Unsurprisingly, Alstom has won the contract for supplying the rolling stock and the power system for Nice tramway line 2. Valued at €91 million, it includes a firm order for 19 Citadis 405 trams (and 18 as a conditional option), the supply of the new static charging system at stops, and its maintenance for 12 years.
The Citadis 405 will be characterized by its double doors at the ends, 40% more glass surface compared to the current Citadis trams, the new Xège bogie, which is more economical for the wheels, a 30% reduction in energy consumption, an estimated 20% reduction in maintenance costs, and the presence of emergency hatches due to tunnel circulation.
Nice is the first implementation of the Ground-based Static Charging System (SRS), which allows storing approximately 1.1 MW at 1500 A in 20 seconds during a commercial stop. Nice is thus embarking on the adventure of a wireless power system.
Alstom triumphed over CAF, which also proposed a station-based charging system for its Urbos trams.
The second line will connect the Port of Nice to the international airport (the second largest in France). It will serve, among others, the Nice Saint Augustin station, from where a branch will extend to the administrative center of Alpes Maritimes (CADAM), near the Nikaia, forming a 11.3 km stretch, including 3.6 km in tunnels. A new depot will be constructed near the CADAM terminus.
Another innovation of line 2 is that the Nice metropolis decided to exclude overhead lines across the entire route. Until now, both the APS and batteries were limited to only a few sections of the networks concerned (Bordeaux, Reims, Tours, Angers, and Nice).
The underground route in the center prevents the creation of a connection with line 1. However, two stations will offer an interchange with line 1: Jean Médecin and Garibaldi.
Initially planned as a single phase, the first phase of the project occurred in 2013, with priority given to the western section between Jean Médecin station, CADAM, and the airport, aiming for commissioning in 2018. The eastern tunnel section, with Durandy, Garibaldi, and Ile de Beauté stations, should open in 2019.
The total cost of the second line project reaches €770 million (2009 value), funded by the Agglomeration with contributions from the State (€52.8 million), the Department (€50 million), the Region (€26 million), the airport (€10.2 to €12.6 million), and the European Union (€3 million). The Nice Metropolis contracted an initial loan of €250 million from the European Investment Bank and a second of the same amount from the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations.
The street-level work began in mid-2013. Preliminary operations for the underground section started in April 2014. The tunnel boring machine shaft was put into operation on September 10, 2014. However, the actual tunneling is not set to start until 2016. The stations will be constructed using the diaphragm wall method.
The service planned for line 2 is based on a 3-minute interval on the common trunk and 6 minutes on each branch. The projected traffic is 105,000 passengers at the time of opening and 140,000 during its peak. The travel time between the port and the airport is expected to be halved compared to the bus (26 minutes versus 1 hour and 3 minutes).
Despite featuring an underground route, the project includes the redevelopment of roadways, favoring pedestrian and cyclist priority, to prevent cars from taking advantage of the space freed by buses redeployed due to the tramway’s arrival. In line with the goal of limiting car traffic in the center of Nice, four park-and-ride facilities will initially offer a capacity of 1,250 spaces. The Saint Augustin parking lot, initially configured for 750 spaces, is expected to eventually accommodate 3,000 spaces.
