Work on the tram is proceeding according to plan and is continuing at a rate that allows the backbone of mobility in the capital to accommodate ever more passengers.
“We have gone from 17,000 passengers per day (at the launch in 2017) to 75,000 passengers per day since October,” said transport minister (dei Gréng) during a presentation on Friday. “The success is there, I am happy to see the tram continue to Bonnevoie. This bodes well for exceeding the 80,000 passenger mark.”
Tests from July
A new milestone is expected when, as already announced, users will be able to use two new stations from Sunday 11 September : Leschte Steiwer/Dernier Sol and Lycée Bouneweg, where an exchange hub (with buses, Veloh and bicycles) will also be built.
“This is another important episode in the life of the tram,” said (DP), mayor of Luxembourg City. “Bonnevoie is one of the capital’s major residential areas and I am delighted that the tram will be going there from 11 September.”
The announced travel time between the station and the school is 3 minutes 40 seconds. To achieve this, several preparatory stages will take place during the summer:
- The overhead line will be connected to the grid from 8 July,
- On Monday 11 July, in the evening, two trams will run at full speed,
- From August onwards, the tram will run under real conditions, but without passengers on board.
“We will operate six additional trams every day, which means an additional capacity of 2,400 people,” added of Luxtram.
“We have acquired all the trains, 33 in total, which will run at a frequency of three minutes, which we can increase if necessary. Each train has a capacity of 400 people, but we know that 80% of users make an average of four to five stops. Each seat is therefore occupied several times,” said Von der Marck.
In order to get everyone to their destination, Luxtram (175 employees) has trained 12 new drivers. The existing drivers will also be trained to familiarise themselves with the new section.
Vauban, Stade and Findel
At the same time, work and preparations are continuing towards Bonnevoie and the Cloche d'Or.
The work between the Lycée Bouneweg and the Lycée Vauban, which will pass through the Scillas and Howald Gare stops, will begin at the end of 2022.
The work to connect the Lycée Vauban to the Stadion interchange--via the Waassertuerm stop-will start in September 2022. By the end of 2023, commuters from the south of the country and cross-border commuters should therefore be able to park next to the national stadium and reach their office by tram.
As for Findel, the deadline is set for the end of 2024, the time for Tralux to build a bridge (designed by architect Christian Bauer) spanning the A1 motorway over 110 metres.
This arrival at the airport will mark the final stage of the 16.4 km first tram line, while new routes are being planned that will follow the new urban areas. A second line is already in the works in Kirchberg. An extension of the network is also expected at the Route d'Arlon. By 2035, it is also expected to link the capital to Esch in a fast version.
This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.