The Nice metropolitan area officially put into service extended trams on line 1 of the tramway a week ago according to Gaël Nofri. This major change responds to the sharp increase in ridership on this line, which now carries 140,000 passengers per day, compared to the initial 64,000 forecast.
According to Gaël Nofri, president of the Lignes d’Azur Authority, « we are at the maximum of what frequency allows us at 3 minutes per year. Therefore, we have strong saturation phenomena during peak hours ». To remedy this problem, the extended trams offer 25% more capacity. Being rolled out since the 2025 start of school, this measure aims to improve not only space for passengers, but also comfort thanks to enhanced air conditioning.
« There are no more short trams in regular operation. There is only a reserve left », he clarifies. These short trams were lengthened during specific work, and are therefore no longer used as they were.
An adapted but limited solution
This transformation addresses the needs of line 1, but other improvements would require more significant changes. « On this line, we have reached the maximum: all trams are long and frequency is at maximum. The other solution was to go underground, as Christian Estrosi wished at the time, particularly to increase commercial speed on lines 2 and 3 », explains Gaël Nofri.
In parallel, the metropolitan area has put into service a high-level service bus in the St Sylvestre, Cessole, Gambetta area, capable of transporting some passengers and relieving pressure on the tramway.
Lines 4 and 5, a key issue for mobility and municipal elections
While line 1 is drawing attention today, the projects for lines 4 and 5 remain strategic issues, particularly in the context of municipal elections. Line 4 to Cagnes-sur-Mer and Saint-Laurent-du-Var and line 5 to the Turin road, Ariane and the Paillons valley should attract up to 40,000 trips per day on line 4, contributing to traffic decarbonization and traffic flow improvement.
« The challenge is to connect neighborhoods together while offering low-carbon transport and limiting the impact on car traffic », emphasizes Gaël Nofri. The launch of these lines is planned within the next three years, subject to Nice residents renewing their confidence for the next term.
The project has also become a political issue in the context of the 2026 municipal elections. The newly elected mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer, Brian Masson, member of the National Rally, opposes line 4 and contests the development of additional lines, refusing to implement them. On this subject, Gaël Nofri responds: « mobility cannot be built on isolated objections or electoral calculations; it must be thought of at the metropolitan level to guarantee a reliable and ecological network. »
Pricing and accessibility
The metropolitan area has also committed to not increasing ticket prices during the term. Free travel is maintained for children under 11 and will be extended to retirees from the first day of retirement in case of re-election on Sunday, with no income conditions, at an estimated cost of approximately four million euros.
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