March 18, 1662: Blaise Pascal's public transit system began running in Paris (more) Today in History—March 18: The Debut of the World’s First Public Transit System Written by Teagan Wolter Teagan Wolter is Associate Editor of Anthropology at Encyclopædia Britannica. Teagan Wolter Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Mar. 17, 2026 •History March 18, 1662: Blaise Pascal's public transit system began running in Paris© Culture Club—Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Photo Illustration Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. In the early 1660s, French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal knew he didn’t have much time left. He decided to spend some of it inventing public transit. Today in History is a daily newsletter from Britannica.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Want to learn more about what happened on March 18, or any other day of the...

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