A massive number of visitors are expected in Paris for the July 26-August 11 Olympics and August 28-September 8 Paralympics with 8.8 million tickets sold.
All eyes are on the city’s aging Métro, which will be the main means of transport for many. The number of daily passengers is expected to jump from the usual 150,000 a day to an estimated 800,000.
In anticipation of the Games, the city has sped up its Grand Paris Express project, which once done is set to add four new lines to the network and extend two already existing lines. Three of the new lines (15, 16 and 17) were hoped to be ready for Paris 2024 but organizers had to ditch those plans a few years ago due to technical issues and delays related to the pandemic. An express train line connecting Paris’ International Charles de Gaulle airport also had to be pushed to the future for the same reasons.
With three months to go, workers are now rushing to finish the extensions of the existing metro lines, 11 and 14, where line 14 is the most important since it will connect the city to the Southern Orly Airport and include a transport node near the Stade de France. Operator RATP has said the line will be ready in June.
What is certain however, is that the iconic Paris Métro will be under pressure from the passenger increase and RATP has announced it will add both more trains and more staff to handle it. But there are signs that authorities are nervous.
Earlier this year, the France government launched a campaign urging those living and working in the city to favour remote work when possible as well as to consider other means of transport, including biking and walking.