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TheParis Métro,[b] short forMétropolitain,[c] is arapid transit system serving theParis metropolitan area in France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, as well as its uniform architecture andhistorical entrances influenced byArt Nouveau. The system is 245.6 kilometres (152.6 mi) long, mostly underground,[3] as well as its 321 stations of which 61 allow the riders to transfer between the sixteen lines[1][4] (with an additionalfour under construction and one in project), all numbered 1 to 14, with two extra branches,3bis and7bis, named such as they are former parts of Lines3 and7 respectively. Three of these lines (1,4 and14) are fullyautomated, and the additional four are also planned as such.[5] Lines are identified on maps by an individual number and an associated specific colour, all part of an official palette, with the traveling direction indicated by the terminus, the last stop on each line. All trains travel from one end of the line to the other, serving every station along the way. The Paris Métro is operated by theRégie autonome des transports parisiens (RATP), which also operates part of theRER (commuter standard train) network, most of theFrancilianlight rail lines and manybus routes around and within Paris itself.
It is thesecond-busiest metro system inEurope, as well as the twelfth-busiest in the world. It carried 1.476 billion passengers in 2024, roughly 4.04 million passengers a day, which makes it the most used public transport system in Paris.[2] It is one of the densest metro systems in the world, with 244 stations within the 105.4 km2 (41 sq mi) of the City of Paris.Châtelet–Les Halles, with five Métro and threeRER commuter rail lines, is one of the world's largest metro stations.[6] The system generally has poor accessibility due to its old age (five quarter-centuries ago) and because most of the current infrastructure was built before accessibility standards emerged, with few stations retrofitted since. On the flip side, all new infrastructure and rolling stock meets current accessiblity standards, including extensions of historic lines.
The first line opened without ceremony on 19 July 1900, during the World's Fair (Exposition Universelle).[3] The system expanded quickly untilWorld War I and the core was complete by the 1920s. Extensions into the suburbs were started in the 1930s. The network reached saturation afterWorld War II and new trains were built in order to allow higher traffic, but further improvements were limited by the network's design and, in particular, the short distances between stations. In 1998,Line 14 was opened with the intention to relieveRER A. Eastbound extension ofLine 11 towardsRosny–Bois-Perrier in 2024, is the network's most recent extension. A large expansion program known as theGrand Paris Express (GPE) is currently under construction with four new orbital Métro lines (named lines15,16,17 and18) around theÎle-de-France region, outside the limits of Paris, in order to alleviate the traffic on the near-exclusively radial historic network. Further plans exist forLine 1 east,Line 7 north,Line 10 east, Line 12 south and amerger of Lines 3bis and 7bis, as well as a new proposedLine 19 in the city's northernmost urbanized suburbs.
Besides the Métro, central Paris and its urban area are served by fiveRER lines (602 km or 374 mi with 257 stations), fourteentramway lines (186.6 km or 115.9 mi with 278 stations),[7] nineTransilien suburban trains (1,299 km or 807 mi with 392 stations),[8] in addition to threeVAL lines atCharles de Gaulle Airport andOrly Airport.[9] This makes Paris one of the cities in the world best served by public transportation. Despite the network's uniform architecture, several of its stations stand out at the hand of their unique design.[10] The Métro itself has become an icon in popular culture, being frequently featured in cinema and mentioned in music.[11][12] In 2021, the RATP started offering an umbrella lending service at several Métro and RER stations, highlighting the Métro'sown rabbit mascot, which advises children on staying away from the closing doors.[13]
Métro is the abbreviated name of the company that originally operated most of the network: theEmpain group subsidiaryCompagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris S.A. (Paris Metropolitan Railway Company Ltd), also known as CMP. The name was directly inspired by the 1863[14]London Metropolitan Railway (French:Chemin de fer métropolitain de Londres),[15][16] which had been commonly abbreviated as"métropolitain" in French since the late Second Empire.[15]
CMP was known as "Le Métropolitain", which quickly became abbreviated toMétro, which became a common designation and brand name forrapid transit systems in France and elsewhere. 'Metro' has been adopted in many languages, making it the most used word for an urbanrapid transit system.
