The European Investment Bank is reviewing documentation to provide EUR 60 million in financing for the purchase of new trams in Grenoble.
If approved, the financing will go to the Syndicat Mixte des Mobilités de l’Aire Grenobloise (SMMAG) – the public transport and mobility authority that manages the urban and regional transport system in the city of Grenoble and its metropolitan area.
The total eligible cost is EUR 189 million, and the project aims to finance 38 new trams, each 44 meters long. The new trams will improve transport services in the city and its metropolitan area and will replace the Tramway Français Standard (TFS) vehicles, which are nearing the end of their service life and currently operate on the existing tram network.
The bank’s financing will support the contract signed in July 2025 by SMMAG and rolling stock manufacturer CAF for the delivery of 38 Urbos trams, which also includes an option to order more than 9 vehicles.
The new trams will be delivered starting in 2028 and will be adapted to meet the specific requirements of the metropolitan area in terms of accessibility, increased capacity, comfort, and operational optimization.
The trams will be fully air-conditioned and 100% low-floor, with a capacity of 281 passengers, including 82 seated. They will facilitate access and movement for people with reduced mobility.
The trams will also have 12 double-access doors, reducing boarding and alighting times at stations. The new trams will be manufactured at the Bagnères-de-Bigorre plant, CAF’s center of expertise in France for the manufacture of trams and short trains (under 50 meters).
The purchase of the new trams in Grenoble is part of the sustainable transport strategy, as set out in the city’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. It supports the objective of reducing the use of private cars in favor of public transport and active mobility. The project is therefore in line with the European Union’s strategy under the European Green Deal and the Strategy for Sustainable and Smart Mobility.
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