburban lines, which ran on the left.
The first line, Porte Maillot
Porte Maillot (Paris Metro)
Porte Maillot is a station on Paris Métro Line 1 and on the RER C. The station replaces another station of the same name, the original terminus of Line 1, which was demolished and moved in 1936....
–Porte de Vincennes
Porte de Vincennes (Paris Metro)
Porte de Vincennes is a station on Paris Métro Line 1. The station opened as part of the first stage of the line between Porte de Vincennes and Porte Maillot on 19 July 1900 and was the original eastern terminus of line 1 until the extension to Château de Vincennes opened in 1934...
, was inaugurated on 19 July 1900 during the Paris World's Fair
Exposition Universelle (1900)
The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from April 15 to November 12, 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next...
. Entrances to stations were designed in art nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style by Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard
Hector Guimard was an architect, who is now the best-known representative of the French Art Nouveau style of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries....
. Eighty-six of his entrances are still in existence.
Fulgence Bienvenüe's project consisted of 10 lines, which correspond to today's lines 1 to 9. Construction was so intense that by 1920, despite a few changes from schedule, most lines had been completed.
Lines 1
Paris Metro Line 1
Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
and 4
Paris Metro Line 4
Line 4 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Situated entirely within the boundaries of the City of Paris, it connects Porte de Clignancourt in the north and Porte d'Orléans in the south, travelling across the heart of the city. As a result, it is sometimes called...
were conceived as central east-west and central north-south lines. Two circular lines, ligne 2 Nord (line 2 North) and ligne 2 Sud (line 2 South), were also planned but line 2 South was merged with line 5
Paris Metro Line 5
Paris Métro Line 5 is one of the 16 metro lines built in Paris, France. It crosses the east of Paris from Bobigny to Place d'Italie. It is the eighth busiest line on the network....
in 1906.
Line 3
Paris Metro Line 3
Line 3 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Connecting Pont de Levallois - Bécon station in the near western suburbs to Gallieni in the east, the location of Paris' international bus station...
was an additional east-west line to the north of line 1 and line 5 an additional north-south line to the east of line 4. Line 6
Paris Metro Line 6
Line 6 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Following a semi-circular route around the southern half of the city above boulevards formed by ancient city walls , it runs from Charles de Gaulle – Étoile in the west and Nation in the east.Opened between 1900 and 1906...
would run from Nation
Nation (Paris Metro and RER)
Nation is a station of the Paris Métro and of Île-de-France's regional high-speed RER. It serves lines 1, 2, 6 and 9 of the Paris Métro and line A of the RER....
to Place d'Italie
Place d'Italie (Paris Metro)
Place d'Italie is a rapid transit station of the Paris Métro located in the heart of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, at the Place d'Italie. It is the terminus of Line 5 and is also served by Line 6 and Line 7.-History:...
. Lines 7
Paris Metro Line 7
Paris Métro Line 7 is one of sixteen lines of the Paris Métro system. Crossing the capital from its north-eastern to south-eastern sections via a moderately curved path, it links La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 in the north with Mairie d'Ivry and Villejuif – Louis Aragon in the south, while passing...
, 8
Paris Metro Line 8
Paris Métro Line 8 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. It connects the Balard station in southwestern Paris, to Créteil – Préfecture station in Créteil, a town south-east of the French capital, following a parabolic route on the right bank of Seine River...
and 9
Paris Metro Line 9
Paris Métro Line 9 is one of 16 lines of the Paris Métro. The line links Pont de Sèvres in Boulogne in the west with Montreuil in the east. It is the fourth busiest line on the network....
would connect commercial and office districts around the Opéra
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier, , is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier...
to residential areas in the north-east and the south-west.
Bienvenüe also planned a circular line, the ligne circulaire intérieure, to connect the six main-line stations. A section opened in 1923 between Invalides
Invalides (Paris Metro and RER)
Invalides is a station on lines 8 and 13 of the Paris Métro and RER in the 7th arrondissement, located near and named after les Invalides.The station was opened on 13 July 1913 as part of the original section of Line 8 between Beaugrenelle and Opéra...
and the Boulevard Saint-Germain
Boulevard Saint-Germain
The Boulevard Saint-Germain is a major street in Paris on the Left Bank of the Seine river. It curves in a 3.5 kilometer arc from the Pont de Sully in the east to the Pont de la Concorde in the west and traverses the 5th, 6th and 7th arrondissements...
before the plan was abandoned.