The Métro is operated by theRégie autonome des transports parisiens (RATP), a public transport authority that also operates part of the RER network, light rail lines and many bus routes.
By 1845, Paris and the railway companies were already thinking about an urban railway system to link inner districts of the city. The railway companies and the French government wanted to extend mainline railways into a new underground network, whereas the Parisians favoured a new and independent network and feared national takeover of any system it built.[17] The disagreement lasted from 1856 to 1890. Meanwhile, the population became denser and traffic congestion grew massively. The deadlock put pressure on the authorities and gave the city the green light.
Prior to 1845, the urban transport network consisted primarily of a large number of omnibus lines, consolidated by the French government into a regulated system with fixed and unconflicting routes and schedules.[18] The first concrete proposal for an urban rail system in Paris was put forward by civil engineer Florence de Kérizouet. This plan called for a surfacecable car system.[19] In 1855, civil engineers Edouard Brame andEugène Flachat proposed an underground freight urban railway, due to the high rate of accidents on surface rail lines.[19] On 19 November 1871 the General Council of the Seine commissioned a team of 40 engineers to plan an urban rail network.[20] This team proposed a network with a pattern of routes "resembling a cross enclosed in a circle" with axial routes following large boulevards. On 11 May 1872 the Council endorsed the plan, but the French government turned down the plan.[20] After this point, a serious debate occurred over whether the new system should consist of elevated lines or of mostly underground lines; this debate involved numerous parties in France, includingVictor Hugo,Guy de Maupassant, and the Eiffel Society ofGustave Eiffel, and continued until 1892.[21] Eventually the underground option emerged as the preferred solution because of the high cost of buying land for rights-of-way in central Paris required for elevated lines, estimated at 70,000 francs per metre of line for a 20 meters (65 ft 7 in)-wide railway.[22]
The last remaining hurdle was the city's concern about national interference in its urban rail system. The city commissioned renowned engineerJean-Baptiste Berlier, who designed Paris's postal network of pneumatic tubes, to design and plan its rail system in the early 1890s.[22] Berlier recommended a specialtrack gauge of1,300 mm (4 ft 3+3⁄16 in) (versus thestandard gauge of1,435 mm or4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) to protect the system from national takeover, which inflamed the issue substantially.[23] The issue was finally settled when the Minister of Public Works begrudgingly recognised the city's right to build a local system on 22 November 1895, and by the city's secret designing of the trains and tunnels to be too narrow for mainline trains, while adopting standard gauge as a compromise with the state.[23]
On 20 April 1896, Paris adopted theFulgence Bienvenüe 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.[24] 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.
Unlike many other subway systems (such as that of London), this system was designed from the outset as a unified system, initially of nine lines.[25] Such a large project required a private-public arrangement right from the outset – the city would build most of the permanent way, while a private concessionaire company would supply the trains and power stations, and lease the system (each line separately, for initially 39-year leases).[further explanation needed][25] In July 1897, six bidders competed, and The Compagnie Generale de Traction, owned by the BelgianBaron Édouard Empain,won the contract; this company was then immediately reorganised as theCompagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain.[25]
Bienvenüe's project consisted of 10 lines, which correspond to current Lines 1 to 9. Construction was so intense that by 1920, despite a few changes from schedule, most lines had been completed. The shield method of construction was rejected in favor of the cut-and-cover method in order to speed up work.[26] Bienvenüe, a highly regarded engineer, designed a special procedure of building the tunnels to allow the swift repaving of roads, and is credited with a largely swift and relatively uneventful construction through the difficult and heterogeneous soils and rocks.[27]
Line 1 andLine 4 were conceived as central east–west and north–south lines. Two lines,ligne 2 Nord (Line 2 North) andligne 2 Sud (Line 2 South), were also planned but Line 2 South was merged withLine 5 in 1906.Line 3 was an additional east–west line to the north of line 1 and line 5 an additional north to south line to the east of Line 4.Line 6 would run fromNation toPlace d'Italie. Lines 7,8 and9 would connect commercial and office districts around theOpéra to residential areas in the north-east and the south-west. Bienvenüe also planned a circular line, theligne circulaire intérieure, to connect the six mainline stations. A section opened in 1923 betweenInvalides and theBoulevard Saint-Germain before the plan was abandoned.
