If you regularly take the metro at the Charles de Gaulle - Étoile station (lines 1, 2 and 6), you’ve almost certainly noticed something missing. The infamous turnstiles, once in front of the ticket desk, have been gone for several weeks now. The traces they left on the floor bear witness to that. But has access at this station become free? Absolutely not. A closer look reveals a notice plastered on the tiled walls explaining why they were removed.
"As part of upgrading the equipment in the RATP's passenger areas, the validation line is being modernized", one reads, and the validators at Charles de Gaulle–Étoile station are therefore renewed. To offer users "greater comfort" and "ease of use", a "new set of equipment, with a refined design, featuring a larger color display and more information" will soon be rolled out. "These new devices will gradually join the fleet of some 3,600 validation units spread across the 371 metro stations and RER stations of the RATP network", it is further noted.
Nevertheless, validating your travel pass remains mandatory. The RATP has therefore installed temporary kiosks in the station, located just after where the old turnstiles stood. So remember to validate your travel pass at Charles de Gaulle - Étoile before heading to lines 1, 2 or 6, sous peine d'amende. We recall that you will be charged 70 euros for an abonnement Navigo non validé in the metro or the RER. This amount covers payment on site at the time of inspection. Otherwise, the bill can be even higher and can climb up to 180 euros in the event of delayed payment.
But then, when will these temporary terminals disappear to make way for the new validators? RATP expects to finish the work and roll out the new validators this autumn, more precisely on October 27, 2026.
Official website
www.ratp.fr
