Saint-Martin () is a

ghost station A ghost station is a closed or never opened train station through which revenue-service passenger trains (especially rapid transit trains) pass but at which they do not stop. The term is also sometimes used for any unused underground station o ...

of the

Paris Métro The Paris Métro (, , or , ), short for Métropolitain (), is a rapid transit system serving the Paris metropolitan area in France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architectur ...

, located on lines 8 and 9 between the stations of Strasbourg - Saint-Denis and

République Republique or La République or ''variation'' may refer to: ;Places * République (Paris Métro), a station of the Paris Métro * ''République'' (video game), an episodic action-adventure stealth video game * Place de la République (disambiguat ...

, on the border of the 3rd and 10th arrondissements of

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

History

The station was closed on 2 September 1939 at the start of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. It reopened after the

French Liberation The liberation of France () in the Second World War was accomplished through diplomacy, politics and the combined military efforts of the Allied Powers of World War II, Allied Powers, Free French forces in London and Africa, as well as the French ...

with a lot of traffic passing through, but was eventually closed again as a result of its proximity to the neighboring station of ''Strasbourg - Saint-Denis'', which lies only 100 metres away. In the past, the station served to shelter

homeless Homelessness, also known as houselessness or being unhoused or unsheltered, is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and functional housing. It includes living on the streets, moving between temporary accommodation with family or friends, liv ...

persons, and the eastern section of the location is currently used as a day shelter for the homeless (managed by

the Salvation Army The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. It is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. The organisation reports a worldwide m ...

). In 2008, the line 8 tracks were walled off from the platform. In March 2010, the tracks of the station along line 9 hosted a publicity event for the

Nissan Qashqai The Nissan Qashqai () is a compact crossover SUV (C-segment) designed and produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Nissan since 2006. The first generation of the vehicle was sold as the in Japan and Australia, and Qashqai in the rest of the wo ...

, with many vehicles being transported on the platforms of this ghost station, which was also redecorated for the occasion with a number of lighting effects. Bees have been flying around this station since the 1980s.

Current

The physical entrance to the Saint-Martin station is still available from the street. To view it, take the Metro to the Strasbourg-Saint-Denis station, exit the station, and head east on Boulevard Saint-Martin about three minutes, walking towards République. The entrance will be on the right-hand side of the street, in a sunken part of the sidewalk. The entrance is covered in graffiti.

Gallery

File:Saint-Martin (Paris Metro).png, Location of the station. File:Saint-Martin1.jpg, One of the tracks. File:Subway-Saint-Martin-03.jpg, The station is heavily

graffiti Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...

ed. File:Station Métro - Saint-Martin - (RATP - Ligne 9) - (Paris III, X, FR75) - 04-10-2024.webm, One of Saint-Martin platforms between

and Strasbourg–Saint-Denis {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint-Martin (Paris Metro) Ghost stations of the Paris Métro Railway stations in France opened in 1931 Railway stations in France closed in 1939