ON APRIL 3 the 12 km Trambaix light rail network in Barcelona carried its first passengers. The new system is operated as three services, all running between Francesc Macià and Montesa where they diverge to serve Bon Viatge (T1) and Sant Martí de l’Erm (T2). Route T3 also runs to Sant Martí de l’Erm at present, but is due to be extended to Consell Comarcal in the Sant Just Desvern district.
Operated with a fleet of 19 Alstom Citadis LRVs, Trambaix is expected to carry 9million passengers in its first 12 months of operation, with the annual average ridership rising to 16·9million over the 25 years of the concession to build and operate the system held by Tramvia Metropolità SA (MR03 p27). Some driver training took place in Bordeaux where consortium member Connex is also the operator.
To the east of the city, test-running was due to start on the two routes of the 14 km Trambes
