Paris Unveils Massive Expansion of Metro Network
Paris is set to revolutionize its Metro system with the Grand Paris Express This ambitious project will introduce 4 lines, 68 stations, and 200km of track, connecting the city and its suburbs Although not ready for the Olympics, it promises driverless trains, a greener future, and incredible convenience
The transport network, with its stunning art nouveau entrances, intricate tunnels, and trains that swiftly navigate under and sometimes over the world's most iconic streets, has been the muse for numerous films, books, and poems. Featuring stations named in honor of a South American revolutionary, a US president, and a Soviet victory, the network's stations are fittingly revered as works of art in a city known for its renowned galleries.
The Paris Métro, constructed in the 1900s and currently accommodating almost four million daily commuters, is facing difficulties in meeting the needs of modern transportation. Its aging facilities and infrastructure are feeling the strain of the city's increasing population.
Numerous Parisians, especially those residing or working in the less trendy outer suburbs, struggle to navigate the city without having to pass through the central districts, resulting in longer travel times and worsening congestion.
France's new TGV-M trains are set to revolutionize the country's rail network.
Julien Goldstein
How one European country is planning a rail revolution
The Paris Métro is set to undergo a significant upgrade with the introduction of the Grand Paris Express, a new 200-kilometer system that will extend the network with four additional lines and 68 new stations. This expansion will primarily connect suburban towns without passing through the densely populated city of Paris, adding outer rings to the existing underground map of Paris, which has previously only been comprised of 14 lines extending from the center like spokes.
The construction project, which started in 2016, has been a massive endeavor and is considered the largest civilian infrastructure project in Europe by the French government. Due to its immense scale, it has experienced inevitable delays.
Some of Paris' older Métro stations are works of art.
Barry Neild/CNN
Driverless trains
However, this did not prevent the city from exuding some Parisian flair towards the end of last month, as the inaugural train for the new Métro lines underwent a test run, drawing a crowd of invited spectators to a railway depot in the suburb of Champigy-sur-Marne.
Alstom's groundbreaking six-car train, measuring 108 meters in length, was unveiled for the Grand Paris Express amidst a spectacular display of lasers in the colors of the French flag and triumphant music. French Transport Minister Clément Beaune emphasized the need to transform people's lives by revolutionizing their mode of transportation at the event on November 28. The inaugural two-kilometer test run of the train along a section of line 15 marked a successful milestone for the new route.
The Grand Paris Express is expected to greatly reduce travel time for public transit between suburbs and decrease the reliance on cars for residents in the Greater Paris region.
A rendering showing how part of Gare Villejuif, one of the stations on the new Grand Paris Express network, will look.
Dominique Perrault Architecture / Société du Grand Paris
The use of driverless trains on this Métro line will create a fully automatic rapid transport network, eliminating the need to hire and train new drivers and providing greater resilience against disruptions from strikes. "We are on the right track for success," Beaune chuckled. "It will set a great example for cities throughout France."
Paris was one of the early cities in the world to establish a metro system. The first line was inaugurated in 1900 as part of the city's preparations for hosting the Olympic Games that year. The metro network expanded quickly and significantly in the decades that followed.
The unveiling of SNCF's next generation high-speed train, the TGV "M," at the Alstom plant in La Rochelle, western France, on September 9, 2022, drew guests and members of the press. (Photo credit: Xavier Leoty/AFP/Getty Images)
Experience the future of high-speed rail travel in Europe. The Grand Paris Express has expanded to cover 800 kilometers, including 16 central city metro lines and five Réseau Express Régional (RER) commuter rail lines for the suburbs.
The new project will introduce four new lines - 15, 16, 17 and 18 - plus extensions to existing lines 11 and 14.
The new services will add to the RER lines which serve the suburbs surrounding Paris.
Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images
A greener future
For many living in the city, the new routes cant come quickly enough.
Living in Versailles is great, but it can be overwhelming at times," expressed 26-year-old journalist Lauren Bain, who works in Paris but resides in the city of Versailles, approximately 20 kilometers southwest of the capital.
Bain mentioned that she goes to church in Saint Aubin, a nearby town that is supposedly a 20-minute drive, but takes her two hours to get there by bus, due to the current transportation options. She also recounted a time when heavy rainfall caused her to be stuck on a bus that was partially submerged in water, making the journey even longer.
She travels to her job in central Paris using the RER C line, which she finds inconvenient despite the station being located in Versailles.
"It's absolutely dreadful," she remarked. "I'm constantly arriving late to work! Just the other day, my train was unexpectedly canceled."
Harald Eisenberger/ÃBB
When the new Grand Paris Express line 18 is operational, it will directly connect Versailles to Saint Aubin and Paris Orly Airport, providing better transportation options for travelers.
Bain said that Line 18 cannot open any sooner. Mohamed Mezghani, Secretary General of the International Association of Public Transport in Brussels, believes that the new lines will put Paris at the forefront of city public transport networks. This will align Paris with cities such as Tokyo, Moscow, and Washington D.C., all of which are working to reduce environmental impact through suburban interconnectivity.
Mezghani stated that the circular lines of the Grand Paris Express are promoting movement between suburbs.
Urban dwellers are increasingly recognizing that cars are not the answer to congestion, and the construction of more roads will only lead to further traffic.
"We need this updated version of public transportation."
The new lines will connect with Paris' two main international airports.
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images
The Olympic finish line
The pressing query on the minds of numerous Parisians, as well as those planning to visit the city, revolves around the readiness of the new network for the 2024 Olympic Games, set to take place predominantly in the vicinity of the French capital.
The initial plan for the project was announced by then President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2009, before the city won its Olympic bid. However, several delays have resulted in a prolonged timeline. Sarkozy and his successor François Hollande had promised the full opening of line 14, as well as the partial opening of lines 15, 16, 17, and 18 which connect to both Paris international airports by now.
Despite facing numerous challenges over the years, such as floods at the construction site, delays in equipment delivery, and most significantly, the impact of the Covid pandemic, the project has persevered.
On February 1, 2018, the Eurostar train arrived at Rotterdam Central Station for testing by train manufacturer Siemens and Dutch train company NS. The service aims to connect Amsterdam, Brussels, and London, with a passenger launch expected in late 2017, according to reports. (Netherlands OUT - Photo by Lex Van Lieshout/ANP/AFP/Getty Images)
The passenger train service in the Channel Tunnel is facing a significant issue, with a potential major overhaul in the works. It is expected that the extension of line 14 to Orly Airport will be the only one to open in time for the 2024 Olympic Games, with the other lines set to gradually come online starting in late 2025, as stated on the project's official website.
The French Transport Ministry is optimistic about the positive effects of the new rail lines on Paris. They are confident that network capacity will increase by 15% in time for the Games, which are expected to draw millions of visitors to the city, already a popular summer destination. "Our action plan is clear, and we are on schedule," the ministry told CNN.
Despite being delayed, the new train lines are expected to increase the attractiveness of Paris. As the famous writer Ernest Hemingway once said, "There are only two places in the world where we can live happy: at home and in Paris." With the opening of the new Grand Express lines, it is hoped that the distance between these two places will be reduced even more.
