PARIS (Reuters) - Paris metro ticket prices will almost double during the 2024 Olympics, the French capital region's president said on Tuesday, adding that residents with passes would be shielded from the temporary rise and visitors would be charged "a fair price".
The mayor of Paris warned last week that public transport services, which are provided by the regional authority, would be insufficient during the events. The Olympics will be held from July 26 to Aug. 11 and the Paralympics from Aug. 28 to Sept 8.
"During the Olympics and the Paralympics, the Ile de France region will dramatically increase its transport offer. It is out of question that the residents support that cost," the region's president Valerie Pecresse said on social media.
"We're going to create a new pass, the Paris 2024 pass, that will allow visitors to travel through the whole Ile de France region. It will cost 16 euros a day, and up to 70 euros a week. It is the fair price," Pecresse said in a video.
She said a single journey metro ticket will cost 4 euros ($4.38) for the period from July 20 to Sept. 8, adding that residents of the region with a usual monthly or yearly pass will not be affected.
A monthly pass normally costs 84.10 euros, while single journeys currently costs 2.10 euros. Last week, Paris mayor hit out at Pecresse, saying the French capital would not be ready in terms of transport.
Transport minister Clement Beaune backed Pecresse on Tuesday, saying Paris would be 'ready', adding that 'it is important that there are no changes for the Parisians during the Games'. Pecresse said that it was crucial that the Paris region residents be spared.
"The prices will go up so that the Olympics are 100% accessible by public transport," she told reporters at a test ride of the future line 15 of the metro on Tuesday. "Public services have a cost and pretending otherwise is a lie. If it's not the visitors who pay, it's going to be the tax payer."