Gare de Grenoble-Universités-Gières

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Grenoble-Universités-Gières**
Station Information
A map of the train station after its renovation.

Services	TER (Rives, Lyon, Valence, Chambéry, Annecy, Evian, Geneva)
Tracks	2 through, 2 terminus in the direction of Grenoble
Platforms	2
Opened	15 September 1864^[1]
Location
Région	Rhône-Alpes
Départment	Isère
Commune	Gières

The Gare de Grenoble Universités-Gières is a train station on the Ligne de Grenoble-Montmélian in Greater Grenoble.

[edit] History

Originally opened with the opening of the Grenoble-Montmélian Railway, its traffic gradually weaned with the boom of the automobile to the point when it had a daily traffic of virtually nothing and only two trains each day (and these were both in the same direction)^[2]. Few residents of Gières even knew of its existence and after many years of being neglected, in 1982 the SNCF decided to close it, like it would do to any-other station in a desertified region.

But then William Lachenal (a member of the ADTC, a sustainable-development association), decided to distribute on his own, a pamphlet to every household in the commune of Gières informing the habitants about the station and the possibility of buying tickets, even if they didn't plan to leave from another station. With twice the number of passengers the next year, the SNCF decided to not close the station and decided to let 5 more trains stop there. To further help the stations development, its name is changed to Gières-Campus due to its proximity (1km) to the main campus of Grenoble's 4 Universities. This all cumulated into 12 trains stopping there in 1985.

Also, a free shuttle bus is put in place between the station and the campus and the platforms are given lighting and a ticket machine. In 1999 the decision is taken to extend the current tram line B to the station along with the new line C. For the arrival of the new tramway, the local quartier is radically transformed: the level crossing is replaced with a new underground tunnel, the local sports hall is is destroyed (to be built a bit further along) and is replaced with a park and ride and the 2^nd tram depot is built.

During all these years, the progression of the station has not stopped. Since 1989, it is integrated in the local Network as a departures-arrivals station of certain services. A sliding was built to accommodate these new trains and the line is electrified between Grenoble and Gières. More and more trains stop there, not just local trains but TER and Grandes-lignes as well. A parking was built and finally the station's name was changed to Grenoble-Universités-Gières to show its new status as the 2^nd station of Grenoble.