On April 25, 2025, the city of Liège officially launched its first modern tram line, marking a significant step in public transport and infrastructure development. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

On April 25, 2025, the city of Liège officially launched its first modern tram line, marking a significant step in public transport and infrastructure development.
Photo: Wikipedia

The 11.7 km route includes 23 stops and links the city’s north and south, passing through Saint-Lambert Square and along the Meuse River.

Liège: new tram route and advanced rolling stock

The project was carried out by the Tram’Ardent consortium, which includes Colas Rail and CAF, under a concession agreement valid through 2052. Spanish manufacturer CAF supplied 20 Urbos trams, each 45 meters long and 2.65 meters wide.

Don’t miss…CPKC Certifies Nine Site Ready Locations to Drive Growth

Each tram is equipped with traction batteries that enable operation along 3 km of non-electrified track, reducing visual clutter and simplifying infrastructure maintenance.

Trams operate from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. During peak hours, they run every 5 minutes; off-peak intervals vary from 7 to 15 minutes. The average commercial speed reaches 20 km/h.

Project financing and economic benefits for Liège

The operator of the line is Opérateur de Transport de Wallonie (TEC). The total project cost reached €430 million, with €380 million reimbursed to Tram’Ardent via quarterly payments through 2052.

Additionally, the consortium will receive payments for maintenance, repair, and modernization of infrastructure and rolling stock to ensure long-term service reliability.

The project faced delays of nearly three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising construction costs. In 2024, plans for network extensions were canceled in favor of enhanced bus services.

Liège has a long tram history. Horse-drawn trams were introduced in 1871, followed by electrification in 1893. However, the network was dismantled in 1967. The new tram line marks the return of rail transport to the city after nearly six decades.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Don’t miss…Rail Passengers Evacuated After Power Outage in Spain

Find the latest news of the railway industry in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and the rest of the world on our page on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, read Railway Supply magazine online.

Place your ads on webportal and in Railway Supply magazine. Detailed information is in Railway Supply media kit