A look back at the main stages of the tram in Luxembourg
This Sunday, a new segment of the Luxembourg tramway – 1.2 km between the central station and the Bonnevoie high school – is covered. The opportunity to recall the commissioning of previous sections, and to discuss future extensions.
VSn Sunday, a new segment of the Luxembourg tramway – 1.2 km between the central station and the Bonnevoie high school – is covered. The opportunity to recall the commissioning of previous sections, and to discuss future extensions.
The construction of the capital’s tram line is anything but a long calm river. The idea arose during the transition from the 80s to the 90s but only materialized in 2017, with the opening of the first section on Kirchberg. In the meantime, there have been political developments, controversies, which have not ceased elsewhere, and which we will not return to here. Let’s take a look at what has already been done, and what will still be done.
1
December 10, 2017: the tram in Kirchberg
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Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa rush for the first time in the capital’s new tram at the “Rout Bréck-Pafendall” station.
Photo: Anouk Antoine
That Sunday, the snow fell in large flakes on the Kirchberg plateau. Not enough to dampen the enthusiasm of the Grand Duke, his wife, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and his ministers. This December 10, 2017 is a great day for the capital, and a small revolution in modes of travel.
Indeed, the tramway is reappearing in Luxembourg, after the one that circulated there in the middle of the 20th century. Admittedly, it is not in the city center like the Stater Tram: this first section only crosses Kirchberg from one end to the other, from Pfaffenthal to Luxexpo, on Avenue John F. Kennedy. Beyond, there is still the Luxtram headquarters, the Tramsschapp, and the train station.
The same day includes the train stations of Howald, Pfaffenthal-Kirchberg, and the funicular.
2
July 27, 2018: towards the Place de l’Etoile
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The tram running between Kirchberg and Place de l’Etoile.
Photo: Guy Jallay
From the summer of 2018, the trains no longer just go back and forth on the Kirchberg plateau. On July 27, an extension of the first section of the network, called section A and now complete, is extended.
Work had started at the same time as for the initial segment on the Kirchberg plateau, but took longer. In particular because it was necessary to span the Alzette valley, at Pfaffenthal, via the Red bridge. It is chosen made in the month of May 2018.
With this extension, three new stations are also brought into service: Théâtre, Faïencerie and place de l’Etoile. The tram thus enters the city centre.
3
December 13, 2020: the tram arrives at the central station
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A tram at the platform, in front of the central station.
Photo: Gerry Huberty
In the midst of the pandemic linked to covid-19, section B of the Luxembourg tramway is concerned. Two years after their entry into service on the Kirchberg plateau, the trains now run to the central station.
The new 7 km section connects Place de l’Etoile to the station via Avenue Emile-Reuter, Boulevard Royal, Pont Adolphe and Avenue de la Liberté. Four stations mark out this route: Hamilius, place de Metz, place de Paris and therefore central station, the new terminus of the line to the south.
In the city center, the tram trains replace the passages of some 1,700 buses daily.
4
September 11, 2022: hello Bonnevoie!
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Tests took place throughout the summer on the new section of the tram.
Photo: Chris Karaba
This Sunday, September 11, the central station will no longer be the tram terminus. The development of the network continues, with a new section and towards a new district of the capital: Bonnevoie.
The inauguration of this 1.2 km segment is scheduled for late morning. The work had started in April 2021, the schedule and the costs were respected. And this despite a hiccup this summer, with a controversy over the lack of vegetation on Kyiv Boulevard where the trains run.
Two stations complete the network: Dernier Sol and Lycée Bonnevoie. Currently, 72,000 passengers use the tram every day in Luxembourg. With this extension, the operator Luxtram hopes to reach the 80,000 mark.
5
End of 2024: from Findel to the Stade de Luxembourg
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The “Y” bridge under construction on the Gasperich bank.
Photo: Chris Karaba
To finalize the route of the line as it was imagined, two sections still have to be put into service. The end date of 2024 is announced for commissioning.
The first section will link Bonnevoie to the Stade de Luxembourg in Gasperich, where a major multimodal hub is under construction. Work should start on September 19, first between the Vauban high school and the stadium by taking the “Y” shaped bridge, also under construction, above the A3 motorway. Work on the other part of the section, from the Vauban high school to Bonnevoie, will start at the end of 2022-beginning of 2023. We already know that on this part, due to a legal dispute concerning land, the circular tram, initially, on a single track over a distance of 500 m.
At the other end of the line, the section between Luxexpo and Findel airport should see the light of day. Work on a bridge to span the A1 motorway has already begun. With these two extensions planned for the end of 2024, the tram should then cover 16 km from Findel to Gasperich. And thus fulfill the objective desired by André Van der Marck, that the boss of Luxtram recalled on Friday morning on the airwaves of 100.7 : “Designing a modern, attractive and extremely efficient network”.
The tram route.
Map: Luxtram
6
And after ? Still other projects
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The tram construction site.
Photo: Lex Kleren
Other projects are still in the ministerial and Luxtram boxes. We can cite, for example, a connection between the Glacis and the city center by the avenue de la Porte-Neuve, along the Kinnekswiss park… and not through the park, again wanted to reassure André Van der mark on 100.7 Friday morning.
There is also the fast connection to Esch-sur-Alzette, which is part of the government’s 2035 mobility plan. But we are not there yet… Place, first, at the inauguration in Bonnevoie this Sunday, September 11th.
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