Nantes

In 1985, Nantes was the first city in France that opened a modern tramway system. It was as well the first city in Western Europe after the Second World War that built a new overground line straight across the city centre, following wide boulevards with enough space for the implementation of a tramway alignment. The outer parts of line 1 are similar to german Stadtbahn routes, with a long grade-separated section parallel to a railway line in the east. In 1992 opened the first part of line 2, and in 2000 line 3 was added. These lines are both more urban tramways, partially in narrow streets. In 2006 line 4 was opened as a "Busway", in fact it is a bus line with a separate alignment for the whole route and tramway-like stations. Between 1993 and 2008 Nantes boasted the biggest tramway system in France, today the network length is approximately 40 km. However, in the meantime Bordeaux and Lyon overtook Nantes. No more urban tramway lines are planned today, but a Tram-Train-system in the region is now under development. In contrast to the urban network it will be operated by the French state railway SNCF.

Lines

Tramway
1 François Mitterrand/Jamet - Croix-Bonneau - Haluchère - Beaujoire/Ranzay (17,4 km)
2 Orvault-Grand Val - Gare de Pont-Rousseau (11,4 km)
3 Marcel Paul - Neustrie (14,0 km)

Busway
4 Foch - Porte de Vertou (6,6 km)

Tram-Train
Nantes Gare SNCF - Clisson

History

07/01/1985   1   Bellevue - Haluchère (10,5 km) - via Jamet
22/04/1989   1   Haluchère - Beaujoire (1,8 km)
08/09/1992   2   Trocardière - Pirmil - Commerce (5,2 km)
18/10/1992   2   Commerce - 50 Otages (0,7 km)
06/09/1993   2   50 Otages - École Centrale (3,6 km)
14/03/1994   2   École Centrale - Bourgeonnière (1,0 km)
29/08/1994   2   Bourgeonnière - Orvault Grand Val (3,4 km)
17/04/2000   1   Croix-Bonneau - Mendès France Bellevue (1,7 km) - replaced original section via Jamet, which remained as a service link
28/08/2000   1   Mendès France - Francois Mitterand (3,2 km)
28/08/2000   3   Plaisance - Commerce (3,9 km) - further via line 2 to Hôtel Dieu
05/04/2004   3   Plaisance - Sillon de Bretagne (2,3 km)
29/08/2005   2   Trocardière - Neustrie (1,9 km)
06/11/2006   4   Foch - Porte de Vertou (6,6 km)
03/09/2007   2   Pirmil - Gare de Pont Rousseau (0,2 km)
03/09/2007   3   Extended from Hôtel Dieu to Neustrie instead of line 2
03/09/2007   1   Croix-Bonneau - Jamet (0,6 km) - partly reopening of the original section as a branch of line 1
05/01/2009   3   Sillon de Bretagne - Marcel Paul (0,6 km)
15/06/2011   TT Gare SNCF - Clisson
01/10/2012   1   Haluchère - Ranzay (0,8 km)
28/02/2014   TT Gare SNCF - Haluchère - Nort-sur-Erdre - Châteaubriant (64 km)

Projects

1/2 Connection between lines 1 and 2 in the north from Ranzay to Recteur Schmitt

Rolling Stock

46 TFS 1, delivered as from 1984/1988/1991/1993
33 Incentro, delivered as from 2000
23 Dualis, delivered as from 2010/2012 for the Tram-Train
12 Urbos, delivered as from 2012

Links

Semitan (Société d'économie mixte des transports en commun de l'agglomération nantaise) - http://www.tan.fr/
Communauté urbaine de Nantes Métropole - http://www.nantesmetropole.fr/

Photos

Please click here to visit the Nantes Photo Gallery!

© http://www.trams-in-france.net by Christoph Groneck