Last updated on December 5th, 2018
For parents with kids, wheelchair users, folks who can’t walk well: the first Paris métro lines date back to 1900, and most staircases are not doubled with escalators. There are escalators and lifts at certain stations that are very deep (Abbesses, Cité…), at most RER stations (this is good when you are coming from the airports with luggage!), and at stations on newer lines (line 14 is the only one which is entirely wheelchair friendly).
Basically, if you are going to use the Paris métro with a pram or wheelchair, it’s going to be tricky, and even more so during rush hour! Use this is a good excuse to take the bus or the tram!
The entire Paris bus and tram network is wheelchair and pram friendly, with ramped access (for wheelchairs), allocated space and low stop buttons. Just remember to leave your baby in the pram and enter and exit from the middle of the bus, not where the driver is. Of course during rush hour, it is still a bit of a crush, but compared to the métro, it’s a dream!
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