Alstom unveiled first Citadis Compact tram

On 14th November 2013 Alstom unveiled today the first Citadis Compact tram on its manufacturing site at La Rochelle in France, in the presence of Daniel Fontaine Vice President of the Pays d'Aubagne et de l'Etoile metropolitan region and Mayor of Aubagne, along with Ségolène Royal, Regional President of Poitou-Charentes, Jérôme Wallut, Managing Director of Alstom Transport France, and the contemporary artist Hervé Di Rosa.

The Pays d'Aubagne et de l'Etoile region is the first1 to have opted for the Citadis Compact, in the framework of the launch of its tramline network. The contract, signed in October 2011, was for a definitive order of eight trams, with an option on 5 to 10 additional units.
The colourful livery of the Citadis Compact for Aubagne has been conceived by Hervé Di Rosa in collaboration with the Design & Styling department of Alstom. The tramset presented is currently undergoing static and dynamic testing on the Alstom site at La Rochelle. The seven other trams are currently being produced and the first deliveries will occur in early 2014.

Citadis Compact has been developed by Alstom Transport to meet the needs of mobility in intermediate-sized cities. It benefits from Alstom's expertise in tram technology. Between 22 m (72') and 24 m (79') in length, Citadis Compact can accommodate some 130 passengers. With its large windows, air-conditioning and real-time information system, it offers passengers comfort and security.

Equipped with the new Ixège bogie from Alstom, featuring dual suspension and permanent-magnet motors, Citadis Compact is characterised by its reliability and high-performance, and enables cost savings with regard to energy consumption and maintenance.

Citadis Compact features wide circulation corridor to facilitate mobility aboard the tram. It also features double-doors at the front and at the back reducing stop time.

Citadis benefits from Alstom's return on experience from the over 1,700 Citadis trams sold to 43 cities worldwide. They have carried around 6 billion passengers and covered over 500 million km (310 million miles).