Paralympic Games leave lasting accessibility legacy in Paris

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games acted as a catalyst for accessibility improvements across the French capital, particularly in public transport. The Games welcomed around 350,000 visitors with disabilities and sparked long-term changes that will benefit an estimated 185,000 disabled residents each year. Before Paris was awarded hosting rights, accessibility was limited, but the event triggered a large-scale investment programme under the banner “Change Starts with Sport.”

Since 2016, Île-de-France Mobilités has invested more than €2.4 billion to make the transport system more inclusive. As a result, 300 train and RER stations are now accessible, including key hubs such as Saint-Denis Station with 27 million annual passengers. Additional benefits include a fourfold increase in accessible taxis (1,000 now available) and a 20% increase in accessible parking spaces.

The historic Paris Metro remains the biggest challenge, with only 29 stations currently accessible. Plans are in place to add 68 more by 2031, though work is constrained by the network’s age and structure. In 2024, regional leaders launched the €20 billion “Metro for All” project, aiming to transform the century-old network over the next two decades. Initial steps include feasibility studies, mapping accessibility gaps, and establishing a dedicated committee involving the State, City of Paris, RATP and the Île-de-France Region.

Author: Carolina Ramos

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.