Buenos Aires passengers to trial Citadis tramway

On 14 July 2007, the President of the Argentine Republic,
Nestor Kirchner, inaugurated the experimental East tramway line
in Buenos Aires. This experiment is the result of an agreement
signed in July 2006 between the Argentine and French
governments.



Two Alstom Citadis tramway trainsets will enable inhabitants of
the Argentine capital to get to know this method of transport
over the course of a year, on a two-kilometre line linking the
Cordoba and Independencia avenues, in the modern district of
Puerto Madero. Alstom, which manufactured the rolling stock, is
also in charge of engineering, project management and
maintenance.



Following this trial year, the national and local authorities
will study the efficiency of this mode of transport and the
opportunities for developing the tramway in Puerto Madero, in
other districts in the capital and in other cities in the
country.



Within the context of the transport modernisation being
undertaken by the Argentine authorities, the tramway
constitutes an innovative solution that respects the
environment, allowing urban spaces to be reconceived and
architectural heritage to be preserved, whilst contributing to
urban development.

To date, 945 Citadis cars have been ordered by 24 cities
around the world and over 40 further cities have a tramway
project scheduled for the next 3 years. Alstom expects to pass
the 1,000 mark in terms of Citadis trams sold across the world
during 2007.