Nord-Sud: the competing network
On 31 January 1904, a second concession was granted to a company called the Société du chemin de fer électrique souterrain Nord-Sud de Paris (Paris North-South underground electrical railway company) and abbreviated to the Nord-Sud (North-South) company. It was responsible for building three proposed lines:- line A would join MontmartreMontmartreMontmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
to MontparnasseMontparnasseMontparnasse is an area of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail...
as an additional north-south line to the west of line 4 - line B would serve the north-west of Paris only by connecting Saint-Lazare stationGare Saint-LazareParis Saint-Lazare is one of the six large terminus train stations of Paris. It is the second busiest in Paris, behind the Gare du Nord, handling 274,000 passengers each day.-History:...
to Porte de Clichy and Porte de Saint-Ouen - line C would serve the south-west only by connecting Montparnasse stationGare MontparnasseParis Montparnasse is one of the six large terminus railway stations of Paris, located in the Montparnasse area in the XIVe arrondissement. The station was opened in 1840, and rebuilt completely in 1969...
to Porte de VanvesPorte de Vanves (Paris Metro)Porte de Vanves is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro and a stop on tramway line 3.The station was opened on 21 January 1937 on old Line 14, which was absorbed into 13 in 1976. It was the southern terminus of the line until its extension to Châtillon - Montrouge on 9 November 1976. In 2006,...
. The aim was to connect B with C, but CMP bought before: B renamed as 13 and C renamed as 14. Both were connected by RATP being current line 13.
Line A was finally inaugurated on 4 November 1910, after being postponed because of the flood Paris experienced in January of that year. Line B was inaugurated on 26 February 1911. Because of the high construction costs, the construction of line C was postponed. The Nord-Sud company and the C.M.P. company used compatible trains which could be used on both networks. But CMP trains catches current from + 600 volts at the third rail, and NS from the differential between − 600 volts on the aerial and + 600 volts on third rail. This was necessary due the high slope to climb on NS lines. Moreover, the Nord-Sud network distinguished itself from its competitor with the high-quality decoration of its stations, the train's extreme comfort and its pretty lighting.
Nord-Sud did not become profitable and bankruptcy became unavoidable. By the end of 1930, the C.M.P. bought Nord-Sud. Line A became line 12
Paris Metro Line 12
Paris Métro Line 12 is one of sixteen metro lines in Paris, France. It links Issy-les-Moulineaux in southern Paris to Porte de la Chapelle in the north. With 72 million journeys per year, Line 12 is the eleventh busiest on the Parisian Métropolitan system...
and line B line 13
Paris Metro Line 13
Line 13 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. The result of the fusion of the now-extinct Line B of the Nord-Sud Company and the old Line 14 of the CMP. Their creation was destined to be replaced by a north-south RER line before the reorganisation of the...
. Line C was built and renamed line 14, that line was reorganized in 1937 with line 8 and 10. This partial line is now the south part of line 13.
The last Nord-Sud train set was decommissioned on 15 May 1972.
1930–1950: The first inner suburbs are reached
Paris Metro Line 10
Paris Métro Line 10 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. The line links the Boulogne – Pont de Saint Cloud metro station in Boulogne in the west with the Gare d'Austerlitz, travelling under the neighborhoods situated on the Rive Gauche in the southern half of Paris and the commune of...
and it would be extended west to Porte de Saint-Cloud and the inner suburbs of Boulogne
Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
.
The line C planned by Nord-Sud between Montparnasse station and Porte de Vanves
Porte de Vanves (Paris Metro)
Porte de Vanves is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro and a stop on tramway line 3.The station was opened on 21 January 1937 on old Line 14, which was absorbed into 13 in 1976. It was the southern terminus of the line until its extension to Châtillon - Montrouge on 9 November 1976. In 2006,...
would be built as an initial line 14 (different from present line 14
Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
). It would also extend north in encompassing the already built portion between Invalides and Duroc which was initially planned as part of the inner circular.
