The Grand Paris Express: All aboard for a more liveable host city
At a glance
The Grand Paris Express project is not just a new rail line available for athletes and officials travelling and from the Paris 2024 Athletes Village. It is a massive investment in metro rail and a visionary initiative to create a more sustainable and inclusive transport system for Paris.
Importantly, it is a dynamic example of how a mega event can accelerate planned investment in infrastructure. How is this bold endeavour enhancing the environmental resilience of Paris, supporting the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and fostering greater social cohesion and equity in the region?
On board the Grand Paris Express
Built to coincide with the delivery of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Grand Paris Express is unprecedented in its scale and scope, adding four new metro lines and extending existing ones. This large scale infrastructure project connects the more peripheral areas of Paris with the city centre and will significantly reduce the need for cars and buses through 200 kilometres of new tracks and 68 new stations.
Currently, almost four million passengers use the existing Paris metro system. By 2030, the Grand Express is estimated to lower congestion by accommodating an additional 2 million users.
The financial commitment to this project is equally impressive, with a total budget of around AUD 56.5 billion, including a provision of AUD 11.1 billion for risks and contingencies. The financing comes from both the French government and regional bodies, demonstrating a unified and collaborative push to revamp the urban infrastructure of Paris.
The project is not only a transport solution, but also a daring sustainability and social legacy initiative. By offering a clean and efficient alternative to car travel, it will reduce the region's carbon footprint by 900,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, which is equivalent to removing 370,000 cars from the road. It's a powerful step to improving air quality, public health, and a solid contribution to the region’s climate resilience.
Changing tracks to a more socially integrated Paris
The Grand Paris Express is also driven by a cultural vision. By connecting the outskirts of Paris to the centre, it will reduce the social and spatial inequalities that have long plagued the region. The new metro lines will bring opportunities and services to the residents of the banlieues (suburbs), enhancing their quality of life and social integration.
The project also showcases a commitment to art and culture as drivers of urban transformation. Each station will feature a unique artwork commissioned from local and international artists, creating a cultural dialogue between the different neighbourhoods.
The artworks will reflect the diversity and identity of the city, celebrating its history and future. For example, the station at Orly Airport will display a stunning mosaic of 11,000 azulejos (glazed ceramic tiles), portraying the faces of the people who make up the city.
Moreover, the project will enhance the urban design and cultural vibrancy of Paris. It has won the 2023 Veronica Rudge Green Prize in Urban Design from Harvard University, a prestigious award that recognises projects that transform cities and the lives of their inhabitants in extraordinary ways. It will create a more connected, inclusive, and diverse city, where art and culture are accessible to all.
A technological solution to transportation woes
The Grand Paris Express is set to bring in numerous technical and functional upgrades to improve the metro's efficiency and passenger experience. State-of-the-art train designs, autonomous operation, and electric braking systems that reduce energy consumption will be key features. Each train will also have advanced temperature control and air circulation systems for added comfort during travel.
Additionally, the latest trains will boast environmentally-friendly LED lighting, under-seat lighting, USB charging ports, Wi-Fi access, and special accommodations for wheelchair users and baby strollers. The trains are designed to travel at an average speed ranging from 55 to 65 km/h, with the capability to reach speeds up to 110 km/h, positioning them among the fastest urban trains in the world. Quite fitting really, considering that some of the world’s fastest and strongest athletes are using the new line to travel to and from the Athletes Village, venues and major attractions during the Games.
The Grand Paris Express project is an excellent reflection of Paris’s history of social and environmental innovation. The city’s metro system, originally built in the early 1900s, was a pioneering effort to provide affordable and accessible public transport for all. The 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, which also hosted the Summer Olympics, showcased the city’s achievements in art, science and technology, as well as its commitment to human rights and international cooperation.
The project really does set a new benchmark for urban development with its inclusive strategy that smartly encompasses cultural elements and social integration. By creating new public spaces, supporting local businesses and fostering social diversity, the Grand Paris Express is poised to enhance the liveability and vibrancy of Paris, especially in the suburbs and peripheral areas.