Paris Métro

The Paris Métro (French: Métro de Paris, pronounced [metʁo d(ə) paʁi], or Métro parisien, [metʁo paʁizjɛ̃]), short for Métropolitain (pronounced [metʁɔpɔlitɛ̃]), is a rapid transit system serving the Paris metropolitan area in France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architecture and historical entrances influenced by Art Nouveau. The system is 245.6 kilometres (152.6 mi) long, mostly underground. It has 321 stations of which 61 have transfers between lines. The Métro has sixteen lines (with an additional four under construction), numbered 1 to 14, with two lines, Line 3bis and Line 7bis, named because they used to be part of Line 3 and Line 7, respectively. Three lines (1, 4 and 14) are automated. Lines are identified on maps by number and colour, with the direction of travel indicated by the terminus. The Métro is operated by Régie autonome des transports parisiens (RATP), which also operates part of the RER network, light rail lines and many bus routes.

It is the second-busiest metro system in Europe, 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. 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 three RER commuter rail lines, is one of the world's largest metro stations. The system generally has poor accessibility since most infrastructure was built before accessibility standards emerged, and few stations have been retrofitted.

The first line opened without ceremony on 19 July 1900, during the World's Fair (Exposition Universelle). The system expanded quickly until World War I and the core was complete by the 1920s; extensions into suburbs were built in the 1930s. The network reached saturation after World War II with new trains to allow higher traffic, but further improvements have been limited by the design of the network and, in particular, the short distances between stations. In 1998, Line 14 was put into service to relieve RER A. Line 11 reaching Rosny–Bois-Perrier in 2024 is the network's most recent extension. A large expansion programme known as the Grand Paris Express (GPE) is currently under construction with four new orbital Métro lines (15, 16, 17 and 18) around the Île-de-France region, outside the Paris city limits. Further plans exist for Line 1, Line 7, Line 10, a merger of Line 3bis and Line 7bis, Line 12, as well as a new proposed Line 19 in the city's outer suburbs.

Besides the Métro, central Paris and its urban area are served by five RER lines (602 km or 374 mi with 257 stations), fourteen tramway lines (186.6 km or 115.9 mi with 278 stations), nine Transilien suburban trains (1,299 km or 807 mi with 392 stations), in addition to three VAL lines at Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly Airport. 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. The Métro itself has become an icon in popular culture, being frequently featured in cinema and mentioned in music. In 2021, the RATP started offering an umbrella lending service at several Métro and RER stations, highlighting the Métro's own rabbit mascot, which advises children on staying away from the closing doors.