Lille Metro Information
The Lille metro went down in history as the first metro in the world to use the VAL system. The metro was inaugurated with a grand ceremony in 1983. Using the VAL system, it was the only metro system in Europe to have a fully automated, driverless metro. Connecting the suburbs with the city centre, the 45 km long system runs on 2 lines with a total of 60 stations. It is an important means of public transport in Lille, along with buses and trams, and boasts an annual ridership of $99 million (2011).
Lille Metro Map
Map of Lille Metro showing next lines and stations. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the Lille Metro map in PDF format.
Lille Metro Timings, Frequency and Schedule
The metro starts at around 05:00 in the morning and runs until just after midnight. Usually the last trains are between 00:00-00:45. On Sundays and other holidays it starts a little later at 06:30. It is one of the fastest metro services in the world. With a maximum journey time of just 8 minutes, rush hour is very busy, with a train running literally every minute.
Note: Lines M1 and M2 are the names of the 2 metro lines.
Lille Metro Fares, Tickets and Cards
Travelling by public transport in Lille is convenient, partly because of the ‘pass system’ in operation. There are three main options: Une Carte Personnelle, Une Carte Non Personnalisee and Un Ticket Rechargeable.
The Une Carte Personnelle gives access to all the subscriptions and services offered by Transpole. With this card, you can recharge all your subscriptions as well as the occasional titles provided by Transpole. Another advantage is that in the event of theft, it can be replaced for a maximum fee of 8 euros. A personal card costs 4 euros.
The Une Carte Non Personnalisee allows you to load several titles, but only titles. An additional advantage of this card is that it’s not registered, so you can lend it to friends or family. The card costs 2 euros.
The Un Ticket Rechargeable is for people who only use public transport occasionally. You can load a category of occasional tickets. It can be used several times and, as it is not registered, you can lend it to anyone. It costs only 0.20 euros, as a first purchase.
Lille Metro Parking
The city of Lille has plenty of car parks to take advantage of the park and ride facilities offered by its public transport system. These car parks are mainly located near metro, bus and tram stations. It is important to remember that vehicles cannot be left in the car parks overnight.
Lille Metro Lines
Lille’s metro system connects a number of suburbs to the city centre. It is an integral part of the city’s multimodal public transport network, which covers almost the entire Lille conurbation. The metro, together with trams and buses, is operated under the public transport brand Transpole.
The second of the two metro lines was completed and opened to commuters in 1989, while the first has been in operation since 1984. Line 1 covers a distance of almost fourteen kilometres and has eighteen stations along the route. Line 2, on the other hand, was extended to the Belgian border in 2000 and now covers a distance of thirty-two kilometres with as many as forty-three stops along the way.