The over-busy Belleville funicular tramway
Belleville funicular tramway
The Belleville funicular tramway was a cable car which from 1891 to 1924 connected the Place de la République in Paris to the Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville, on a hill in the Belleville quarter...
would be replaced by a new line, line 11
Paris Metro Line 11
Paris Métro Line 11 is one of 16 Paris métro lines. It links Les Lilas in the North East of the city to Châtelet in the center of Paris. It is the shortest of the 14 metro lines having independent management...
, which would be extended to Châtelet
Châtelet (Paris Metro)
Châtelet is a station on lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14 of the Paris Métro in the centre of medieval Paris and the 1st arrondissement. The station is made up of two parts connected by a long corridor:...
. Lines 10, 11 and 14 were thus the three new lines envisaged under this plan.
In addition, most existing lines would be extended to the inner suburbs. The first to leave the city proper was line 9, extended in 1934 to Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
; more would follow it in the 1930s. World War II forced authorities to abandon projects such as the extension of lines 4 or 12 to the northern suburbs. By 1949, eight lines had been extended: line 1 to Neuilly
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although Neuilly is technically a suburb of Paris, it is immediately adjacent to the city and directly extends it. The area is composed of mostly wealthy, select residential...
and Vincennes
Vincennes
Vincennes is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.-History:...
, line 3 to Levallois-Perret
Levallois-Perret
Levallois-Perret is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.-Name:The name Levallois-Perret comes from two housing developments, Champerret and Village Levallois , and which resulted in the incorporation of the...
, line 5 to Pantin
Pantin
Pantin is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe. Its post code is 93500.Pantin was once the site of Motobecane's operations...
, line 7 to Ivry
Ivry-sur-Seine
Ivry-sur-Seine is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris....
, line 8 to Charenton
Charenton-le-Pont
Charenton-le-Pont is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe....
, line 9 to Boulogne-Billancourt, line 11 to Les Lilas
Les Lilas
Les Lilas is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.- History :...
and line 12 to Issy-les-Moulineaux
Issy-les-Moulineaux
Issy-les-Moulineaux is a commune in the southwestern suburban area of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. On 1 January 2003, Issy-les-Moulineaux became part of the Communauté d'agglomération Arc de Seine along with the other communes of Chaville, Meudon, Vanves and Ville-d'Avray...
.
World War II had a massive impact on the Métro. Services were limited and many stations closed. The risk of bombing meant the service between Place d'Italie
Place d'Italie (Paris Metro)
Place d'Italie is a rapid transit station of the Paris Métro located in the heart of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, at the Place d'Italie. It is the terminus of Line 5 and is also served by Line 6 and Line 7.-History:...
and Étoile
Charles de Gaulle - Étoile (Paris Metro and RER)
Charles de Gaulle – Étoile is a station on Paris Métro Line 1 and of the RER urban rail network. It lies on the boundary of the VIIIe and XVIIe arrondissements of Paris...
was transferred from line 5 to line 6, so that most of the elevated portions of the Métro would be on a single line: line 6. As a result, lines 2 and 6 together now form a circle.
It took a long time to recover after liberation in 1944. Many stations had not reopened by the 1960s and some closed for good. On 23 March 1948, the C.M.P (the underground) and the STCRP (bus and tramways) merged to form the RATP, which still operates the Métro.
1960–1990: the development of the RER
Rubber-tyred metro
A rubber-tyred metro is a form of rapid transit system that uses a mix of road and rail technology. The vehicles have wheels with rubber tyres which run on rolling pads inside guide bars for traction, as well as traditional railway steel wheels with deep flanges on steel tracks for guidance through...
and basic automatic piloting on the voie navette. The first replacements of the older Sprague trains began with experimental articulated train units and then with mainstream rubber-tyred metro MP 55 and MP 59
MP 59
The MP 59 is a rubber tired variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system, and is the oldest type still in regular passenger service. Manufactured by GEC Alsthom, they were first introduced in 1963 when the busiest routes of Lines 1 and 4 were converted to rubber tired pneumatic...
, some of the latter are still in service today (line 4 and 11). Thanks to newer trains and better signalling, trains ran more frequently.
