For more than a century the history of public transport has been woven into the historical tapestry of the Paris region and its inhabitants. We want to help you discover this important heritage thanks to the “historic lines” collection.
Last modified on 17 July 2026
7 min read
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Summary
Want to know everything about RATP’s heritage? You’re in the right place!
Through our "Des lignes d’histoires" collection, discover the fascinating history of transport and the evolution of RATP, as well as the lesser-known stories and aspects of its heritage, including bygone professions, uniforms, art, tickets and more…
17 booklets to read and explore, enhanced with slideshows and videos! Enjoy your reading and have a pleasant journey!
Born on July 19, 1900, the Paris transit ticket has accompanied millions of residents of the Île-de-France region in their daily lives ever since. Trace the journey of the famous ticket, from yesterday to today: a history closely intertwined with the major changes of the century, whether sociological, historical, environmental or technological.
As the 21st century began, RATP found renewed motivation to continue its tradition of innovation. From the first rubber-tyred metro to automated metro lines and contactless ticketing, RATP has consistently led the way, establishing itself as a leader in urban mobility.
Speed, reliability, accessibility, safety: for more than 60 years, RATP has been overcoming all obstacles in its way. From the iconic ticket to the Navigo pass, from the RER to the Météor, from the rebirth of trams to a future of automation and sustainable development, a process of change driven by billions of passengers. This story moves not so much from a point of departure to one of arrival, but from one century to another and, more broadly, from one world to another.
From the first regular carriage services to the one-and-a-half billion passengers carried in 1946; from omnibuses to trolleybuses via just plain buses and the metro the story of public transport through to the post-war years is a remarkable voyage through time, where tiny historical details are constantly informed by, and cast new light on the major historical developments of the time. All aboard!
Both wind their way through Paris, and their shared history dates back more than a century. Since then, the metro has crossed the Seine 12 times between the northwestern suburbs and the southeastern districts of the capital.
As early as the second half of the 19th century, the metro established itself as one of the key elements of the full-steam-ahead rush to modernity. The expansion of cities at ground level was accompanied by the parallel growth of public transport. Within this extraordinary industrial and urban machine, trains and stations came into being, but underground. The metro was well and truly on its way.
On December 8, 1977—forty years ago!—the RER became a reality. On that day, its central section linking Auber and Nation was inaugurated by President of the Republic Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. This marked the birth of Line A, as well as Line B, which was extended from Luxembourg to Châtelet–Les Halles on the same day. Through extensions and modernizations, connections and interconnections, the RER began its reign. Today, nearly 2 million residents of the Île-de-France region travel on these two key lines every day, extending its dominance across Paris and its (very) extensive suburbs.
With some peopled pronouncing it “Raire” to go just that little bit quicker, it is easy to forget that RER stands for Réseau Express Régional (Regional Express Network). The sovereign means of transport for everyone in Ile-de-France who wants to travel efficiently, the track towards today’s network was laid by its railway ancestor during the July Monarchy of 1830-1848. This track, or rather these tracks, are still in use today!
In the beginning, steam engines were the masters of the old railway lines that would eventually make up the first sections of the RER. In the first half of the 20th century they gave way to electric trains in the west and south. As the RER came into service, new rolling stock -- safer and more comfortable -- started to appear. Over the years, this has been replaced by ever more modern trains, which are better suited to the new demands placed upon them.
In Paris, the curtain came down on 15 March 1937. On this day the final 123/124 service between Porte de Vincennes and Porte de Saint-Cloud trundled for the last time into the Malakoff depot. This final act also saw the 112 tramway from Le Raincy-Montfermeil stop running on 14 August 1938. With the exception of the network in Versailles, which kept running up until 1957, this looked like the end of the line for tramways in the Paris region.
Although the name suggests rails running flush to the road, the history of the tramway has been anything but smooth: lauded at first, before becoming a source of hostility, trams have had a long journey through the urban jungle, before their recent reappearance on our streets, backed by genuine political will and better designed systems. Portrait of a streetcar named Desire, of course, but more importantly today, also named Economy and Ecology.
Because it was the first “standard” model in RATP’s history, the SC10-U marked a key turning point in the route followed by bus travel since the 1900s. Indeed, it proved to be a mini-revolution, giving this bus, nicknamed “Siou”, near-mythical status. It marked the beginning of the modern era for buses, from today’s articulated models to the electric buses of the future.
The heir to carriages and the aptly-named ‘omnibus’, a competitor for trams and then an ally for the metro, buses today are still very good news for a city. From the ‘Impériale’ double-decker to the legendary SC10, take a short trip on board a vehicle that moves through history.
Autumn, winter, spring and summer. For women or for men. When dressing its staff for all locations and all weathers, RATP has to make some bespoke choices. The design must be economical. And it must be practical, ergonomic and, of course, attractive.
Born from the grinding gears of European alliances, the First World War was meant to be short: “the war to end all wars”, they said. As everyone knows, the reality was very different. The theme of transport sheds a revealing light onto this dark, four-year period. The signal for the beginning of this tortuous journey was given one day in 1914 in the Assemblée Nationale, as can be seen in the following account.
It comes as no surprise that the RATP acronym shares three letters with the word 'ART'. From the very beginning, Paris’ public transport networks had a keen sense of beauty, bringing together the practical and the aesthetic for the pleasure of passengers. This pioneering role resonates down the ages as an invitation to other journeys... through time and space.
