Once a symbol of efficiency and convenience, the system has become a source of daily frustration for commuters. This transformation in sentiment coincides with the French capital’s preparations to host the Olympics. “It’s really difficult and we’re not even at the Olympics yet when there’ll be millions of people on it,” Juliette Fayaud, a 26-year-old restaurant worker, told AFP on the platform of Line 8. “There aren’t enough trains. Sometimes in rush hour there’s a train every five minutes when you need them every two or three,” she said.

A considerable number of metro employees were placed on furlough during the pandemic and did not resume their positions, leading to staffing shortages. Additionally, the process of training new staff to fill these vacancies experienced significant delays. “I think it’ll be horrible during the Olympics,” 22-year-old saleswoman Gabrielle Camus, another daily user, told AFP as she waited for a train. “I’m planning to use a bike and avoid the metro as much as possible.” The metro ticket will also near-double its price during Olympics.

For the third consecutive year in 2023, commuters using the larger overground trains, known as RER lines, were provided with refunds due to ongoing punctuality issues. Despite this, the service has yet to return to its pre-Covid levels.

During the Olympics, anticipated to attract approximately seven million visitors to Paris from 26 July to 11 August, the commuter train system will face intense scrutiny as a primary mode of transportation for both tourists and locals.

Prior to the Games, significant political pressure, coupled with the appointment of former prime minister Jean Castex as the head of Autonomous Parisian Transportation Authority (RATP) in 2022, has resulted in gradual enhancements in recent months, as indicated by surveys conducted by the capital’s transport authority.

Castex warned in December that eight out of ten lines were “no longer in a state to provide a quality public service” which he blamed on “40 years of under-investment”.

Workers are working diligently to finalise crucial line extensions before the Olympics, particularly the connection of the southern Orly airport to line 14 and the establishment of a new transportation hub near the Stade de France in the north, where athletics events will take place.

“It’s a challenge that we are able to meet,” the head of the greater Paris region, Valerie Pecresse, told reporters as she presented her transport plans for the Olympics in late March. “You shouldn’t be scared to do a bit of walking,” Pecresse told Parisians. “It’s good for your health.”

Certain metro and RER lines, especially those servicing the football, tennis, or athletics stadiums, will experience a significant increase in train frequency, with up to 71 per cent more trains than on a typical summer day.

Paris, aiming to highlight its cycling transformation, ensures access to every Olympic venue by bike, with 415 kilometres of new cycle lanes and 20,000 parking spots installed. No parking will be available for cars at the sports venues, leading to anticipated traffic congestion in the capital due to road closures.

Chief organiser Tony Estanguet expressed confidence last week in the city’s ability to manage the increased demand on its trains, buses, trams, and cycle lanes during the Olympics. “It’s a key issue for the smooth organisation and success of our event. We’re well aware of that,” he told reporters.

Charles de Gaulle and Orly, Paris’s primary airports, are preparing for significant responsibilities and have collectively implemented 15 additional baggage inspection lines. “The infrastructure is ready,” the director general of their operating company said recently.

Anticipated traffic levels are projected to resemble typical summer averages of 300,000 daily arrivals, with a notable surge in demand anticipated in the days following the conclusion of the closing ceremony on 11 August.

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