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| Line 6 | |
|---|---|
  | |
 MP 73 stock train crosses the Seine via Pont de Bir-Hakeim | |
| Overview | |
| Locale | 1 commune |
| Termini | Charles de Gaulle–Étoile Nation |
| Connecting lines |                  |
| Stations | 28 |
| Service | |
| System | Paris Métro |
| Operator(s) | RATP |
| Rolling stock | MP 73 (12 trains as of 5 October 2025) MP 89CC (33 trains as of October 16 2025) |
| Ridership | 100,700,000 (avg. per year) 6th/16 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1909 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 13.6 km (8.5 mi) |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge |
| Electrification | 750VDCthird rail |
| Conduction system | Conductor |
| Average inter-station distance | 504 m (1,654 ft) |
Line 6 is one of the sixteen currently open lines of theParis Métro rapid transit system. Following a semi-circular route through the southern half of the city above boulevards built along the path of the formerFermiers généraux wall of 1784–1860, it runs betweenCharles de Gaulle–Étoile in the west andNation in the east, with both termini connecting to the historical line 1. A significant part of the route is on elevated tracks, including both sections of the line crossing the Seine.
The rails and stations of today's Line 6 were opened between 1900 and 1909, but took their current configuration only in 1942. The stretch between Étoile andPlace d'Italie opened between 1900 and 1906 as Line2 Sud. In 1907, it was made part ofLine 5. The section betweenPlace d'Italie and Nation opened in 1909 as Line 6. In 1942, the Étoile – Place d'Italie section of Line 5 was transferred to line 6, creating today's Line 6 route.
The line is 13.6 km (8.5 mi) in length, of which 6.1 km (3.8 mi) are above ground, and has been equipped with rubber-tyred rolling stock since 1974. The line is considered one of the most pleasant lines on the Métro, due to its numerous views, sometimes exceptional, of many of Paris' most famous landmarks and monuments. With slightly more than 100 million riders in 2004, it is the sixth busiest line of the network.
Initially, the planners of the Métro envisaged a loop line similar to theCircle line of theLondon Underground that followed the route of theExterior Boulevards. However, the anticipated difficulties of operating such a long line resulted in a separation of the circle into two parts, a northcirculaire and a southcirculaire, the circle divided where it intersected with Line 1 (Étoile and Nation).
The northerncirculaire,Line 2, opened in 1903. At the same time, the branch of Line 1 from Étoile toTrocadéro that had opened in 1900 to service the World Exposition was extended southward toPassy, and became the southerncirculaire, Line 2 Sud, but only allowed four-car trains. On 24 April 1906, Line 2 Sud was extended to Place d'Italie.[1] As connecting the Paris railway stations was an objective for the Métro, an initial plan was to then run the southerncirculaire from Place d'Italie toGare d'Austerlitz, toGare de Lyon, and from there operate along Line 1 to close the loop at Nation. But it was later decided to merge Line 2 Sud with Line 5, which was done in October 1907. Line 5 now ran trains from Étoile toGare Montparnasse toGare d'Austerlitz and thence toGare du Nord. This consolidation eliminated the 2 Sud designation.
The Line 5 consolidation resulted in construction of a new line to complete the circle: Line 6, between Place d'Italie and Nation via Bercy. Infrastructure works were completed by 1906, but theCMP (La compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris) was in no hurry to open what was perceived as a low-profit stretch of track. Prodded by the City of Paris, the CMP opened Line 6 on 1 March 1909.
As a result of aerial bombardments during World War I, defensive measures were taken for the elevated rapid transit lines. Trains were no longer lit at night from February to July 1918. As a result of the reduced lighting, however, trains became incredibly dark when they went underground, resulting in complaints from passengers and employees. The CMP was authorised to make electrical and lighting changes.
In 1931, to facilitate access from the southern part of the city to theColonial Exhibition at theBois de Vincennes, Line 6 temporarily took over the old LIne 2 Sud part of Line 5, creating a line from Étoile to Nation. After the Exhibition closed, the old service pattern resumed.
The Line 6 route took its current form on 6 October 1942, when the Place d'Italie - Étoile section of Line 5 was again transferred to Line 6. It was judged that the new extension of Line 5 north to Pantin made that line too long. With Paris again subject to air attack, it was also desirable to separate the underground and elevated sections of Line 5.
Work on the length of the current line 6 was not particularly difficult, apart from land stabilisation aroundDenfert-Rochereau due to disused undergroundstone quarries, and the occasional sewer displacements. On the other hand, the crossings of theSeine were trickier. In the west, the construction from 1903 to 1906 of a viaduct over the Pont de Passy (renamedPont de Bir-Hakeim in 1949) gave way to another project unrelated to the Métro. The original bridge, built in 1878, was replaced with one made of metal supporting the railway viaduct above. In the east, another bridge had to be built above thePont de Bercy. Originally finished in 1864, it was widened by 5.5 m (18 ft) in order to accommodate the Métro and is the only viaduct in the system made of stone. Both the overpasses and underground stations were designed similarly to those of Line 2 Nord, although elevated stations on the southerncirculaire are fully covered with side-walls made of brick, not glass.
A change in Line 6's operation occurred during the 1970s:Kléber station was expanded to four tracks with two island platforms, a rare arrangement in the Paris Métro, and converted to the line's control terminal, with Étoile acting as a simple turn-around stop.
After doing the same to Lines 1, 4, and 11, the RATP decided in 1971 to convert Line 6 to rubber-tyres for the sake of noise and vibration reduction not only to passengers but also residents near the elevated portions of the line. Work began the next year and finished in May 1974. During this time, a temporary yard was created with 810 m (2,660 ft) of track to facilitate vehicle movement. Simultaneously, the line was equipped with a central control station.
TheMP 73 rolling stock quickly replaced the oldSprague-Thomson during the month of July 1974. Unlike the MP 59 cars which also have rubber tyres, the MP 73 stock has grooved ones for better adhesion on the long stretches of elevated track; the rails are ribbed for the same reason. No adhesion failures have been reported since the switchover, even in heavy rain.
From 2023, with the ongoing modernization and upcoming automation of Line 4, the MP 73 are being replaced by renovated and shortenedMP 89CC railcars.
| Date | Old name | New name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 October 1907 | Avenue de Suffren | Rue de Sèvres | then on line 5 |
| 11 March 1910 | Montparnasse | Avenue du Maine | then on line 5 |
| 1 November 1913 | Rue de Sèvres | Sèvres – Lecourbe | then on line 5 |
| 30 June 1933 | Avenue du Maine | Bienvenüe | then on line 5 |
| 1 March 1937 | Saint-Mandé | Picpus | |
| 12 July 1939 | Charenton | Dugommier | |
| 6 October 1942 | Bienvenüe | Montparnasse – Bienvenüe | then on line 5 |
| 18 June 1949 | Grenelle | Bir-Hakeim | |
| 1970 | Étoile | Charles de Gaulle – Étoile |
Currently, the rolling stock on Line 6 is composed of bothMP 73 andMP 89 CC trains, the latter transferred fromParis Métro Line 4 as a result of said line's automation. These trains have been refurbished with theÎle-de-France Mobilités white and light blue livery and reduced to 5 cars.[2]
MP 89CC # 48 was the first to enter revenue service on 12 January 2023, with the last MP 73 trains likely replaced by 2026.
Four stations on Line 6 have unique features or cultural theming:
Some of the stations on line 6 are built on viaducts offering views of Paris, especially from the Bir-Hakeim bridge, which offers a panorama on theEiffel Tower between Passy and Bir-Hakeim stations. Line 6 passes near several places of interest:
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