The population of Paris boomed from 1950 to 1980. Cars became more popular and suburbs grew further from the city. Paris' main railway stations, ere the termini of the suburban rail lines, were overcrowded during rush hour. The short distance between metro stations slowed the network and made it unprofitable to build extensions.
The solution in the 1960s was to revive a project abandoned at the end of the 19th century: joining suburban lines to new underground portions in the city centre. The system would be known as the réseau express régional (regional express network) (RER
RER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
).
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
and reach the new Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy. This became line B
RER B
The RER B is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France.The line runs from the northern termini Aéroport Charles de Gaulle and Mitry-Claye to the southern termini Robinson and Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse ....
. These new lines were inaugurated in 1977 and their wild success outperformed all the most optimistic forecasts to the extent that line A is the most used urban rail line in the world with nearly 300 million journeys a year.
Because of the enormous cost of these two lines, the third planned line was abandoned and the French authorities decided that later developments of the RER network would be more cheaply developed by the SNCF
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
company, alongside its continued management of other suburban lines. However, the RER developed by the SNCF company would never match the success of the RATP's two RER lines. In 1979, SNCF developed line C
RER C
The RER C is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France. It is operated by SNCF.The line runs from the northwestern terminuses Pontoise , Versailles – Rive Gauche and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to the southeastern terminuses Massy-Palaiseau , Dourdan-la-Forêt , ...
in joining the suburban lines of Gare d'Austerlitz
Gare d'Austerlitz
Paris Austerlitz is one of the six large terminus railway stations in Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine in the southeastern part of the city, in the XIIIe arrondissement...
and Gare d'Orsay
Gare d'Orsay
Gare d'Orsay is a former Paris railway station and hotel, built in 1900 to designs by Victor Laloux, Lucien Magne and Émile Bénard; it served as a terminus for the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans . It was the first electrified urban rail terminal in the world, opened 28 May 1900, in time for the...
, the latter being converted into a museum dedicated to impressionist paintings. During the 1980s, it would also develop line D
RER D
The RER D is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France.The line officially runs from the northern terminus Orry-la-Ville – Coye to the southern terminuses Melun and Malesherbes...
, which was the second line planned by the initial RER schedule, but would serve Châtelet instead of République
République (Paris Metro)
République is a station of the Paris Métro, serving lines 3, 5, 8, 9, and 11.The station opened on 19 October 1904 as part of the first section of line 3 between Père Lachaise and Villiers. The line 5 platforms opened on 15 November 1907 with the extension of the line from Jacques Bonsergent to...
to reduce costs. A huge Métro-RER hub was created at the Châtelet-Les Halles
Châtelet - Les Halles (Paris RER)
Châtelet – Les Halles is a major commuter train hub in Paris. Taken together with the Paris Métro stations Châtelet and Les Halles, to which it is directly connected, hosts travellers per week day , for the RER only...
station, the world's largest underground station.
The same project of the 1960s also decided to merge lines 13 and 14 to create a quick connection between Saint-Lazare and Montparnasse thanks to a new full north-south line. Distances between stations on the lengthened line 13 differ from that on other lines in order to make it more "express" and hence to extend it farther in the suburbs. The new Line 13
Paris Metro Line 13
Line 13 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. The result of the fusion of the now-extinct Line B of the Nord-Sud Company and the old Line 14 of the CMP. Their creation was destined to be replaced by a north-south RER line before the reorganisation of the...
was inaugurated on 9 November 1976.
1990–2010: Eole and Météor
Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
was inaugurated. It was the first fully new Métro (not RER) line in 63 years. The project, which was known during its conception as Météor (Métro Est-Ouest Rapide), is still the only fully automatic line within the network. It was also the first to feature platform screen doors
Platform screen doors
Platform screen doors and platform edge doors at train or subway stations screen the platform from the train. They are a relatively new addition to many metro systems around the world, with some platform doors retrofitted rather than installed with the metro system itself. They are widely used in...
to prevent suicides and accidents.
