Are Paris trains driverless?

Automatic driverless metros have now begun passenger service on Paris Metro's Line 4, as work has been completed to digitise and automate the century-old line. More driverless shuttles will be introduced over time to achieve full automation by the end of 2023.



Several lines on the Paris Metro are fully driverless and automated (Grade of Automation 4), and this network is expanding rapidly. As of 2026, Lines 1, 4, and 14 are completely automated, meaning there is no driver's cab and passengers can sit at the very front for a "windshield" view of the tunnels. Line 14 was recently extended to Orly Airport, making it the longest automated line in the city. Additionally, the massive Grand Paris Express project is rolling out several new driverless lines, including Lines 15, 16, 17, and 18, which are scheduled to open in stages starting in late 2025 and 2026. These new trains are operated by remote control centers and use advanced signaling to run as frequently as every 85 seconds during peak times. While older lines like Line 9 or 13 still use manual drivers, the RATP is in the long-term process of retrofitting more of the network for automation to improve reliability and reduce energy consumption. By 2026, the "automatic" metro has become the backbone of the city's modern transit identity.

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There are no driverless trains on London Underground, as there is an occupied cab on all rolling stock fleets.

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Metro plans to return to automatic train operation, which means train operators will no longer be responsible for driving, starting, stopping, or opening doors.

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Weekdays, the metro operates from 5:30 a.m. to about 1:15 a.m. On Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as on the day before a bank holiday, trains run until about 2:15 a.m. The RER operates daily from 5:30 a.m. to about 1:20 a.m.

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The first automated metro line in the European Union was launched in the French city of Lille in 1983. Initially, it consisted of 12 stations. Since that time, Lille Metro has been developed significantly. Now, it includes two fully automated lines with 60 stations.

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Abbesses is the deepest station in the Paris Métro, at 36 metres (118 feet) below ground, and is located on the western side of the butte (hill) of Montmartre. Access to the platforms is by elevator or the decorated stairs.

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All trains are fully automated and driverless, and, together with stations, are air conditioned with platform edge doors. Architecture firm Aedas designed the metro's 45 stations, two depots and operational control centers.

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New York City Subway It is the most complex network in the world with 472 active stations serving 27 subway lines.

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The Metro trains run on rubber wheels for the most part, so the trains themselves are quiet. It is the enclosed spaces with lots of people, the occasional accordian player and seller of chocolates or tissues who add to the noise. But in tunnel, compared with a train in Sydney's underground areas, much quieter.

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Yes, tap water in Paris is perfectly safe to drink and is readily available wherever you go, even at public water fountains. As long as taps aren't labeled eau non potable—meaning “not for drinking” in French—everything else is potable. In fact, drinking water from the fountains of Paris has been encouraged.

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In Paris, the Metro moves people around the city centre; the RER and Transilien ferry them in from the suburbs. In London, though, there's no such division: the Tube plays both roles. The Central line, say, acts like an RER route in the Essex suburbs, but a Metro route in Zone 1.

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