Tramway de Nantes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nantes tramway | |
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| Locale | Greater Nantes |
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| Transit type | Tram |
| Began operation | 1985 |
| System length | 41.4 km (26 mi) |
| Number of lines | 3 |
| Number of stations | 90 |
| Daily ridership | 258,000 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) |
| Operator(s) | Semitan |
The Tramway de Nantes is a tramway system located around the city of Nantes, France. It is the longest and busiest tramway system in France, with 258,000 passenger journeys every working day during peak season, over 40 kilometres of track, and 90 stations. The first tramway opened in 1879 and closed in 1958 due to bombing damage during World War II, while the present tramway was re-introduced to the city in 1985.
The tramway is operated by Semitan.
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[edit] History
[edit] Original network (1879-1958)
The history of the tramway in Nantes began on 13 December 1879 with the opening of the first line, using compressed air. In 1911 the network was electrified and the company standardized its fleet of 100 tramcars, all on Brill trucks with vestibulled platforms.
Extensions opened after 1914, centred around the Place du Commerce, and in 1932 there were fourteen lines. Thirty tramcars were modernised and lengthened to raise capacity and comfort.
During World War II, the network was heavily damaged by continued bombing, and several lines were immediately converted to bus operation due to the prohibitive cost of repairs. The decision to replace all tram services by buses was made in 1949, with the last tram running between Pont de Cens and Saint-Joseph on 25 January 1958.
[edit] Modern network (1985-present)
In 1979, Nantes' municipal council gathered a team of engineers to discuss the possibility of building a new tramway system. The project was set up on 10 February 1981 and financial details sorted. The government accepted financing 30% of the construction. Alstom was chosen for the construction of twenty tramcars.
The tramway was finally re-opened on 7 January 1985, and is operated by Semitan. The network is now 41.4 km in length, making it the longest tramway network in France.[1]
Soon after the opening of this first line, tramway traffic rose above projections, and extensions were envisioned. The network now constitutes three lines, spreading throughout the city and its environs.
[edit] Lines
[edit] Line one (François Mitterrand-Beaujoire)
This was the first line to open in 1985; originally running between Bellevue and Haluchère and entirely built on reserved track, following the trackbed of a line of the former tramway network. It serves the Stade de la Beaujoire along with the city's biggest exhibition centre, the railway station of Nantes, and the city's main and largest library. Along with line two, line one is one of the busiest lines on the network as it serves the very heart of the city.
[edit] Line two (Gare de Pont Rousseau-Orvault Grand Val)
Extended on 29 August 2005, towards the south, line two transports the most passengers a day in France. At rush hours, the line is always close to capacity, as it serves the campus of the University of Nantes at Petit Port, as well as Hôtel-Dieu, Nantes' main hospital. In September 2007, the line was reduced in length, so that the southern terminus is now located at the Pont-Rousseau railway station in Rezé.
[edit] Line three (Neustrie-Sillon de Bretagne)
Extended in 2007, line three now runs on the former track of southern line 2, towards its last station, Neustrie, near Nantes Atlantique Airport. A shuttle bus links the short distance between the airport and Neustrie, giving easier access to the tramway and the city centre.
[edit] Network extensions
A connection between lines one and two is due to open around 2010 on the northern part of the network. The link will run between the station of Haluchère on line one and Recteur Shmitt on line two.
[edit] Rolling stock
The fleet is composed of two types of tramcars:
- Alstom (TFS) tramcars. Ordered for the opening of the network, and running on all three lines.
- Adtranz (Incentro) tramcars. Built by the German builder Adtranz (now part of Bombardier), they run on lines one and three.
[edit] Operation
[edit] Ticketing
The transport network in Nantes uses paper tickets and passes that can be used on every kind of transport in the city (including trams, BusWay, buses, navibuses, and suburban trains). There are no "travel zones", as a ticket or pass gives access everywhere on the network in greater Nantes. There are staffed ticket offices around the centre of Nantes, opening for limited periods only, and ticket machines usable at any time. Ticket machines can be found at every tram and busway station.
[edit] Hours of operation
Trams on the network begin operating around 4 a.m., running until around 1 a.m. on weekdays and Sundays and until 3 a.m. on Saturdays.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Le tramway: toujours plus loin Nantes Métropole. Retrieved on 06-03-08.
[edit] References
- (French) Le Tramway Nantais; SEMITAN, 1986.
[edit] External link
- (French) Semitan official website
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