The station opened on 19 July 1900 with the opening of the line 1.
It is situated on the border of the 11th and 12th arrondissements. It is served by the metro lines 1, 2, 6 and 9.
Nation has several entrances. This entrance is in the Art Nouveaux style.
The company sign is spanning the entrance. The word Metropolitain is written in green letters on a yellow background. Two tall green flower posts with red lights are at the side.
Looking from the other side, the station sign shows a metro network map. A long green flower lamp lights the writing at darkness.
The station name and metro lines as well as the RER A are written in Art Nouveau typeface. It is fixed to the green balustrade which was designed by Hector Guimard.
This 1960 style totem marks another entrance.
A large yellow letter M is enclosed in a double circle and fixed to the top of a pole.
The letter is lit at night-time.
This is an exit only. It is surrounded by a light-coloured wall with a pattern of semi circles.
It has an escalator and a set of stairs.
Metal handrails have been fixed to the wall.
Four handrails have been installed at the entrance, one on each of the walls and two a quarter of the distance from the wall.
Passengers are advised that this entrance is for the RER A and the line 9 only, passengers for the other lines should use the entrance a little further to the left, towards rue Bel Air.
There are two station signs at the end of the surrounding wall. The left one has some advertising, the right one shows the logo of the metro. Next to them is the sign for the emergency assembly point.
The border tiles are silver with a pattern of flowers in 3D
After the entrance hall passengers pass through one of the silver barriers. They can request to have the large metal gate opened if they have items that don't fit through the barriers.
The Ticket Hall has two ticket machines. Here you can recharge your transport pass or buy tickets. The ticket office is a few steps away, but if you want to pay cash you have to use the machines.
Corridor to the the RER A and the line 1 towards Chateau de Vincennes.
Corridors of the line 9. Each tunnel has a list of the stations on the wall. The walls are tiled until the point where the ceiling becomes vaulted and topped wih a row of silver border tiles. The ceiling is painted white.
Platform Line 1
Line 1 started operation on 19 July 1900.
Platform doors have been installed. A white line has been painted where the doors open.
The floor is painted grey.
Lights are fixed to the ceiling in scythe shaped silver brackets.
Yellow, green and purple lights reflect on the tiled, vaulted ceiling.
The signage is written in white mixed case letters on a blue plasticised background without frame.
Below it are two white frames with map. The left one shows a map of the exits and the surrounding streets. The right one shows a map of the metro network.
The small white ceramic tiles are flat.
Advertising has been placed in large advertising boards with a white ceramic frame.
In front of it is a small lean-to bench.
Platform Line 2
Line 2 started operation on 2 April 1903. Nation is one of its terminals.
The ceiling is made up of deep silver steel beams.
The lights are a row above the platform edge and covered with Venetian blinds.
The platform on the other side of the tracks is separated by a tall metal fence. The walls behind it are tiled in golden yellow tiles, which are placed vertical.
The signage has been fixed to two poles. The station name has been written in white mixed case letters on a blue background.
Below it is a map of the bus, metro and tram network.
Platform Line 6
Line 6 started operation on 1 March 1909. Nation is one of the terminals.
The connection to the other lines is in the centre of the platform.
Seeing one of the metros in the tunnel.
The wall behind the track is partially tiled in beige ceramic tiles. A row of empty advertising boards is placed in brown ceramic tiles.
The ceiling is painted white.
Plan of the station of the line and their connections. The other terminal of the line is under the arc de Triomphe.
Metro waiting for passengers.
The platforms are centre platforms.
Platform Line 9
Line 9 started operation on 10 December 1933.
Entrance to the platform is from a tunnel in a right angle at the end of the platform.
The vaulted ceiling is tiled.
Plexi-glass display of the nation.
The insignia of Guadaloupe and Martinique have been fixed on the wall of the platform direction Mairie de Montreuil.
The station name has been written in white mixed case letters on a blue plastic background. Underneath it, it also has the name Place des Antilles.
It is tradition for the RATP to take part in in the tradition of April Fools jokes.
In 2024 it renamed a number of stations to celebrate the olympic and para-olympic games which take place later that year, as well as to highlight the week of olympic and para-olympic games (2 - 6 April 2024).
For a day, the platform of line 9 was renamed to Natation.