The Paris Métro is the metro (underground) system in Paris, France. It was originally known as the "Chemin de Fer Métropolitain" ("Metropolitan railway"), then "Métropolitain," quickly abbreviated to "Métro". Speakers of verlan call it "le tromé."
The system consists of 16 lines, identified by numbers from 1 to 14, with two minor lines 3b and 7b, numbered thus because they are branch lines split off from the original lines 3 and 7.
Brief technical points:
- over 200 km of track, over 300 stations
- circulation is on the right
- track gauge of 1.435 meters (standard gauge, like the French main lines) -- but trains are narrower than mainlines, so the Metro can run on mainlines but not vice versa
- power collection: third rail
- average distance between stations is approx 300 m
- lines 1, 4, 6, 11, and 14 are rubber-tired
- line 14 is driverless (fully automatic)
A second network of regional express lines, the RER (Réseau Express Régional) complements the network since the 1970s.
Table of contents |
2 Architecture 3 History 4 See also 5 References 6 External links |
1: La Défense - Château de VincennesExisting lines
2: Porte Dauphine - Nation
- First section opened December 13, 1900
- First section opened October 19, 1904
- Opened November 27, 1921 (then part of line 3)
- Detached from line 3 April 2, 1971
- First section opened April 21, 1908
- Converted to rubber-tired operation 1967
6: Charles de Gaulle-Étoile - Nation
- First section opened October 2, 1900 (then part of line 5)
- Converted to rubber-tired operation 1974
- First section opened November 5, 1910
- Opened January 18, 1911 (then part of line 7)
- Detached from line 7 December 3, 1967
9: Pont de Sèvres - Mairie de Montreuil
- First section opened November 8, 1922
11: Châtelet - Mairie des Lilas
- First section opened April 28, 1935
- Converted to rubber-tired operation November 8, 1956
- First section opened November 5, 1910 (as part of Nord-Sud line A)
- First section opened February 26, 1911 (as part of Nord-Sud line B)
- First section opened by CMP December 30, 1923 (then part of line 10)
- Opened after 1991
See also: Stations of the Paris Metro
One of the most famous aspects of the Paris metro are its wrought-iron art nouveau entrances by Hector Guimard, which have come to symbolize Paris although not very many remain in use (86 entrances by Guimard still exist).
The lines 1 through 10 where built by the Ville de Paris (city of Paris) and run by the CMP (Compagnie du Chemin de Fer Métropolitain de Paris).
A second company, "Nord-Sud" (Société du Chemin de Fer Electrique Nord-Sud de Paris) started up in 1910 and built two lines named A and B (now part of lines 12 and 13). "Nord-Sud" merged in 1930 with the CMP (line 11 and the "first" line 14 were completed after the merger). CMP became state-owned in 1948 and renamed RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens).
Architecture
History
Line 1 was inaugurated on July 19, 1900, after decades of political wrangling over routes and construction. Short sections of the present lines 2 and 6 (then numbered 5) were completed in the same year to serve the world's fair.See also
References
External links