It was conceived with extensions to the suburbs in mind, similar to the extensions of the line 13 built during the 1970s. As a result, most of the stations are at least a kilometre apart. Like the RER lines designed by the RATP, nearly all stations of line 14 offer connections with multiple Métro lines. The line currently runs between Saint-Lazare
Saint-Lazare (Paris Metro)
Saint-Lazare is a station on lines 3, 12, 13 and 14 of the Paris Métro on the border of the 8th and 9th arrondissements. It is the second busiest station of the metro system and is the western terminus of line 14....
and Olympiades
Olympiades (Paris Métro)
Olympiades is a station of the Paris Métro. It is the southern terminus of Line 14.The station was formally inaugurated on June 25, 2007 in the presence of the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, and opened to the general public at just before 5.30am on June 26, 2007.It takes its name from the area...
. Lines 7 and 13 are the only two on the network to be split in branches. The RATP would like to get rid of those saturated branches in order to improve the network's efficiency. As such, a project consists in attributing to the line 14 one branch of each line, and to extend them further into the suburbs. This project has not yet been approved.
In 1999, the RER line E
RER E
The RER E is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France. The line runs from the western terminus Haussmann St-Lazare to the eastern terminuses Chelles-Gournay and Tournan...
was inaugurated as the latest extension of the network. Known during its conception as Eole (Est-Ouest Liaison Express), it is the fifth RER line serving Paris. Currently, the RER E terminates at Haussmann – Saint-Lazare, but a new project, financed by EPAD, the public authority managing the La Défense
La Défense
La Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux...
business district, should extend the line west into La Défense – Grande Arche and the suburbs beyond.
Under construction
There are currently three extensions to the Métro network being built.Line 4
Paris Metro Line 4
Line 4 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Situated entirely within the boundaries of the City of Paris, it connects Porte de Clignancourt in the north and Porte d'Orléans in the south, travelling across the heart of the city. As a result, it is sometimes called...
is having a 3.2 km southern extension from Porte d'Orléans to Bagneux with two intermediary stations. Due to open in 2012
Line 8
Paris Metro Line 8
Paris Métro Line 8 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. It connects the Balard station in southwestern Paris, to Créteil – Préfecture station in Créteil, a town south-east of the French capital, following a parabolic route on the right bank of Seine River...
is being extended to a new depot via one new station at Créteil Parc des Sports.
Line 12
Paris Metro Line 12
Paris Métro Line 12 is one of sixteen metro lines in Paris, France. It links Issy-les-Moulineaux in southern Paris to Porte de la Chapelle in the north. With 72 million journeys per year, Line 12 is the eleventh busiest on the Parisian Métropolitan system...
is undergoing construction of its long talked about northern extension
Plans
There are many proposals on the drawing board:- An extension of Line 14Paris Metro Line 14Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
at both ends (using part of Line 13Paris Metro Line 13Line 13 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. The result of the fusion of the now-extinct Line B of the Nord-Sud Company and the old Line 14 of the CMP. Their creation was destined to be replaced by a north-south RER line before the reorganisation of the...
at the north end and part of Line 7Paris Metro Line 7Paris Métro Line 7 is one of sixteen lines of the Paris Métro system. Crossing the capital from its north-eastern to south-eastern sections via a moderately curved path, it links La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 in the north with Mairie d'Ivry and Villejuif – Louis Aragon in the south, while passing...
at the southern end). - Line 11Paris Metro Line 11Paris Métro Line 11 is one of 16 Paris métro lines. It links Les Lilas in the North East of the city to Châtelet in the center of Paris. It is the shortest of the 14 metro lines having independent management...
will also benefit from extension by 2017.
There have also been proposals for:
- An extension at both ends of Line 1Paris Metro Line 1Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
. - A new station on Line 5Paris Metro Line 5Paris Métro Line 5 is one of the 16 metro lines built in Paris, France. It crosses the east of Paris from Bobigny to Place d'Italie. It is the eighth busiest line on the network....
. - A southern extension to Line 7Paris Metro Line 7Paris Métro Line 7 is one of sixteen lines of the Paris Métro system. Crossing the capital from its north-eastern to south-eastern sections via a moderately curved path, it links La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 in the north with Mairie d'Ivry and Villejuif – Louis Aragon in the south, while passing...
