Currently under construction, the Grand Paris Express is the largest transport infrastructure project in Europe and one of France’s most important art projects. This ambitious plan, which also represents a pivotal moment for UITP’s Design & Culture Committee, is transforming the urban landscape of the French capital, combining advanced mobility and contemporary art in a single visionary project.
By 2030, the Grand Paris Express will add 68 new stations to the Paris metro network, creating four new lines and extending an existing line. With a total investment of €36.1 billion, this project is already having a significant impact on the city, creating more than 100 new real estate projects in the vicinity of the new stations, including shops, social housing and commercial spaces.
Mobility and Culture: A Unique Combination
In addition to improving the public transport infrastructure, the Grand Paris Express provides a platform for the growth of art and culture. In each new station, art will be permanently integrated into the architecture, transforming these places into impressive cultural spaces. The City of Paris involved artists from the earliest stages of the project, fostering a continuous dialogue between architecture, engineering and art.
This approach has ensured total integration between the different disciplines, making each station unique. Internationally renowned artists, together with a new generation of French artists, are creating a wide range of artworks, ranging from sculptures to light installations, from murals to digital works. Diversity is a core value of the project: among the 70 works in progress, 40% of the artists are international and 50% are women, making this project not only innovative but also inclusive.
An Advanced Transport System
The new metro system will not only make art an integral part of everyday life, but also offer more accessible and faster mobility, especially in peripheral areas that currently suffer from poor connections to the city centre. Thanks to fully automated trains, the Grand Paris Express will guarantee a high-capacity service, with trains arriving every 2-3 minutes and an average speed of 55-65 km/h. The new system will be fully accessible, offering all citizens equal travel opportunities.
It is estimated that, by 2030, the new system will carry 3 million passengers per day, connecting peripheral areas to the heart of the metropolis and offering new opportunities for growth and development. This project is not only a major step forward for urban mobility, but also an important economic and social driver for the city.
The numbers of the Grand Paris Express
- 68 new stations by 2030
- 4 new lines and the extension of an existing line
- 36.1 billion euro total investment
- 100% system automation
- 100% guaranteed accessibility
- Trains every 2-3 minutes
- 3 million passengers expected per day
- 8,600 workers involved in construction
The Grand Paris Express is more than just a transport project: it represents a vision of the future in which mobility, culture and sustainability come together to create a more liveable and accessible city for all.