On 31 January 1904, a second concession was granted to theSociété du chemin de fer électrique souterrain Nord-Sud de Paris (Paris North-South underground electrical railway company), abbreviated to theNord-Sud (North-South) company. It was responsible for building three proposed lines:
Line A would joinMontmartre toMontparnasse as an additional north–south line to the west of Line 4.
Line B would serve the north-west of Paris by connectingSaint-Lazare station to Porte de Clichy and Porte de Saint-Ouen.
Line C would serve the south-west by connectingMontparnasse station toPorte de Vanves. The aim was to connect Line B with Line C, but the CMP renamed Line B asLine 13 and Line C asLine 14. Both were since conjoined by the RATP as the current Line 13.
Line A was inaugurated on 4 November 1910, after being postponed because of floods in January that year. Line B was inaugurated on 26 February 1911. Because of the high construction costs, the construction of line C was postponed. Nord-Sud and CMP used compatible trains that could be used on both networks, but CMP trains used 600 volts third rail, and NS −600 volts overhead wire and +600 volts third rail. This was necessary because of steep gradients on NS lines. NS distinguished itself from its competitor with the high-quality decoration of its stations, the trains' extreme comfort and pretty lighting.
Nord-Sud did not become profitable and bankruptcy became unavoidable. By the end of 1930, the CMP bought Nord-Sud. Line A becameLine 12 and Line BLine 13. Line C was built and renamedLine 14, then was reorganised in 1937 alongside Lines 8 and 10. This former line 14 is now the southern part of Line 13.
The last Nord-Sud train set was decommissioned on 15 May 1972.[28]
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 that becameLine 10, extended west to Porte de Saint-Cloud and the inner suburbs ofBoulogne.
The line C planned by Nord-Sud between Montparnasse station andPorte de Vanves was built asLine 14 (different frompresent Line 14). It extended north in encompassing the already-built portion between Invalides and Duroc, initially planned as part of the inner circular. The saturatedBelleville funicular tramway would be replaced by a new line,Line 11, extended toChâtelet. Lines 10, 11 and 14 were thus the three new lines envisaged under this plan.
Most lines would eventually en up extended to the inner suburbs. The first to leave the city proper was Line 9, extended in 1934 toBoulogne-Billancourt; followed by Lines 12 south and 1 east in 1934. World War II forced authorities to abandon projects such as the extension of Lines 4 and 12 to the northern suburbs. By 1949, eight lines had been extended: Line 1 toNeuilly-sur-Seine, Line 3 toLevallois-Perret, Line 5 toPantin, Line 7 toIvry-sur-Seine, Line 8 toCharenton, Line 9 to Boulogne-Billancourt, Line 11 toLes Lilas and Line 12 toIssy-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 betweenPlace d'Italie andÉtoile was transferred from Line 5 to Line 6, so that most of the elevated portions of the Métro would be on Line 6.[clarification needed] As a result, Lines 2 and 6 now form a circle. Most stations were too shallow to be used as bomb shelters. TheFrench Resistance used the tunnels to conduct swift assaults throughout Paris.[29]
It took a long time to recover after liberation in 1944. Many stations, such asLiège, had not reopened by the 1960s while some others, such asChamp de Mars andSaint-Martin, never reopened.[citation needed] On 23 March 1948, the CMP (the underground) and the STCRP (bus and tramways) merged to form theRATP, still running the Métro and most of Paris's public transportation services today.
The network grew saturated during the 1950s. Outdated technology limited the number of trains, which led the RATP to stop extending lines and concentrate on modernisation. TheMP 51 prototype was built, testing bothrubber-tyred metro and basic automatic driving on thevoie navette. The first replacements of the older Sprague trains began with experimental articulated trains and then with mainstream rubber-tyred MétroMP 55 andMP 59, some of the latter having only retired in 2025.[citation needed] Thanks to newer trains and better signalling, trains ran more frequently.
