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Why is the subway in Paris getting emptier and emptier?

undefined undefined 18 février 2025 undefined 08h30

The Editor

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The metro, as much as we may criticize it, let’s be honest, it’s still super handy when it comes to getting from point A to point B. Yet, more and more Parisians are leaving behind its famous corridors and ever-changing trains. This trend began in 2019 and has only grown since then.

Like us, you may have noticed a rather surprising phenomenon around you: fewer and fewer people are taking the metro. Now, let's be clear, there are still a lot of users (too many?) in public transport. However, many Parisians are increasingly abandoning the metro or the RER in favor of gentle mobility options, like walking or biking. But then, how can we explain this phenomenon?


2019/2020: a historic turning point

To understand this situation, we need to go back a few years, specifically to winter 2019. At that time, a few weeks before Christmas, the RATP announced a strike

February saw a massive shift in transportation. A few months later, Covid arrived in Paris, turning these transportation systems into germ hotspots, made even more uncomfortable by the wearing of masks. This was just the push that forced the residents of the City of Light to change their habits and embrace a new mode of transportation: the bicycle. And one thing is for sure, little by little, the two-wheeled queen has found a special place in the hearts of Parisians, who are increasingly taking to the beautiful bike paths set up by Anne Hidalgo (thank you, Madame Mayor).


A Backward Step Seems Unthinkable

One could argue that strikes and global pandemics only last for a while, and that people might have started using public transport again after such a special period. However, here’s the thing: once you’ve tasted happiness, it can be quite tricky to go back. Because, whether it’s cycling or walking, in Paris, it’s truly the best of the best. It allows you to get some fresh air, engage in sports, and it’s good for your health and your mood. Plus, very often, in the case of cycling, it’s also a huge time saver. To top it all off, it lets you avoid the chaos of the metro: the crowds, the heat in the summer — and the smells that come along with it.with —, the strikes, the relentless unexpected stops, in short, it's hell on earth. With a bit of luck, in a few years, people will have really abandoned public transport, to the point that they will become pleasant !