DECEMBER 12 saw the opening of a further extension of the Genève tram network and the introduction of a new route.
Serving six stops, the 2·1 km branch diverges from the existing network at Plainpalais and runs along the Route des Acacias to the SBB station at Lancy-Pont-Rouge, where interchange will be provided with a half-hourly RER service from Versoix and Coppet. The branch is worked by Route 15, which links Lancy to Place des Nations via the main station at Cornavin.
In 2006 TPG expects to extend Route 15 by another 1·5 km from Pont-Rouge via Grand-Lancy to the Route 13 terminus at Palettes. Route 16 will be extended by 8·6 km northeast from Cornavin, reaching Bouchet and Meyrin in December 2006, and CERN by the end of 2007.
To operate the expanded network, TPG is taking delivery of 21 Cityrunner low-floor LRVs from Bombardier at a cost of SFr95m. Ordered in June 2002, the first car arrived in Genève on August 27 last year and entered service in October.