The population boomed from 1950 to 1980. Car ownership became more common and suburbs grew further from the centre of Paris. The main railway stations, termini of the suburban rail lines, were overcrowded during rush hour.[citation needed] The short distance between Métro 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[citation needed]: joining suburban lines together through new express underground portions in the city centre : theRéseau 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 theSNCF and reach the newCharles de Gaulle Airport in Roissy. This becameLine B. These new lines were inaugurated in 1977 and their wild success outperformed the most optimistic forecasts, so much so that RER line A is the most used urban rail line in Europe with nearly 300 million journeys a year.[citation needed]
Because of the enormous cost of these two lines, the third planned line was abandoned and the authorities decided that later developments of the RER network would be more cheaply developed by the SNCF, alongside its continued management of other suburban lines. However, the RER developed by the SNCF would never match the success of the RATP's two RER lines. In 1979, the SNCF developedLine C by joining the suburban lines of theGare d'Austerlitz andGare d'Orsay, the latter being converted into a museum dedicated to impressionist paintings. During the 1980s, it developedLine D, which was the second line planned by the initial RER schedule, but serving Châtelet instead ofRépublique to reduce costs. A huge Métro-RER hub was created atChâtelet–Les Halles, becoming one of the world's largest underground stations.[30]
The same project of the 1960s also decided to merge subway Lines 13 and 14 to create a quick connection between Saint-Lazare and Montparnasse as a new 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 newLine 13 was inaugurated on 9 November 1976.
In October 1998, the current dayLine 14 was inaugurated on its central trunk (fromSaint-Lazare toBibliothèque François Mitterrand stations). It was the first fully new Métro line in 63 years. Known during its conception asMétéor (MÉTro Est-Ouest Rapide), it was the first of the now three fully automatic lines within the network, along with Lines 1 and 4. It was also the first line of the Parisian network to featureplatform screen doors on every station on opening day to prevent suicides and accidents. It was conceived with suburban extension in mind, similar to the Line 13 extensions 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 offer connections with multiple Métro lines.
Lines 13 and 7 are the only two on the network to be split in branches. Hoping to get rid of those saturated branches and thus improve the network's efficiency[citation needed], RATP had initially planned to attribute to line 14 one branch of each line (most probably the Asnières-Gennevilliers and Villejuif branches), then extend them both further into the suburbs. This project was abandoned due to the cost of modernizing the allotted branches. In 1999, theRER Line E was inaugurated. Known during its conception as Eole (Est-Ouest Liaison Express), it is the fifth RER line. Originally terminating atHaussmann–Saint-Lazare station, it was extended west in early 2025 towards Nanterre, through theLa Défense business district, with an extension west through "stealing" the Mantes-la-Jolie branch of Transilien line J, in mind and on papers.
Between 2007 and November 2011, Line 1 was converted to driverless operation. The line was operated with a combination of driver-operated trains and driverless trains until the last driverlessMP 05 train joined in February 2013. The same conversion for Line 4 was completed on 13 January 2022, with the last non-automatic train removed from that line to Line 6 on 17 December 2023, with plans to automate Line 13.[31][32]Line 14 was automated from Day 1,[33] as will the upcoming lines 15 to 18 part of theGrand Paris Express.
Several of the historic lines were extended through the suburbs since 2010 :
Line 8 was extended one station southeast toPointe du Lac in 2011,
Line 12 was extended one station northeast toAubervilliers in 2012, then two more stations further northeast in 2022.
14 June 2023: five trains onLine 4 were shut down. An operational incident on one train is believed to be the cause. Passengers opened the doors and walked along the rails to the nearest station. The evacuation of the blocked trains ended at 9:30 p.m. This incident sparked numerous reactions on social networks, particularly Twitter, where several stranded users expressed their dissatisfaction due to the lack of rapid intervention by the RATP agents and the temperature approaching 35 °C . Traffic resumed around 10:15 p.m. , very disrupted. The RATP announced the opening of an internal investigation.[38]
Since the Métro was built to comprehensively serve the city inside its walls, the stations are very close: 548 metres (1,798 ft) apart on average, from 424 metres (1,391 ft) on historicalLine 4[39] to 1,158 metres (3,799 ft) on the modern line 14, meaning Paris is densely networked with stations.[40] The surrounding suburbs are served by later line extensions, forcing all métro traffic from one suburb to another to pass through the city (the circularline 15, now under construction, will enable non-radial journeys through Paris). The slow average speed effectively prohibits service to the greater Paris area.
