Lille Metro
Encyclopedia
The Lille metro is a driverless metro
in and around Lille
, France
. The system was inaugurated on 25 April 1983 and was the first to use VAL system.
The metro forms part of a mixed mode public transport system, combined with bus
es and tram
s operated under the Transpole
brand and covering the Lille
metropolitan area.
Line 2 opened on 3 April 1989 and it reached CH Dron near the Belgian
border on 27 October 2000. The line is 32 km long with 43 stations.
Trains are only 2 metres wide and 26 m long (two linked cars), and are rubber-tyred
. There are 60 stations which go as far as the Belgian
border. The metro platforms are 52 m long, long enough for two units. One unit can carry 156 passengers.
The metro operates from 5:00 until midnight, with trains every 1.5 – 4 minutes (1 min. during rush hour), and every 6 – 8 minutes early mornings and evenings. On Sundays there is a train every 4 – 6 minutes. A one-way ticket costs €1.40.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
in and around Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The system was inaugurated on 25 April 1983 and was the first to use VAL system.
The metro forms part of a mixed mode public transport system, combined with bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es and tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s operated under the Transpole
Transpole
Transpole is the public transport operator for the Lille Métropole, the metropolitan area surrounding the city of Lille in northern France. It operates a mixed system, comprising buses, trams and a driverless metro system...
brand and covering the Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
metropolitan area.
History
Construction started in 1978 and the first line was inaugurated on 25 April 1983 between the stations 4 Cantons and République. One year later, on 2 May 1984 the entire line 1 was opened (13.5 km long, 8.5 km underground). The metro links the station CHR B Calmette to 4 Cantons via Gare de Lille Flandres, with 18 stations altogether on the line. All stations have doors between the platform and the train.Line 2 opened on 3 April 1989 and it reached CH Dron near the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
border on 27 October 2000. The line is 32 km long with 43 stations.
Info
Rubber-tyred metro
A rubber-tyred metro is a form of rapid transit system that uses a mix of road and rail technology. The vehicles have wheels with rubber tyres which run on rolling pads inside guide bars for traction, as well as traditional railway steel wheels with deep flanges on steel tracks for guidance through...
. There are 60 stations which go as far as the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
border. The metro platforms are 52 m long, long enough for two units. One unit can carry 156 passengers.
The metro operates from 5:00 until midnight, with trains every 1.5 – 4 minutes (1 min. during rush hour), and every 6 – 8 minutes early mornings and evenings. On Sundays there is a train every 4 – 6 minutes. A one-way ticket costs €1.40.
See also
- Lille tramway
- Transportation in Lille
- List of metro systems