The T4 will be the first tram-train (light rail transit) in France. T4 uses the converted Coquetiers' Line, located in the eastern part of the Paris region. It links the RER B at Aulnay's train station with the RER E at Bondy's train station. Further expansion is forseen.
The Coquetiers' Line was completed in 1875, built on an old walk at the forest of Bondy. The line owes its name to the poultry farming in the 19th century. It was used mainly for the forwarding of eggs into Paris. Coquetiers means egg-cups. During its 130 years of existance its surroundings changed completely. Nowadays the Coquetiers Line is part of the eastern suburbs in Paris. Because of that the line developed three main drawbacks:
Taking into account all these elements, a new Coquetiers' Line was defined with a more frequent service and a better integration of the railway into the urban landscape. This project appears in the 12th State / Region joint planning contract (2000 - 2006), voted by the regional council on the 3rd of March 2000 and signed with the State on the 18th of May 2000. The first stage of the T4 project converses the Aulnay - Bondy line into a tramway. Then, two urban prolongations will justify its tram-train name: one towards Montfermeil and the other west of Bondy. In 2003 construction started on the line. A bus service replaced the SNCF trains. The T4 will start its service at the end of 2006.
Further expansion of the T4 towards Montfermeil and west of Bondy
The implementation of the project will permit to change the classic line Aulnay-Bondy into a tramway with the following advantages:
The evolution of the infrastructure towards a more urban transportation system includes physical changes on the line, notably the creation of three new train stations. The link between Aulnay and Bondy will serve, in that way, nine intermediate train stations, on 8 km with 19 minutes to go from end to end. This represents a commercial speed of 25 km/h. During the rush hour, the interval between two trains will be 4 minutes. 44.000 travellers are expected per day, 12,4 billions per year.
On Saturday the 21st of January 2006, in Bondy's train station, the first tram-train in France was presented to the public. The new rolling stock, AVANTO, built by the Siemens group, is able to travel just as well on a public road as a tram, as on the railway as a train. It will make use of the renewed Coquetiers Line, named T4.
Siemens AVANTO tram-train for Les Coquetiers
The new T4 vehicle is 37,5 meters long, 2,65 meter large and 2,65 tonnes heavy. Being able to receive 242 travellers, including 80 seats, Avanto is endowed with two cabins for driving at each end and will reach a maximum speed of 70 km/h. Fifteen trains will be in operation at the end of 2006. Avanto is a part of the new generation of suburban trams with low floor, linking design and technical flexibility. The fleet will be equipped with air conditioning, video supervision and retractable pallets to permit the transport system to be used by passengers with reduced mobility.
The 15 tram-trains will cost 69,30 M€. The convesion of the 19 km long Coquetiers' line into a tram-train service will cost 55M€. The infrastructure is paid by the state, the region, the department, the RFF, the SNCF and others.
| Funding the T4 infrastructure | |
| State of France | 12,37 M€ |
| Région Île-de-France | 24,75 M€ |
| Departmental council (Seine-St-Denis) | 4,88 M€ |
| RFF | 9,76 M€ |
| Transilien SNCF | 0,96 M€ |
| Other sources | 2,20 M€ |
| Total cost infrastructure | 54,92 M€ |
