Commuting to and from the south of the country could become easier and faster by 2028, when a high-speed tram line between the Cloche d’Or in the capital and Esch-sur-Alzette becomes operational. The tram line will run along a new “multimodal” corridor, which will include a dedicated cycle lane, parallel to the A4 motorway.

The motorway itself will also be adapted to include signage that will allow for bus or car sharing lanes at peak times.

The new 17.5km of track includes a 10km stretch where trams can reach a top speed of up to 100km/h. That means the journey time between Esch and Cloche d’Or will be a mere 14 minutes. During the morning and evening rush hours, trams will run every seven minutes. Termini at either end of the high-speed link will include Park & Ride facilities as well as a bus interchange.

After the first phase is completed in 2028, the tram line will be extended through the city of Esch via the university and Belval all the way to the town hall in Belvaux. That phase of construction should be completed by 2035 according to the plans presented by transport minister François Bausch (Déi Gréng). The journey between the university and the Cloche d’Or terminus--where passengers can board the Luxtram urban network--will take 26 minutes.

“The development of our country requires an attractive and efficient transport solution between our two main economic hubs,” Bausch said. The minister is confident that he will be able to table a draft bill to get funding for the projects before the end of 2022.