The Métro is mostly underground (225.2 km or 139.9 mi of 245.6 km or 152.6 mi). Above-ground sections consist ofelevated railwayviaducts within Paris (on Lines 1, 2, 5 and 6) and the at-level suburban ends of Lines 1, 5, 8, and 13. The tunnels are relatively close to the surface due to the variable nature of the terrain, which complicates deep digging; exceptions include parts ofLine 12 under the hill ofMontmartre and line 2 underMénilmontant. The tunnels mostly follow the twists and turns of the streets above. During construction in 1900, aminimum curvature radius of 75 metres (246 ft) was imposed, but even this low standard was not adhered to atBastille andNotre-Dame-de-Lorette.
Like theNew York City Subway, and in contrast with theLondon Underground, the Paris Métro mostly uses two-way tunnels. As in most French metro and tramway systems, trains drive on the right, whileSNCF trains run on the left. The tracks are1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge. Electric power is supplied by athird rail which carries 750voltsDC.
The width of the carriages, 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in), is narrower than that of newer French systems (such as the 2.9-metre or 9-foot-6-inch carriages in Lyon).[41][42] Trains on Lines 1, 4 and 14 have capacities of 600–700 passengers, compared with the 2,600 riders capacity on the Altéo MI 2N trains of RER A. The City of Paris deliberately chose to build narrow Métro tunnels to prevent the running of mainline trains, as the city of Paris and the French state had historically poor relations.[25] In contrast to many other historical metro systems (such as New York, Madrid, London, and Boston), all lines have tunnels and operate trains with the same dimensions. Five Paris Métro Lines (1, 4, 6, 11 and 14) run on a rubber tire system developed by the RATP in the 1950s, and since exported to theMontreal,Santiago,Mexico City andLausanne metro networks.
The number of cars of each train varies line by line. The shortest are lines 3bis and 7bis with three-car trains.Line 11 ran with four until the summer 2024 when four-carMP 59 trains, the oldest type in service at the time, were gradually replaced by new five-carMP 14 trains. Lines1 and4 run six-car trains.Line 14 runs 8-car trains. All other lines run with five. Two lines, 7 and 13, have branches at the end, andLine 10 has a one-way loop. Trains serve every station on each line except when these are closed for renovations.
The first train leaves each terminus at 5:30 a.m. On some lines additional trains start from an intermediate station. The last train, often called the "balai" (broom) because it sweeps up remaining passengers, arrives at theterminus at 1:15 a.m., except on Fridays (since 7 December 2007),[43] Saturdays and on nights before a holiday, when the service ends at 2:15 a.m.
Tickets are sold online (e.g. via SNCF Connect), at staffed counters and at automated machines in the station foyer. Unlimited passes for a whole day, week or month are called Forfait Navigo. Online, the ticket can directly be added to the phone which can than be used at the automated gates by simply holding the phone onto them. These are located at all entries and exits. Exit from all stations is clearly marked as to the point beyond which possession of a ticket is no longer required.
On 26 June 2012, it was announced that the Métro would getWi-Fi in most stations. Access provided would be free, with a premium paid alternative offer proposed for a faster internet connection.[44] As of 2020, the entire RATP network was connected with 4G service, including within tunnels.[45] The automatedLine 1,Line 4 andLine 14 – as well as some congested stations onLine 13 – haveplatform edge doors ('porte palière') separating the tracks from the platform.
