Inauguration of the worlds steepest metro line in
Lausanne

In 2000, Alstom Transport signed a contract covering the
supply of 15 automated rubber-tyre trainsets, the establishment
of automated traffic control systems and the construction and
electrification of 13.4 km of track. Alstom will also provide
all maintenance to the M2 for a period of five years.



In the space of five years, Alstom transformed the former 2 km
"Ficelle" rack railway into an ultramodern driverless 6 km
line. It was a remarkable feat: the path includes a 12%
incline, the highest gradient in the world for a metro line.



This inauguration comes after last Sunday's validation by the
Swiss Federal Office of Transport of the Lausanne M2's
compliance with the safety requirements set forth by the
federation. The Lausanne metro is now ready to roll. It opened
to the general public on Thursday 18 September, transporting
1,500 passengers that first day, and remained accessible until
Sunday 21 September.



Serving the line's 14 stations in 20 minutes, Lausanne's new
metro is expected to carry a total of 25 million passengers per
year. The M2 will be put into service in stages due to the
finalization of settings that will allow it to reach a high
level of reliability and provide passengers with a world-class
service.