If you've ever enjoyed the delights of a ride on line 1 in the middle of a Nice summer, you know what it’s like. The closeness, the heat, the air conditioning blowing out warm air from another era... In short, a walking sauna under the open sky. But good news for passengers: the 13 short trains on line 1 (Henri Sappia - Hôpital Pasteur) are finally going to be lengthened, and it’s starting right now! Well, almost: the first XL train will be delivered during the night from July 28 to July 29, followed by a month of testing, before an official launch on August 29.
From 33 to 44 meters and from 200 to 300 passengers
The principle is simple: we're moving from 33 to 44 meters, from 200 to 300 passengers, and that changes everything. With a goal of lengthening one train every two weeks, the Régie Ligne d’Azur plans to eliminate the short trains entirely by the beginning of 2026. The key: a +12% increase in overall capacity on the network. Not bad for a project that was initially launched in 2019!
is on hold due to Covid and budget reallocations towards health.So yes, the aging air conditioning won’t be replaced (we can’t have it all), but with more space to breathe, we can hope for a bit less suffocation. In the meantime, we’ll grit our teeth for a few more weeks, and we're already envisioning a longer, smoother tram that’s a little less stifling. A small step for the rails, a giant leap for our daily commutes.
Source: Nice Matin