Largely because most of its stations were built well before accessibility became a consideration, less than 10 per cent of Paris's metro system iswheelchair accessible[46] ranking it as worst metro system in the world for accessibility.[47][48][49] The 20 stations ofLine 14 (which first opened in 1998) are fully accessible, and all line extensions since 1992 have included lifts at the new stations.[50] From 2022 to 2025, 23 new stations on the Métro will be accessible, following extensions to existing lines.[51] The four new lines of theGrand Paris Express, which are expected to start opening in 2026, will also be fully accessible.[52][53]
The Métro has 245.6 kilometres (152.6 mi) of track[3] and 321 stations,[1] 61 connecting between lines. These figures do not include the RER network. The average distance between stations is 562 m (1,844 ft). Trains stop at all stations, except when they are closed.[58] Lines do not share tracks, including at transfer stations, where different platforms are used for different lines.[42]
As of 2018, trains had a maximum permitted speed of 70 km/h (43 mph) and their commercial speed averaged 25.1 km/h (15.6 mph) at peak times.[59] The fastest lines were the automated ones:Line 14, which averaged 38.9 km/h (24.2 mph),[59] andLine 1, which averaged 30 km/h (19 mph).[60] Trains travel on the right. The track isstandard gauge but theloading gauge is smaller than the mainline SNCF network. Power is from a lateralthird rail, 750VDC, except on therubber-tyred lines where the current is fromguide bars.[42]
Theloading gauge is small compared to those of newer metro systems (but comparable to that of early European metros), with capacities of between about 560 and 720 passengers per train on Lines 1–14. Many other metro systems (such as those of New York and London) adopted expanded tunnel dimensions for their newer lines (or used tunnels of multiple sizes almost from the outset, in the case of Boston), at the cost of operating incompatible fleets of rolling stock. Paris built all lines to the same dimensions as its original lines. Before the introduction of rubber-tire lines in the 1950s, this common shared size theoretically allowed any Métro rolling stock to operate on any line, but in practice each line was assigned a regular roster of trains.[citation needed]
A feature is the use of rubber-tired trains on five lines: this technique was developed by RATP and entered service in 1951.[61] The technology was exported to many networks around the world (includingMontreal,Mexico City andSantiago). Lines 1, 4, 6, 11 and 14 have special adaptations to accommodate rubber-tyred trains. Trains are composed of 3 to 8 cars depending on the line, the most common being 5 cars, but all trains on the same line have the same number of cars.
The Métro 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, ensuring that every point in the city is close to a Métro station (less than 500 metres or 1,640 feet), at the cost of speed, except on Line 14 where the stations are farther apart and the trains travel faster. The system is complemented by the RER, which extends farther out into the suburbs and functions as an express network for the city and its surroundings.
The Paris Métro runs mostly underground; surface sections include sections on viaducts 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 thecut-and-cover method near the surface (the earliest by hand).Line 1 follows the straight course of theChamps-Elysées and on other lines, some stations (Liège,Commerce) have platforms that do not align: the street above is too narrow to fit both platforms opposite each other. Many lines have very sharp curves. The specifications established in 1900 required a 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. Parts of the network are built at depth, in particular a section ofLine 12 underMontmartre, the sections under theSeine, and all ofLine 14.
Lines 7 and 13 have two terminal branches, while line 7bis runs in a unidirectional loop at one end. One end of lines 2 and 5 each and both ends of line 6 have their terminus station on aballoon loop. One end of lines 3bis and 7bis each have their trains essentially operate this way, but instead reverse. One end of lines 2, 3bis, and 4 have trains run out of service on a balloon loop before reentering service. All other termini have trains continue a certain distance beyond the terminal, before proceeding back to the station on a different platform headed the other way.
The rolling stock has steel wheels (MF formatériel fer) and rubber-tyred trains (MP formatériel pneu). The different versions of each kind are specified by year of design. Some trains have suffixes to differentiate between them –CC (ConduiteConducteur) for trains driven by a driver andCA (Conduite Automatique) for trains that areautomatically driven.
