France: Local design agency RCP has developed the design of the new CAF trams for Tours in collaboration with the Spanish manufacturer.
The exterior of the Urbos platform trams will complement the city’s existing Alstom Citadis 402 vehicles, while their interiors will offer increased space for pushchairs and wheelchairs.
Each seven-section bi-directional tram will be 43.8 m long, accommodating 280 passengers, including 76 seated. The new vehicles will be able to operate both from overhead wires and onboard energy storage, enabling autonomous operation for at least 2 km. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027, with entry into service expected in 2028.
The local transport authority, Syndicat des Mobilités de Touraine, has ordered 19 vehicles for the city’s second tram line. Production will take place at CAF’s plant in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France. To meet this and other French contracts—including those for Marseille, Montpellier, and Grenoble—the manufacturer plans to increase staffing at the facility from 200 to 250 employees.
