Urbos trams for Tours

On 28 February, the Syndicat des Mobilités de Touraine (SMT) signed a contract with the CAF for the delivery of 19 Urbos trams for the future line 2 of the Tours tramway, which will link the communes of La Riche and Chambray-les-Tours. This contract also includes  the necessary depot parts and special tools, the worth was not disclosed.

The new low-floor trams will be similar in design to those currently operating on Line 1 (supplied by Alstom). They will have a length of 42 m and a capacity of up to 280 passenger. They will also be tailored to the specifications of the Tours  network, enabling them to serve both the new Line 2 and the existing Line 1. The Urboses will be equipped with on-board energy storage modules that will allow them to run completely autonomously without the need for the overhead wire, in particular, on the approximately 2 km long section between the Tours railway station and Choiseul Square, in the historic centre of the city.

Renowned for its Gothic architecture and as the gateway to the Loire Valley and its famous castles, the medieval city of Tours has recently launched the construction of the second line of its tram network. The new line will span 12.5 km and feature 22 stations, with service scheduled to begin in 2028. One of the objectives of this project is to enhance intermodality between the two tram lines and the bus lines, while at the same time promoting active modes of transport such as cycling and walking through the creation of cycle lanes and spacious pedestrian areas. In particular, this new infrastructure will connect two hospitals, schools and university facilities for some 30,000 students, as well as a variety of cultural, sports and leisure facilities along its route.