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TRANSPORT

What are the best Paris Metro lines to use during a heatwave?

For health reasons you should probably not be out and about as the heatwave strikes the French capital. But should you decide to travel across the city via the Metro system, some lines are better than others.

It is probably best to avoid the Paris metro during a heatwave.
It is probably best to avoid the Paris metro during a heatwave. (Photo by BERTRAND GUAY / AFP)

Phileas Gatsby is the online alias of an IT worker fascinated by transport. 

The Twitter user whose face is disguised with a ‘crazy’ emoji has compiled somewhat of a masterpiece with a recent thread on the Paris Metro system. 

“I have been interested in railways since I was little,” he told The Local. 

“I have used the Metro a lot and learned a lot by observing and asking questions whenever I have the opportunity.”

As the French capital endures a heatwave, with temperatures close to 40C, residents are advised to avoid overexerting themselves – and travelling on public transport is probably ill-advised. 

But should you consider making a journey across the city on the Metro, @OnTheRodPhileas has some sound advice on which lines to take. 

Here is his line-by-line breakdown:

Line 1: 

There is air conditioning on these trains, but it works “super badly”.

“Depending how busy it is, you risk getting very hot”. 

Lines 2, 5, 9: 

“You will not find better than these three lines,” writes Phileas. 

He describes these options as having cool, refrigerated air. 

Line 3 

Describing this line, Phileas writes simply “Ça passe”. 

This line does not have refrigerated air conditioning but a system called Ventilation Mécanique Forcée – where air from the underground tunnel surrounding the train is pumped in. During a heatwave, this doesn’t necessarily cool things down much. 

He recommends sitting on non-motorised coaches. On almost all line 3 trains, this means you should place yourself in carriages 2 or 4. 

However on trains n° 129, 130, 131, 132 (the number is listed on the front of the train just below the driver’s windscreen), you should sit in either the first or last carriage to get the coolest temperatures. 

Line 3bis 

This line does not have air conditioning but you can cool down by opening the windows. 

Phileas says the temperature is cool however because so few people use it. The ideal position is in the central carriage. 

Line 4 

Line 4 uses Ventilation Mécanique Forcée. Avoid this line if it is busy. If relatively empty, you can open the windows and get a real rush of air as the train moves. 

Line 6 

Avoid this line, which Phileas describes as an “oven”. 

There is no cooling system besides opening the windows. 

Much of this line is open air rather than underground, which means the train is heated by the sun. 

Lines 7, 8, 13

These lines are average to poor in terms of temperature. 

Line 8, which runs overground for significant sections, gets particularly hot. 

For the coolest journey, try to get a seat in carriages 2 or 4. 

Line 7bis 

Although this line uses Ventilation Mécanique Forcée, it is extremely cool because it is not busy and is located deep underground. 

Line 10 

Phileas’ verdict: “Hot”.

For coolest temperatures, place yourself in either the first or last carriage. 

But the lack of ventilation and heaving crowds mean that it will still be sweltering. 

Line 11

This line is also likely to be hot and has a distinct lack of air conditioning. 

Try to position yourself in carriage 2 or 3. 

Line 12

These trains are hot with no ventilation system other than windows. 

Line 14 

There are three different kinds of train that run on Line 14 – which is deep underground, which helps to some extent with temperatures. Although during a heatwave, it still gets hot. 

The MP89 is recognisable because of its green-ish seats. These have Ventilation Mécanique Forcée and are best avoided when busy. 

The MP05 has multicoloured seats and air conditioning – although the air conditioning system functions terribly and so it gets warm. 

The MP14CA trains have orange and blue seats. These are new models with excellent air conditioning that should keep you cool throughout the journey. 

Whatever train you take on line 14, try to take a “train long”, as these are cooler. When waiting on the platform, go to the bit where the floor is marked in red paint – this area is not serviced by shorter trains. 

General advice 

Non-motorised carriages are cooler. 

When you are waiting at the platform, you will be able to see letters at the bottom of each individual carriage. 

If you see S, A, or B written, this means that the carriage is motor-less and likely to be cooler. 

You can follow Phileas @OnTheRodPhileas on Twitter. He regularly posts gems about French transport, urbanism and architecture. 

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PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

How Paris residents can avoid public transport price hikes during 2024 Olympics

The price of travelling on public transport in Paris is set to rise significantly around the time of the 2024 Olympic Games and Paralympics – but there are ways around the price increases for city residents.

How Paris residents can avoid public transport price hikes during 2024 Olympics

Ticket prices for Paris Metros, buses and RER trains are set to almost double during the 2024 Olympic Games and Paralympics, while a single ticket from the city centre to either the Roissy Charles de Gaulle or Orly airports will increase by €5 to a whopping €16, during the Games’ period.

