Paris retires the iconic MP73 rubber-tired metro

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Paris is closing a defining chapter of its metro history as the MP73 rubber-tired trains, instantly recognizable by their jade-green interiors and manual door handles, make their farewell runs on Line 6 after more than half a century of service.

A last journey for a 1970s Paris icon

The withdrawal of the MP73 marks the end of the oldest rubber-tired trains still operating on the Paris Metro. Introduced in the mid-1970s on Line 6, the five-car sets were designed to run on concrete tracks with rubber tires, a technology promoted at the time to cut noise and vibration on elevated sections above busy boulevards and river quays.

Publicly available information shows that the final farewell runs are taking place in early July 2026, turning regular Line 6 services between Charles-de-Gaulle–Étoile and Nation into an impromptu rolling tribute. Rail enthusiasts and residents have been documenting the last days of the trains on social media, highlighting the contrast between the vintage interiors and the newer stock now dominating the line.

Line 6, one of the network’s most scenic routes, crosses the Seine twice and runs largely on viaducts, offering open-air views of the Eiffel Tower and southern Paris. For many commuters and visitors, the experience of that panorama became inseparable from the hum and sway of the MP73 sets that defined the line’s character for decades.

Reports indicate that only a small number of MP73 trains remained in daily service through spring 2026, with the majority of operations already handled by the more modern MP89 units cascaded from Line 4 as part of a rolling modernization program.

From experimental rubber tires to everyday workhorse

The MP73 was part of the third generation of rubber-tired metro trains developed for Paris following earlier series on other lines. Delivered around 1974 for Line 6, the trains quickly replaced ageing Sprague-Thomson rolling stock, some of which dated back to the early twentieth century. Their introduction coincided with broader efforts to renew infrastructure and improve ride comfort on key corridors.

Technical references describe the MP73 as a five-car formation designed specifically for Line 6’s operating profile, combining rubber-tyred motor cars and trailers with a distinctive jade-green seating scheme and bright interior lighting. The use of rubber tires allowed for faster acceleration on steep gradients and reduced noise on elevated sections, an important consideration for residents living alongside the viaducts.

The trains also helped popularize several features that later became emblematic of the Paris Metro for visitors, including manually operated door handles and a characteristic “clack” when doors closed. For many riders, these tactile details contributed to a sense of continuity with older generations of rolling stock even as the system adopted newer technologies.

Over time, the MP73 outlived several other series and became a symbol of the network’s late twentieth-century era, bridging the gap between the postwar expansion and the current wave of automation and accessibility upgrades.

Modern MP89 trains take over Line 6

The retirement of the MP73 is directly linked to the arrival of MP89 trains on Line 6, transferred from Line 4 as that route is automated and fitted with newer driverless stock. Regional transport authority information indicates that the first refurbished MP89 sets entered service on Line 6 in early 2023, with a gradual rollout planned over several years.

These trains, originally introduced in the 1990s, have been updated with new interiors, improved passenger information systems and upgraded accessibility features before moving to their new assignment. The cascade strategy allows Paris to modernize Line 6 without commissioning an entirely new fleet, while still offering passengers a marked improvement in comfort and capacity.

The MP89 units bring wide gangways between cars, more efficient door layouts and a different visual identity, with blue and white interiors replacing the MP73’s retro green. For regular commuters, the change is expected to deliver a quieter and smoother ride, particularly on the exposed sections of viaduct where wind and structure-borne noise can be significant.

Transport planning documents show that the full replacement of MP73 trains on Line 6 was initially forecast to run through 2025, with a small number of older sets remaining in service into 2026 as deliveries and refurbishments progressed. The final withdrawal now closes that transition period and leaves the line fully operated by MP89 stock.

Nostalgia, heritage and what comes next

The farewell to the MP73 has generated a wave of nostalgia among metro enthusiasts and long-time residents, many of whom associate the trains with formative experiences of the city. Online discussions frequently mention the distinctive sound of the traction motors, the manual door releases and the elevated views framed by the trains’ large windows as uniquely “Parisian” elements that are now disappearing.

Interest in the future of withdrawn MP73 cars is also growing. Specialist railway heritage sources report that at least one driving car has already been preserved by a French railway preservation group outside Paris, where it is intended to be displayed as an example of the capital’s rubber-tired technology. Other units are expected to be dismantled, a common fate for aging rolling stock that no longer meets operational or environmental standards.

For visitors, the end of the MP73 era subtly changes the experience of riding Line 6, even as the route and views remain the same. The line will continue to be one of the most photogenic journeys in the Paris Metro, but the trains themselves will now reflect the network’s twenty-first-century design language rather than its 1970s heritage.

As Paris prepares for future mobility challenges, including ongoing works related to the Grand Paris transport expansion and growing demand across the wider region, the departure of the MP73 underlines how even long-familiar fixtures of the city’s daily life eventually give way to new generations of technology.

What the change means for travelers

For international travelers and occasional visitors, the practical impact of the MP73 retirement will be largely positive. The newer MP89 trains offer clearer onboard signage, improved lighting and more uniform layouts, which can make navigation easier during peak tourist seasons. Wider aisles and more efficient doorways are expected to improve passenger circulation at busy stations such as Montparnasse–Bienvenüe and Trocadéro.

The modernization of Line 6’s fleet also aligns with broader upgrades across the Paris Metro ahead of major events and continued growth in visitor numbers. Enhanced reliability, standardized rolling stock and better accessibility features are central to these plans, particularly on lines that serve key tourist districts and connection hubs.

At the same time, the disappearance of the MP73 reduces one of the system’s more visible links to the 1970s period of experimentation with rubber-tired technology. Travelers interested in transport history will now need to turn to specialized museums, heritage depots or archival material to experience this chapter of Parisian engineering up close.

The final MP73 journeys on Line 6 therefore represent more than a rolling stock change. They mark a quiet shift in the everyday landscape of Paris, as a familiar green interior and a distinctive mechanical soundtrack give way to a new generation of trains designed for the city’s next decades of movement.