The typical station comprises two central tracks flanked by two four-metre wide platforms. About 50 stations, generally current or former termini, are exceptions; most have three tracks and two platforms (Porte d'Orléans), 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 (246 ft), enough to accommodate the 5-car trains used on most lines. This was extended to 90 m (295 ft) on high-traffic lines (Line 1 and Line 4) which operate six-car trains, with some stations at 105 m (344 ft) for accommodating seven-car trains (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 formerNord-Sud network (Line 12 and Line 13) have higher ceilings, due to the former presence of a ceiling catenary. There are exceptions to the rule of near-surface vaulting:
Stations particularly close to the surface, generally on Line 1 (Champs-Elysées–Clémenceau), have flat metal ceilings.
Elevated (above street) stations, in particular on Line 2 and Line 6, are built in brick and covered by platform awnings (Line 2) or glass canopies (Line 6).
Stations on the newest sections (Line 14), built at depth, comprise 120 m (394 ft) platforms for eight-car trains, high ceilings and double-width platforms. Since the trains on this line are driverless, the stations haveplatform screen doors. Platform screen doors have been introduced on Line 1 and Line 4 as well since the MP 05 trains have been functioning.
Several ghost stations are no longer served by trains. One of the three platforms atPorte des Lilas station is on a currently unused section of track, often used as a backdrop in films.
Entrance to aMetra commuter rail station inChicago, designed inArt Nouveau style as a replica of a Paris Métro station
Concourses are decorated inArt Nouveau style defined at the Métro's opening in 1900. The spirit of this aesthetic has generally been respected in renovations.
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 operator (CMP orNord Sud). Stations of the formerNord Sud (most of line 12 and parts of line 13) generally have more meticulous decoration. Station names are usually inscribed on metallic plaques in white letters on a blue background or in white tiles on a background of blue tiles.
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.
From the end of the 1960s a new style was rolled out in around 20 stations, known asMouton-Duvernet after thefirst station concerned. The white tiles were replaced to a height of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) with non-bevelled tiles in various shades of orange. Intended to be warm and dynamic, the renovations proved unpopular. The decoration has been removed as part of the "Renouveau du métro" programme.
From 1975 some stations were redecorated in theMotte style, which emphasised the original white tiling but brought touches of colour to light fixtures, seating and the walls of connecting tunnels. The subsequentOuï Dire style features audaciously shaped seats and light housings with complementary multicoloured uplighting.
A number of stations have original decorations to reflect the cultural significance of their locations. The first to receive this treatment wasLouvre – Rivoli on line 1, which contains copies of the masterpieces on display at the museum. Other notable examples includeBastille (line 1),Saint-Germain-des-Prés (line 4),Cluny – La Sorbonne (line 10) andArts et Métiers (line 11).
The original Art Nouveau entrances are iconic symbols of Paris. There are 83 of them. Designed byHector Guimard in a style that caused some surprise and controversy in 1900, there are two main variants:
The most elaborate feature glass canopies. Two original canopies still exist, atPorte Dauphine andAbbesses (originally located atHôtel de Ville until moved in the 1970s). A replica of the canopy at Abbesses was installed atChâtelet station at the intersection of Rue des Halles and Rue Sainte-Opportune.
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 atSquare-Victoria-OACI station inMontreal, as a monument to the collaboration ofRATP engineers. Replicas cast from the original moulds have been given to theLisbon Metro (Picoas station); theMexico City Metro (Metro Bellas Artes, with a "Metro" sign), offered as a gift in return for a Huichol mural displayed atPalais Royal – Musée du Louvre; andChicago Metra (Van Buren Street, at South Michigan Avenue and East Van Buren Street, with a "Metra" sign), given in 2001. TheMoscow Metro has a Guimard entrance atKievskaya station, donated by theRATP in 2006. There is an entrance on display at the Sculpture Garden in Downtown Washington, D.C. This does not lead to a metro station, it is just for pleasure. Similarly, TheMuseum of Modern Art has an original, restored Guimard entrance outdoors in the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden.[6]
Later stations and redecorations have brought increasingly simple styles to entrances.
Classical stone balustrades were chosen for some early stations in prestigious locations (Franklin D. Roosevelt,République).
Simpler metal balustrades accompany a "Métro" sign crowned by a spherical lamp in other early stations (Saint-Placide).
Minimalist stainless-steel balustrades (Havre-Caumartin) appeared from the 1970s and signposts with just an "M" have been the norm since the war (Olympiades, opened 2007).
