Here is everything you need to know about navigating the Paris metro during the Paris 2024 Olympics. Whether you’re visiting Paris for leisure, work or to catch the games, expect a busier metro system than usual.
For detailed information about what to expect from your visit during the Paris Olympics, check out my article “Visiting Paris before, during and after Paris Olympics 2024”.
The Olympic Games will take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024, followed by the Paralympic Games from 28 August to 8 September 2024. An estimated 15 million visitors are anticipated to travel to Paris during this period.
Use of Paris Metro for the Olympics
Public transport in Paris and the Île-de-France region will serve a total of 25 venues for the Olympic Games (13 in Paris and 12 in the suburbs) and 17 venues for the Paralympic Games (including 10 in Paris and 7 in the suburbs).
In central Paris, temporary competition sites will be located near iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Champs de Mars, the Place de la Concorde, the esplanade des Invalides, and the Alexandre III Bridge.
During the Olympic Games, up to 500,000 spectators are expected daily, with each spectator traveling to and from Olympic or Paralympic venues in Paris or the Île-de-France region. To meet this demand, the metro infrastructure will see a 15% increase in train frequency during the week and a 30% increase on weekends compared to the usual August service. The busiest metro stations will be those serving the competition sites and areas of festivities, including lines 8, 9, 10, 12, and 13.
Fortunately, Paris is a compact city, and many key attractions are within walking distance of each other. You may not need to use the metro daily if you plan your itineraries accordingly to include walkable routes between destinations. Check out my suggested Paris itineraries with kids, designed to be walkable and centered around attractions close to each other.
Planned Paris Metro station closures
It’s important to note that the metro will continue to operate normally throughout the Olympic Games. However, certain stations, such as Tuileries, Concorde, and Champs-Elysées Clémenceau, will be closed due to their proximity to competition sites. Additional station closures may occur to secure road races or for the Opening Ceremony scheduled for 26 July, 2024.
The French Ministry of Transportation has launched a dedicated information website, featuring an interactive map illustrating the impact on roads and public transport during the Paris Olympics. This map also highlights which metro lines will be most affected. Several metro stations will need to be avoided, while others will be closed to passengers.
Here are the anticipated closure dates for some metro stations:
- Tuileries (Line 1): from 17 June to 21 September
- Concorde (Line 12): from 17 May to 21 September
- Concorde (Lines 1 and 8): from 17 June to 21 September
- Champs-Elysées – Clémenceau (Lines 1 and 13): from 1 July to 21 September
Changes to Paris Metro prices during the Olympics
From 20 July 2024 to 8 September, 2024, public transport prices will temporarily increase for non- residents of Paris and Île-de-France. This will be done to fund the expanded transport services during this period. However, residents of Paris will not be affected by the increased tariffs. This is because they already have transport passes, the prices of which have not been raised.
During the Olympics, the price of a single metro ticket will rise from €2.15 to €4 per journey, and a book of ten tickets will increase from €16.90 to €32. A new special “Paris 2024” pass will be introduced for visitors. This pass will be the only pass available for purchase during the Olympics. All other passes, including the Paris Visite pass, will be suspended for sale during this period.
Tip: To save money on metro tickets, you can plan ahead by purchasing transport tickets (up to 30 t+ tickets) before 20 July and loading them onto your Navigo Easy pass. Tickets purchased before the Games remain valid during the Olympics.
How “Paris 2024 Pass” works
During the Olympics, Paris offers a special “Paris 2024” pass designed for travelers, providing unlimited access to ALL Olympic and Paralympic venues throughout the city and Île-de-France. Additionally, this pass grants unlimited travel to both Orly and Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airports, as well as more distant locations such as Versailles and Disneyland Paris.
From 20 July, 2024, to 8 September, 2024, the “Paris 2024” pass will be the ONLY metro pass available for purchase. All other passes, including the Paris Visite pass, will be temporarily suspended. Navigo day and week packages will also not be sold during this period.
Priced at €16 per day, the “Paris 2024” pass offers unlimited travel across Île-de-France on all public transport networks, including buses, metros, RER trains, and trams. Available for durations of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, or 14 days, the pass’s daily cost decreases with longer durations. For example, a 7-day pass costs €70, which is €42 cheaper than purchasing seven consecutive individual day passes. Here are the prices for all available options.
| Duration | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 Day | €16 |
| 2 Days | €30 |
| 3 Days | €42 |
| 4 Days | €52 |
| 5 Days | €60 |
| 7 Days | €70 |
| 14 Days | €140 |
You can purchase the Paris 2024 Pass even before you know the date and duration of your stay in Paris. However, it’s important to note that this pass is only valid from 20 July to 8 September, 2024. Once you use it for the first time, it will be automatically activated. The pass remains valid for the duration selected at the time of purchase.
The Paris 2024 Pass is valid from midnight on the day of first validation until midnight on the last day of its validity period.
Where to buy Paris Pass 2024
- You can buy it online here in physical pass format to be delivered to your home address or to a collection point. The pass is loaded onto a Navigo Easy card – this card costs €2 in addition to the cost of the Paris Pass 2024
- Buy it from the Île-de-France Mobilités app and store it on your phone
- Buy it from the official Public Transport Paris 2024 app (from mid-June)
- Buy it in person from ticket machines at RATP and SNCF Transilien stations and through distribution networks outside of France. See the sales points map here.
Apps you need for travel on Paris Metro during the Olympics
Whenever I travel to a new city, I always make sure to explore the best apps available because they can truly save a lot of time. Here are three must-have apps to download if you’re planning a visit to Paris during the Olympics.
- Transport Public Paris 2024
- With this app created specifically for the Olympics, you can utilize the real-time route planner to check your route. You can also purchase tickets directly within the app (available in June). Additionally, you have the option to bookmark your favorite Paris 2024 sites, activate notifications, and receive real-time traffic updates to optimize your journeys.
- Île-de-France Mobilités app
- With this app, you can view timetables, traffic information and information to optimize your trips by public transport in Île-de-France. You can buy your transport tickets, including the Paris Pass 2024, directly in this app. Once the tickets are purchased, you can store them directly on the phone and validate tickets with it.
- Citymapper app
- This is currently my favourite app to use in Paris. It provides real-time information and even tells you where you should be on the platforms to minimize the amount of walking for the nearest exit or transferring to another metro line. I find it reliable and easy to use.
