Martin Placek
Research expert covering transportation and electronics
Public transport in France - Statistics & Facts
The idea of a shared urban transport system in France first emerged in 1662. The polymath Blaise Pascal obtained permission from King Louis XIV to establish a public carriage company that would operate five routes in Paris. Though this company only remained in operation for a short time, it left the foundation on which most of the current public transit agencies are based. Today, French public transit is a much more complex system, with metro networks, streetcars, commuter trains, and buses, among other modes.
After years of constant growth, France’s passenger traffic in public transportation peaked at 45.7 billion passenger-kilometers in 2019. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the urban transit passenger traffic experienced its worst decrease, falling to 26.7 billion passenger-kilometers in 2020. That year, the busiest transit network in France was the Réseau Express Régional (RER), a hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit system serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER transported almost 40 percent of the whole public transport traffic in 2020.
The public transit sector, both within the Île-de-France as well as throughout the country, was in constant growth before the pandemic, peaking at a combined total of more than 45.7 billion passenger-kilometers in 2019. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, however, passenger traffic suffered a sharp decrease, dropping by nearly 45 percent within the city and by 31 percent throughout the country.
In terms of population, Marseille is the second-largest city in France after Paris. This Mediterranean city is served by an urban transportation system consisting of subway, tram, bus, and ferry lines operated by the Régie des transport de Marseille (RTM). The RTM reported passenger traffic of 98 million ticket validations in 2020, a year-on-year decrease of 41 percent.
Even with the recent increase in investments in France’s public transport infrastructure, almost 90 percent of respondents considered it necessary to improve the urban transit services available in France. The reasons why French residents think that public transport must be further developed vary: Some of the most mentioned are centered on the preservation of the environment and the contribution to better life quality.
À Paris comme en province
Despite the decentralization efforts in France in the past decades, Paris is still the most populated city and remains the country’s economic, and cultural center. This combined with the fact that the “City of Light” is also one of the most visited cities in Europe, it is no wonder that the Parisian public transport network is the most active in France. In 2020, around 70 percent of all French urban transit traffic took place in Paris and the Île-de-France region. The number of public transport passenger journeys reported before the pandemic rounded the 4.7 billion margin, making the metro and RER networks the most utilized transit modes in the country.The public transit sector, both within the Île-de-France as well as throughout the country, was in constant growth before the pandemic, peaking at a combined total of more than 45.7 billion passenger-kilometers in 2019. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, however, passenger traffic suffered a sharp decrease, dropping by nearly 45 percent within the city and by 31 percent throughout the country.
In terms of population, Marseille is the second-largest city in France after Paris. This Mediterranean city is served by an urban transportation system consisting of subway, tram, bus, and ferry lines operated by the Régie des transport de Marseille (RTM). The RTM reported passenger traffic of 98 million ticket validations in 2020, a year-on-year decrease of 41 percent.
How vital is mass transit for the French?
According to a survey in 2021, around 60 percent of people in France used public transportation regularly. Among the ones who used the urban transport options in the same period, four out of ten stated they did so because it is more convenient. Only 16 percent said they traveled on public transit because it is better for the environment.Even with the recent increase in investments in France’s public transport infrastructure, almost 90 percent of respondents considered it necessary to improve the urban transit services available in France. The reasons why French residents think that public transport must be further developed vary: Some of the most mentioned are centered on the preservation of the environment and the contribution to better life quality.