A handful of entrances have original architecture (Saint-Lazare); a number are integrated into residential or standalone buildings (Pelleport).
The first (southern) section of futureLine 15 betweenPont de Sèvres andNoisy–Champs. This section is 33 km (21 mi) long and will have sixteen stations.[67][66] Opening is currently planned for 2026.[68][69]
The originalGrand Paris Express plans had a total span of 200 kilometres (124 mi) and counted 68 stations, the completion of which forms the major part of the currently planned lines.[72][69]
Line 15, the longest of the new Grand Paris Express lines, will be a circular line around Paris when completed in 2031.
The second (southern) section of Line 16 between Clichy–Montfermeil andNoisy–Champs will open in 2028.
The Métro has a cultural significance in the arts that goes well beyond Paris. The term "metro" has become a generic name for subways and urban underground railways.
Thestation entrance kiosks, designed byHector Guimard, fosteredArt Nouveau building style (once widely known as "le style Métro");[75] however, some French commentators criticised the Guimard station kiosks, including their green colour and sign lettering, as difficult to read.[76]
The success of rubber-tired lines led to their export to metro systems around the world, starting with theMontreal Metro.[77] The success of Montreal "did much to accelerate the international subway boom" of the 1960s/1970s and "assure the preeminence of the French in the process".[78] Rubber-tired systems were adopted inMexico City,Santiago,Lausanne,Turin,Singapore and other cities. The Japanese adopted rubber-tired metros (with their own technology and manufacturing firms) to systems inKobe,Sapporo, as well as parts of Tokyo.
The "Rabbit of the Paris Métro" is an anthropomorphic rabbit visible on stickers on the doors of the trains since 1977 to advise passengers (especially children) of the risk of getting one's hands trapped when the doors are opening, as well as the risk of injury on escalators or becoming trapped in the closing doors. This rabbit is now a popular icon in Paris similar to the "mind the gap" phrase in London.
^The number is 321 if stations are counted individually. If transfers are counted by just adding up the number of stops in each line, the number is 405.
^"Chansons métropolitaines".www.musique.rfi.fr (in French). 7 February 2001.Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved10 September 2024.
^"Le plan des stations de notre réseau, accessibles aux Personnes à Mobilité Réduite (PMR) | RATP".www.ratp.fr (in French).Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved26 June 2022.D'ici 2025, un total de 23 nouvelles stations accessibles: Des prolongements accessibles dès le renouvellement des rames sur la Ligne 4 (2 stations), la Ligne 11 (6 stations), la Ligne 12 (2 stations). De plus, pour chacun des prolongements 2 stations existantes rendues accessibles.
Bindi, A.; Lefeuvre, D. (1990).Le Métro de Paris : Histoire d'hier à demain (in French). Rennes, France: Ouest-France.ISBN2-7373-0204-8.
Bobrick, Benson (1981).Labyrinths of iron: A history of the world's subways. New York, US: Newsweek Books.ISBN0-88225-299-2.
Demade, Julien (2015).Les embarras de Paris, ou l'illusion techniciste de la politique parisienne des déplacements (in French). L'Harmattan.ISBN978-2-343-06517-5.
Descouturelle, Frédéric (2003).Le métropolitain d'Hector Guimard (in French). Somogy.ISBN2-85056-815-5.
Gaillard, M. (1991).Du Madeleine-Bastille à Météor : Histoire des transports Parisiens (in French). Amiens, France: Martelle.ISBN2-87890-013-8.
Hovey, Tamara (1991).Paris Underground. New York, US: Orchard Books.ISBN0-531-05931-6.
Lamming, C. (2001).Métro insolite (in French). Paris, France: Parigramme.ISBN2-84096-190-3.
Ovenden, Mark (2008).Paris Metro Style in map and station design. London, UK: Capital Transport.ISBN978-1-85414-322-8.
Tricoire, Jean (1999).Un siècle de métro en 14 lignes: De Bienvenüe à Météor (in French). Paris: Vie du rail.ISBN978-2902808878.
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