. - A two-stop extension of Line 9Paris Metro Line 9Paris Métro Line 9 is one of 16 lines of the Paris Métro. The line links Pont de Sèvres in Boulogne in the west with Montreuil in the east. It is the fourth busiest line on the network....
. - Several studies for the future of Line 10Paris Metro Line 10Paris Métro Line 10 is one of 16 metro lines in Paris, France. The line links the Boulogne – Pont de Saint Cloud metro station in Boulogne in the west with the Gare d'Austerlitz, travelling under the neighborhoods situated on the Rive Gauche in the southern half of Paris and the commune of...
. - There is also the very long term distant possibility that Line 3bisParis Metro Line 3bisParis Métro Line 3bis is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the Gambetta and Porte des Lilas stations in the 20th arrondissement of Paris . With a length of and only four stations, the line is the shortest in the network...
may be merged with Line 7bisParis Metro Line 7bisParis Métro Line 7bis is the second shortest line of the metro operating in Paris, France. It serves the 19th and 20th arrondissements in the North East of the city.-Chronology:...
to form a new line. - In addition to all these there is also the prospect of a 50 km outer Paris automated orbital Metro line (sometimes called the 'Arc ExpressArc ExpressArc Express is a planned orbital Métro line to be built in the suburbs around Paris, designed to satisfy the need for increased travel among the suburbs of Paris and to relieve the saturation of a number of radial lines, such as Métro Line 13 and RER Line A. Previous proposals for an orbital metro...
').
Accidents
- 10 August 1903: The Couronnes DisasterParis Metro train fireThe disastrous Paris Métro train fire occurred on the evening of August 10, 1903, on what was then Line 2 Nord of the system and is now Line 2...
(fire), 84 killed. - 30 August 2000: an MF 67MF 67The MF 67 is a steel-wheel variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system. It is the most common Paris Metro rolling stock variant, being used on Lines 2, 3, 3bis, 5, 9, 10 and 12...
rolling stock derailled due to excessive speed and unavailable automatic cruising at the Notre-Dame-de-LoretteNotre-Dame-de-Lorette (Paris Metro)Notre-Dame-de-Lorette is a station on Line 12 of the Paris Métro in the 9th arrondissement.The station opened on 5 November 1910 as part of the original section of the Nord-Sud company's line A between Porte de Versailles and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. It was the northern terminus of the line until its...
station, 24 slightly injured. - 6 August 2005: fire broke out on a train at the SimplonSimplon (Paris Metro)Simplon is a station of the Paris Métro, serving line 4 in the 18th arrondissement of Paris.The station was opened on 21 April 1908 as part of the first section of the line from Châtelet to Porte de Clignancourt. It takes its name from the Rue du Simplon, named after the Simplon Pass in the...
station. The fire injured at least 19 people before it was extinguished. Early reports blamed an electrical short circuitShort circuitA short circuit in an electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path, often where essentially no electrical impedance is encountered....
as the cause. - 29 July 2007: a fire started on a train between VarenneVarenne (Paris Metro)Varenne is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro in the 7th arrondissement, named after the Rue de Varenne.The station was opened on 20 December 1923 as part of the original section of line 10 between Invalides and Croix Rouge...
and InvalidesInvalides (Paris Metro and RER)Invalides is a station on lines 8 and 13 of the Paris Métro and RER in the 7th arrondissement, located near and named after les Invalides.The station was opened on 13 July 1913 as part of the original section of Line 8 between Beaugrenelle and Opéra...
stations. Fifteen people were injured.
See also
- List of stations of the Paris Métro
- List of rapid transit systems
- RERRERThe RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
, the Paris regional express network - Transport in ParisTransport in ParisThe Paris transportation network is very diverse and exists literally over many levels. The city's buses, trams, Métro, Autoroutes, trains and planes together all serve to maintain a high level of connectivity between Paris's many different districts and beyond.-Streets and thoroughfares:Paris is...
- Transportation in France
- Rubber-tyred metroRubber-tyred metroA rubber-tyred metro is a form of rapid transit system that uses a mix of road and rail technology. The vehicles have wheels with rubber tyres which run on rolling pads inside guide bars for traction, as well as traditional railway steel wheels with deep flanges on steel tracks for guidance through...