The Paris Metro (Paris Metro) is one of the oldest underground rail networks in the world. The words "metro" and "subway" are also of French origin. The metro network covers both Paris itself and its immediate suburbs. The French subway has a number of features that will be discussed in this article.
Underground train network
At the Paris metro is a network of Parisian commuter trains with the abbreviation RER, whose lines go to the surface already outside the city. This network can be seen as part of the Paris metro, as both networks function as one.
History of the subway
The history of the Paris Metro goes back over 100 years. It was opened in July 1900. Most of the stations were built by 1920. Their design was handled by designer Hector Guimard. When laying underground lines, the builders tried to bypass the basements and cellars located under the houses. Therefore, the subway was made strictly along the streets. Since the width of the streets was not sufficient everywhere, this was reflected in the unevenness of the platforms and their displacement relative to each other at some stations.
During the First World War, the metro was going through hard times. The number of service personnel has sharply decreased. More women were recruited to work in the subway, as many men went to the front. Due to lack of electricity, some trains had no lights and passengers traveled in total darkness, which caused numerous complaints.
During the bombings, people tried to hide in metro stations, which led to stampedes and casu alties. Because of this, even the doors had to be replaced, so that they opened in both directions. However, line construction continued, although not as fast as before.
At the very beginning of World War II, the need for underground transport decreased. Most of the stations were closed for a while, and some never opened, turning into ghost stations. However, after 1940, the load on the subway increased dramatically, and it began to transport more than 1 billion people a year. The metro has become the main mode of transport in the city. This was due to the sharp rise in the price of gasoline and the closure of tram traffic in 1937. Metro trains during the war were constantly overloaded with passengers.
Some of the stations were partially destroyed by bombardments. Deep-lying stations were used as bomb shelters.
Despite the challenging environment, subway linescontinued to complete construction, putting into operation all new sections.
Features of the Paris Metro
The Paris Metro is a dense network of underground metro lines with a large number of stations. In the city center they are located closer to each other. The lines are shallow. Sometimes they come to the surface. Often the entrances to metro stations look rather inconspicuous.
The metro passes 4.5 million passengers per day, and about 1.5 billion per year. This is one of the most visited metros in the world. It allows you to unload the ground transport network and improves the environmental situation in the city.
The subway network consists of 16 lines (14 long and 2 short). The lines often cross. Interchange stations have been created at the intersections. There are 62 interchange stations in total, and the total number of stations is 302 units. If we analyze the metro by the number of stops on all lines, then there will be even more of them - 383 units (one transfer station is equivalent to two stops). The number of stations located outside is 21, the rest are located underground. Most of the ground stations belong to line 6.
Metro stations in Paris are very dense. The distance between them averages 562 meters. Unlike the Moscow metro, the Paris metro lines have a large number of turns, and the speed of trains is rather slow.
Features of cars and trains
The total length of the lines is 220km. Most of the cars have not automatic, but semi-automatic doors. To open them, people themselves must press the button or push the lever. Often the stations are announced in the cars in advance, and 2 times and with an interval of 2 seconds. There is also an informative indicator light. However, there is none of this in the old-style carriages, and passengers are forced to use the old-fashioned method of looking at the names of the stations that are written on their walls in capital letters.
As a rule, one train moves only within one line, so if you have a plan, getting lost in the subway will not work. The plan can be viewed in the train car.
There are 2 types of carriages used in the Paris metro: regular and rubber-tired carriages. The latter emit much less noise and are the development of local engineers in the 60s of the twentieth century. They require special rails, and, accordingly, high costs for the reconstruction of the railway system, so they have not received widespread distribution in the Paris metro.
Technical parameters of the subway
Technical features largely reflect the specifics of the Paris metro:
- The rail gauge is 143.5 cm, which is common for the metro. The power supply is 750 volt direct current.
- Trains move along the line at an average speed of 35 km/h, which is quite low.
- Two lines - 1 and 14 - are in automatic control mode, that is, trains move without drivers.
- The majority of stations are single-vaulted or single-span with a side platform.
- Many lines have loops at the ends. Thanks to them, the train can move forward without stopping, which is quite convenient. Next to the loops are the terminal stations. Such lines were built before World War I.
Price of metro in Paris
Paris has a rather complex system of fares for metro and other modes of transport. In 2017, the cost of a single ticket was 1.9 euros. This ticket is suitable not only for a ride on the subway, but also on other types of public transport and on the RER underground commuter train system, but only within the city. A ticket for suburban trips on the electric train will cost 7 euros. It can only be used for 1 trip by public transport.
You can buy a ticket at special machines or at kiosks at the entrance to the metro station.
For more trips, you can purchase a travel book consisting of 10 tickets. A trip in this way will cost significantly less than a single ticket.
Also uses a NaviGo contactless travel card for unlimited travel on any mode of transport within a specified period. The most popular is the purchase of unlimited for a week or a month.
Scheme of the subway
Paris metro scheme is such that all branches intersect each other, and also pass through the Île-de-France. Each branch is marked with its own individual color. For any ofthey have stations with a transition to another branch or to the RER commuter train system. On the metro map of Paris in Russian and other languages, the metro lines are marked with strictly defined colors.
Metro opens at 5:30 and closes at 00:40. On Friday and Saturday, as well as before the holidays, the metro is open until 01:40. During the period of the greatest congestion between arrivals of trains passes about 2 minutes. During low load, the interval between trains increases to 8-10 minutes.
Features of the Paris metro stations
Subway stations are small and modestly decorated. They look more like platforms for electric trains than at the stations of the metro we are used to. There is no luxury here. Another characteristic feature of the Paris metro is the presence of platforms along the edge of the station, and not in the center, as in Moscow.
Ghost stations
Ghost stations are peculiar sights of the Paris metro. The history of the subway is closely intertwined with them. Many of them were closed in the first half of the 20th century or simply were not completed. Some of the stations closed in 1939 were never put into operation. 2 more remained unfinished and do not have access to the outside. One of them is the ghost station Akso. Among those that were closed but not put into operation is the fairly well-known Cinema station, which is also called Port de Lila. It is actively used in the filming of feature films and commercials.
A large number of advertising signs in the middleThe 50s can be seen at St. Maarten station, and trains do not stop there.
Some stations have been closed for a long time, and reopened only in recent decades. These are Cluny, Rennes, Liege and some others.
