Gare du Nord in Paris will triple in size by 2024, just in time for the 2024 Olympics Games, which will be hosted by the French capital.

Architect Denis Valode will lead the transformation, an operation similar in size to the one conducted by the architect Jacques Ignace Hittorff in 1864.

The new departure terminal reinterprets the famous 19th century Haussmann concept of the “passage Parisian”, a 18-metre tall gallery offering a vast array of railway, intermodal and commercial services.

The focus of this project on every day buses and trains is as important as the pivotal role given to long distance trains.

The most symbolic transformation is the adaptation of the station to accommodate the modern evolution of sports activities, by proposing for the first time in France a one-kilometre track across Parisian roofs, alongside public cloakrooms and diverse sports facilities.

The new Gare du Nord will also set environmentally-friendly standards, offering public green spaces and ecological energy production.

The design, construction and use of the station will respect strict environmental regulations and standards.

This ambitious project led by SNCF Gares & Connexions is structured in an innovative way, to ensure that the largest station in Europe will be open, functioning and ready to go for the 2024 Olympics.