Paris expects to welcome 15 million visitors during the Olympics and Paralympics, and is preparing to offer increased public transportation options during the Games compared to standard periods. 

And that means extra costs – and regional president Valérie Pécresse has said residents of Île-de-France will not be asked to foot the bill.

Hence the temporary price increases – which are expected to run from July 20th to September 8th, whilst Olympic visitors are in town.

As such, Ile-de-France Mobilités (IDFM) are advising residents who only use the region’s public transport sporadically to “purchase transport tickets before July 20th”. On top of saving money, you would also save time, as long queues during the Olympic period can be expected.

Which tickets are going up?

Starting on July 20th, a single metro ticket will almost double and will increase to €4 from July 20 to September 8, 2024, in contrast to the €2.15 it cost as of January 2024.

A carnet – or bundle of 10 tickets will cost €32, compared to €17.30. 

During the Olympic period, the usual daily and weekly passes will no longer be available for purchase. They will be replaced by a special ‘Paris 2024’ pass which will allow travel throughout the region (all zones), as well as to and from airports. 

The price breakdown will be: €16 for 1 day, €30 for 2 days, €42 for 3 days and €70 for the week with the ‘Paris 2024’ pass.

As for monthly and yearly passes – those are not increasing in price. Special cards – like the Imagin’R and senior passes will not be affected by price increases.

Similarly, the ‘Liberté +’ pay-as-you-go card will still be available at usual pricing.

Here are some ways residents can avoid paying extra on transport during the Olympics:

Set up a Liberté + plan

This pass allows you to pay for individual journeys as you go, while benefitting from a reduced rate of €1.73 instead of €2.15 for a classic T+ ticket.

If you take several journeys in one day, you are billed a maximum of €8.65 (the cost of a 2-zone day pass) and the rest of your journeys are free.

During the Olympics, Que Choisir reported that the Liberté + plan would stay the same. 

In order to sign up, you have to subscribe online and connect the account to your RIB. You can also track your consumption online, and at the end of the month you pay the total amount that you travelled.

If you plan on extra trips, you can also load a Navigo weekly or monthly pass onto the card by going online.

Keep in mind that the Liberté + only works inside of Paris proper (zone 1), though you can use it to get to and from the airport.

Buy single-use tickets before July 20th

With single journey tickets going up in price, one technique would be to stock up prior to the start of the Olympic period (July 20). 

There are two ways to do this; purchase several paper tickets ahead of time, or fill up a ‘Navigo easy’ card. 

While it is no longer possible to buy a bundle (carnet) of 10 paper tickets at the reduced price, you can still do so with the rechargeable Navigo Easy card.

If you have an android you can download the ticketing app and purchase tickets ahead of time as well. Unfortunately, the service is not yet available for iPhones. More info here.

Keep in mind that these tickets are meant to be used inside of Paris (zone 1), so if you are going to the suburbs this may not be the best option for you.

Buy a monthly pass

Thankfully monthly Navigo cards – which offer unlimited transport journeys from the first day of a month until the last – will remain at their normal rates.

If you are a regular Metro, bus, tram or RER user who typically does not buy monthly passes, it might be worth doing so for the Olympics. That being said, keep in mind that it may not be wise to purchase the monthly pass in mid-July, as you’d only benefit from a few days. 

This option would probably be best for those planning to travel a lot during the entire month of August. It is also advantageous as it allows for travel within multiple zones. They are also ‘dezoned’ between mid-July and mid-August, as well as on weekends, public holidays, and the school holidays.

In 2024, monthly rates went up to €86.40 for an all-zones pass. Even with the increased pricing for the 2024 monthly passes, if you plan on taking more than 21 journeys on public transport in August, then you would save money by purchasing the Navigo monthly pass versus buying single-use tickets during the Games.

Prices will return to normal levels on September 8th after the Paralympics have ended, and you are not obligated to renew the monthly pass.

READ ALSO Factcheck: Will you really need a QR code to walk around Paris during the Olympics?

Which option should I go for?

This depends on how often you plan on using the public transport system. The benefit to the Liberté + option is that you can pay as you go, but it does take some coordination ahead of time (setting up the account) and it is mainly intended for people staying within Paris proper.

As for the Navigo monthly pass, it only covers that specific month in question, so you would not be able to buy one lasting 30-days from mid-July to mid-August for instance.

Ultimately, if you are choosing between purchasing several carnets (at €17.30 each) versus buying a pass, ask yourself if you expect to take more than 50 journeys using the Metro system (including buses, trams, and the RER) during the month of August.

You can buy five carnets for €86.50 and get 50 individual journeys, while for about the same price you can get unlimited journeys for the whole month with the monthly pass.

Before deciding, you should sit down and think about how many journeys you would reasonably take between July 20th and September 8th, considering that this is the summer holiday period and you may be out of town for a portion of the Olympic period.

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