Why did you choose a tram-train?

The extension of the T13 tram from Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Achères must be able to run both as a tramway in the city and as a train on the tracks of the Grande Ceinture, the national rail network. The choice of tram-train thus combines the advantages of both means of transport:

• The speed and safety equipment of the train;
• The quality of the tramway's integration into urban areas, with a dedicated traffic lane and priority at traffic lights.

The electric transition sections allow the extension of the T13 tram to switch from train mode to tram mode, and vice versa, without interrupting its route. There are many differences between the circulation of a train and that of a tramway:

• Changing driving mode : visual in tram mode, on spacing signals in train mode;
• The change in the direction of traffic : on the right on the urban tramway network, on the left on the tracks of the Grande Ceinture;
• The change of power supply : 750 V in urban areas, 25,000 V on the national rail network.

The transition zone consists of a non-electrified zone, known as a "neutral" zone, which the tram-train passes through on its way. This crossing is not felt by the passengers. Find out more about the transition from the Grande Ceinture to the tramway at the entrance to Poissy and the connection to the Grande Ceinture at the exit of Poissy.