Marseille tramway
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| Overview | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Native name | Tramway de Marseille | ||
| Locale | Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France | ||
| Transit type | Tram | ||
| Number of lines | 3 | ||
| Number of stations | 32 | ||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | 1876 (horsecar) 1899 (electrical tram) 7 July 2007 (modern tram) |
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| Operator(s) | RTM | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 11.5 km (7.1 mi) | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
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The Marseille tramway (French: Tramway de Marseille) is a tramway system in the French city of Marseille in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Marseille's modern tram network now consists of three lines, serving 32 stations, and operating over 15.8 kilometres (9.8 mi) of route. The current, modern Marseille tram network opened on 7 July 2007.
The first horse tramway opened in Marseille on 21 January 1876; electric trams came to Marseille in 1899. Unlike most other French cities, trams continued to operate in Marseille, even through the 1950s and beyond, when trams disappeared from most cities around the world. The original tram system continued to operate until 2004, when the last line, Line 68, was closed. Trams remained out of operation for three years between 2004 and 2007, in advance of the effort to renovate the tram network to modern standards.
A new tram network is being built in Marseille, France, which when completed in 2011 will consist of three tram lines. The first phase opened on 30 June 2007. It is part of an urban renewal project which aims to reduce car use and favour pedestrians, bicyclists and public transit users.
On 30 June 2007, the first phase of the new Marseille tram network opened. It consists of one line linking Euroméditerranée in the northwest with Les Caillols in the east. Between Blancarde Chave and Saint-Pierre stations, it runs on part of the former route of Line 68. Blancarde Chave station will not open until October 2007.
In October 2007, the portion of the old Line 68 between Blancarde Chave. and E.-Pierre (near the entrance to the tunnel) will reopen, and two lines will be created. Line 1 will link E.-Pierre and Les Caillols, and line 2 will go from Euroméditerranée to La Blancarde, where a transfer between the two lines will be created.
La Blancarde train station will become a transit hub: a station on Line 1 of the Marseille Metro will be built, and in 2009 it will be served by TER regional trains.
In mid-2008, two further extensions will be opened. Line 1 will be extended to Noailles via an existing tunnel (used by line 68), and Line 2 will be extended north from Euroméditerranée to Euroméditerranée-Arenc.
In 2011, a third tram line will be created. Line 2 will be modified: it will serve only the section of the existing line from Euroméditerranée-Arenc to Canabière, where it will be extended south on new track to Castellane and north to Bougainville. A new Line 3 will be created, which will run along the existing Line 2 between La Blancarde and Canabière. It will then run along new track west to Quatre Septembre on the south side of the Vieux-Port. Thus, Line 2 will become a north-south line, and Line 3 will become an east-west line. A new transfer station between Lines 2 and 3 will be built at Cours Saint-Louis.
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