Overview

The city of Lille in northern France has two tramway lines, called "R" and "T". Built in 1909, they are the two remaining lines of a larger tram system in the city. These lines may be more properly called interurbans as they connect Lille to two neighboring towns, Roubaix and Tourcoing. The construction of Lille's metro threatened the tram lines but they were kept in service as they run mostly on reserved tracks alongside the boulevards between the towns. The tramway is sometimes called the "Mongy", after Alfred Mongy, the engineer who designed the lines over 100 years ago. The Lille terminal is underground at the Gare de Lille-Flandres, where transfer is available to the two lines of Lille's metro. The system was renovated in the early 1990s and is operated with low-floor tram cars. The Lille tramway is unusual among the French tramways as it is 1000mm narrow gauge.

The Lille metro opened in 1983 and was the first to use the French "VAL" system of automatic driverless trains. (French: véhicule automatique léger, English: light automated vehicle) system. Line 1 is 13.5km, with 18 stations; Line 2 is 32km with 43 stations. Transfer between the lines can be made at Gare de Lille-Flanders and Porte de Postes. The VAL trains consist of two linked cars and are rubber-tired. The system is operated by Transpole, which also operates the tramway.

Photo Gallery

Five Random Images
Image 40276 (112k, 885x605) Photo by: Alan Reekie Location: Pont Hydraulique (T)	Image 134557 (363k, 1044x761) Photo by: Bernard Chatreau Location: Foch (T)	Image 134583 (358k, 1044x783) Photo by: Bernard Chatreau Location: Faidherbe (T)	Image 134612 (295k, 1044x788) Photo by: Bernard Chatreau Location: Between Alfred-Mongy and Eurotéléport (R)	Image 134650 (240k, 1044x788) Photo by: Bernard Chatreau Location: Pont de Neuville (2)

Pictures By Location

Tramway

Photo locations: Gare Lille-Flandres (R/T), Gare Lille-Europe (R/T), Between Gare Lille-Europe and Romarin (R/T), Romarin (R/T), Botanique (R/T), Between Botanique and Saint-Maur (R/T), Saint-Maur (R/T), Between Saint-Maur and Buisson (R/T), Buisson (R/T), Between Buisson and Brossolette (R/T), Brossolette (R/T), Clemenceau-Hippodrome (R/T), Between Clemenceau-Hippodrome and Croisé-Laroche (R/T), Croisé-Laroche (R/T), Between Croisé-Laroche and Acacias (R), Acacias (R), Between Acacias and Pont de Wasquehal (R), Pont de Wasquehal (R), Between Pont de Wasquehal and La Terrasse (R), La Terrasse (R), Wasquehal - Pavé de Lille (R), Between Wasquehal and Le Sart (R), Le Sart (R), Planche-Épinoy (R), La Marque (R), Clinique du Parc (R), Bol d'air (R), Parc Barbieux (R), Hôpital Victor-Provo (R), Between Hôpital Victor-Provo and Jean-Moulin, Jean-Moulin (R), Alfred-Mongy (R), Between Alfred-Mongy and Eurotéléport (R), Eurotéléport (R), Foch (T), Le Quesne (T), Cerisaie - Centre d'Affaires (T), Château Rouge (T), Between Château Rouge and Cartelot, Cartelot (T), Between Cartelot and Grand Cottignies (T), Grand Cottignies (T), Triez (T), Between Triez and Trois Suisses (T), Trois Suisses (T), Faidherbe (T), Ma Campagne (T), Pont Hydraulique (T), Victoire (T), Tourcoing - Centre (T)

Metro

Photo locations: Quatre Cantons (1), Cité Scientifique (1), Triolo (1), Villeneuve-d'Ascq - Hôtel de Ville (1), Pont de Bois (1), Lezennes (1), Hellemmes (1), Marbrerie (1), Fives (1), Caulier (1), Gare Lille-Flandres (1), Rihour (1), République - Beaux-Arts (1), Gambetta (1), Wazemmes (1), Porte des Postes (1), CHR Oscar-Lambret (1), CHR B-Calmette (1), Saint-Philibert (2), Bourg (2), Maison des Enfants (2), Mitterie (2), Pont Supérieur (2), Lomme - Lambersart (2), Canteleu (2), Bois Blancs (2), Port de Lille (2), Cormontaigne (2), Montebello (2), Porte des Postes (2), Porte d'Arras (2), Porte de Douai (2), Porte de Valenciennes (2), Lille Grand Palais (2), Mairie de Lille (2), Gare Lille-Flandres (2), Gare Lille-Europe (2), Saint-Maurice Pellevoisin (2), Mons Sarts (2), Mairie de Mons (2), Fort de Mons (2), Les Prés (2), Jean-Jaurès (2), Wasquehal - Pavé de Lille (2), Wasquehal - Hôtel de ville (2), Croix - Centre (2), Croix - Mairie (2), Épeule - Montesquieu (2), Roubaix - Charles-de-Gaulle (2), Eurotéléport (2), Roubaix - Grand-Place (2), Gare - Jean-Lebas (2), Alsace (2), Mercure (2), Carliers (2), Tourcoing - Sébastopol (2), Tourcoing - Centre (2), Colbert (2), Phalempins (2), Pont de Neuville (2), Bourgogne (2), CH Dron (2), Lille Metro Interior/Misc