My wife and I will be in France in April, 2020, and we would probably want to plan to use the Metro occasionally in Paris.
But, my wife has quite a bit of difficulty with going up and down long stretches of going up or down stairs.
Does the Metro have escalators at most stations,or, do most of the Metro stations have long stretches of stairs, in which case we would need to plan to use other forms of transportation in Paris, such as taxis, trains, or buses?.
Thank you, Kenneth
The RER network has elevator/escalator access but the métro, in spite of its hundreds of escalators, is best avoided by those with mobility concerns. Instead, make use of the extensive bus network.
Does the metro have escalators at most stations?
Unfortunately, no.
Do most of the metro stations have long stretches of stairs?
Unfortunately, yes.
The Paris metro is unfortunately not very useful for those with mobility difficulties. As Tocard indicated, you will want to use the bus system instead.
No one with problems with stairs should be using the metro. We have done trips with a couple of changes that involved as many as a dozen steep staircases (I counted). It is not unusual to find very long staircases -- like maybe 3 normal staircases together). Sometimes there are escalators for some stairs; they are often out of order and in many cases they don't exist. The metro involves stairs -- lots of stairs. If this is an issue then use the buses which are designed for disabled access and if your wife has serious mobility issues then carrying a cane will help her get a seat on the bus. (you don't automatically quality till age 75 and I am 75 but often have to give up my seat on the bus to someone. more elderly or disabled as the buses are often full of people who cannot use the metro)
Line 14 on the metro is accessible and the RER is generally accessible with escalators -- an ordinary bus/metro ticket is good on the RER in Paris only -- once you pass the peripherique you are eligible for 30 Euro or more fine on the spot for not having a valid ticket.
My mother has limited mobility as well and we will be in Paris this coming December. Below is information I found on the Metro/RER site.
Accessible Stations / Stops:
Auber, Chatelet, Ch. De Gaulle-Etoile, Chatelet-Les Halles, Gare de l’Est, Haussmann St.-Lazare, Invalides (Elevator), La Defense, Madeleine (Elevator), Metro-14 stops, Saint-Michel-ND (has multiple exits, need to look at signage for accessible exit), &
Pyramides- Elevator off Ave de l’Opera (Big Bus Stop)
Elevators & Escalators are at RER & M-14 stations
Some of the street buses tip the entry stairs down to near street level to stops more accessible.
First, remove your email from your post immediately, unless you want more spam than you're already getting! If someone wants to send you a private message, they can do that through the Private Message function on this forum.
Second, just agreeing with the others. Unfortunately, the Paris Metro is not suitable for someone with difficulty with stairs. The exceptions have been mentioned above, but for everything else, just assume you'll be using the bus, or taxis. Particularly with mobility impairment, taking some taxis can be a good investment in having a good visit.
We are currently experiencing the same issue with the Metro-it is not for the mobility-challenged. I agree with the previous posts-if there are escalators/elevators, they are the rare exception rather than the rule.
The station I use most does have an escalator and it is usually not working. No kidding - last October I used it once and for the next 2+ weeks it was roped off and not running.
Message from OP on his User page:
No longer need information about stairs in the metro in Paris . Thank you, Kenneth Bjorkquis
If you do decide to use buses, perhaps take a look at the Citymapper app. Live time arrivals and reliable routing..
