Paris Trams

Alstom Citadis tram 425 entering Parc St.-Cloud on Tram T2 in Paris. March 2006. Photo by Peter Ehrlich.

Overview

Paris, like all large cities, had an extensive tram network throughout the "City Of Light". During the 1930s, the system was whittled down until finally, the last trams departed the scene in 1938.

Throughout France, city after city abandoned streetcars until finally, only systems in Lille, Marseille and St.-Etienne remained. But in the 1980s, a new tramway renaissance began, with lines opening first in Nantes, and then Grenoble. Paris transport managers were intrigued, and set about, albeit slowly, the feasibility of returning trams to the French capital. Planning for the first line, which would connect the northern working-class suburbs of Bobigny, Drancy, La Courneuve and St.-Denis, began in 1989. This would be a completely new construction, and operations would be mostly on reservation. The first section of line T1, from Bobigny-Pablo Picasso to La Courneuve, opened for service on July 6, 1992. As in Grenoble, 17 of Alstom's TFS trams, with their revolutionary 75% low floor construction, were purchased for Line T1. By Dec. 13, service to St.-Denis was inaugurated.

The new 9km tramway was an immediate success, and considerably faster and more reliable than the Route 173 bus it replaced. RATP staff then began planning for its second tram route. On the west side of the capital, SNCF was about to abandon its third-rail route beween Puteaux and Issy-Plaine. RATP took over the entirely grade-separated right-of-way and converted it to overhead wire operation. This new 11.3km route, called T2, began operation on June 7, 1997. 16 more TFS trams outfitted this new route; simultaneously, two additional trams were purchased for line T1 to increase service there.

By 2001, RATP was actively planning two extensions of Line T1, further west into St.-Denis, and and eastward extension to the town of Noisy-le-Sec. At the same time, ridership on line T2, which served major employment centers on both ends of the route, overwhelmed the TFS trams beyond their capacity. The plan was then made to move the 16 TFS cars over to line T1, and 26 new Citadis 100% low floor trams, with capability to couple into 2-car trains, were purchased to replace them and increase capacity. The Citadis 302-class cars entered service in 2003. Service to Noisy-le-Sec, over on the T1, began on December 15 of that year.

Meanwhile, the city of Paris wanted to bring trams within the city limits. To that end, planning was begun to build line T3 along the southern part of the Ring road along Blvds Victor, Kellermann and others, running between Pont de Garigliano eastward to Porte d'Ivry. Enroute, connections with five Métro, and one RER, routes would be made, including major traffic-generating stations at Porte de Versailles and Porte d'Orléans. Construction was far enough along between Garigliano and Porte d'Orléans to permit the juice to be turned on by April 3, 2006 and begin LRV testing . New Citadis trams, wider than those on Line T2, have been acquired for Line T3, and service on at least part of the line is expected to begin in late 2006.

At the present, there will be no connection between the Issy end of Line T2 and the west end of T3. This should change by 2009, when T2 is extended up to Garigliano. A further northward extension from La Défense to Bezons is also slated to open in 2009.

The Routes

Line T1, which runs through several working-class suburbs, is not especially scenic, and is downright gritty in some locations. But the service is fast and frequent. La Courneuve 8 Mai 1945, where connection is made to Métro line M7, is an especially busy stop, with open air markets adjacent to the station, and sometimes trams take five minutes to unload and load passengers! Along the way, T1 passes over several SNCF railroad yards. The new extension to Noisy-le-Sec carries the line over a canal, and does street running within the suburb. The carbarn is located at Bobigny, sharing space with Métro M5 trains.

Line T2 is considerably more scenic than T1, as it operates along the left bank of the Seine. In Issy Val de Seine, many office buildings have been constructed, providing the line with large numbers of riders. West of Les Moulineaux, the line skirts the Seine and passes through some bucolic areas. The stops at Parc de St.-Cloud, Les Milons and Les Coteaux run alongside a steep hill with upscale houses and pleasant neighborhoods located there. Beautiful mansion-like station buildings from SNCF days dot the line at stops such as Les Moulineaux, Musée de Sèvres, Les Coteaux and Suresnes-Longchamp, dot the line. At Puteaux, the SNCF comes in from the southwest, and both train and tram continue in tunnel to La Défense, another major employment center and transfer between the SNCF, Métro line M1 and RER line A. The T2 tram depot is just north of Les Moulineaux Station.

Line T3, as mentioned, traverses the broad boulevards of the Ring Road in south Paris, passing major trip generators along the way. Of note is the cantilevered style of overhead wire suspension throughout the line. This Ring Road serves long blocks containing apartment houses and condominiums on both sides of the boulevard. The sports and entertainment district around Porte de Versailles has many buildings of note. Line T3's depot is situated just off Place Balard. T3 opened for service on December 16, 2006.

SNCF/Transilien Line R4: Tram-Train Les Coquetiers

Line T4 operates from Bondy (RER E) to Aulnay-sous-Bois (RER B) over a former short SNCF branch line converted for tramway use. Short portions of the tram route runs on shared SNCF trackage at each end. The rolling stock is a fleet of 15 Siemens "Avanto" 100% low floor light rail vehicles, 37.5m in length with five articulated sections. The T4 service is operated by SNCF/Transilien (not RATP which operates Paris's other tramway lines). T4 opened on November 18, 2006.