Native name Tramway de Bordeaux A Ridership 14 million per year Last extension 2008 Stations 41 | Connecting lines Line B
Line C Opened 2003 (2003) Rolling stock Citadis 300
type 402 | |
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Operator Transports Bordeaux Métropole | ||
The A line of the Bordeaux tramway is operated by Transports Bordeaux Métropole, and connects Lormont and Floirac to Mérignac. It connects the left and right banks of the Garonne, passing by the Pierre bridge and the center of Bordeaux.
Contents
History
Line A was inaugurated on December 21, 2003 by Alain Juppé and Jacques Chirac, initially running between the stations of Bordeaux-Mériadeck and Lormont-Lauriers/Cenon-La Morlette. The line was extended on September 26, 2005 between Bordeaux-Mériadeck and Saint-Augustin in the west. In 2007, it was extended two more times, from Cenon-La Morlette to Floirac-Dravemont in the east on February 27, and again from Saint-Augustin to Mérignac Centre in the west on June 21. In summer 2008, the Lormont branch was extended further.
Trains
The trains used on the line A are Citadis 300s, type 402, made by Alstom. Each train is 40 meters long and can seat 300 persons. All trains have air conditioning, and are capable of running either on overhead wires or on ground-level power supply (APS in French). Line A uses both types of power supply, with APS in the center of Bordeaux as well as near Cenon-La Morlette, Lormont-Lauriers and Mérignac Centre, and overhead wires everywhere else.