Tram systems in Dijon
Dijon is the capital of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France. The former capital of the Duchy of Burgundy, it has a historic centre whose landmarks include the Palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy. The city is also known for its mustard and its connections with Burgundy’s food and wine traditions.
Public transport in Dijon and the surrounding metropolitan area is centred on the DiviaMobilités network, combining trams with frequent main bus routes, local buses and demand-responsive services. Regional trains and coaches provide connections beyond the metropolitan area, with Dijon’s main railway station served directly by the tram network. DiviaMobilités also provides bicycle hire and cycle parking facilities.
Dijon’s modern tram system opened in 2012 and consists of two lines serving Dijon and the neighbouring communes of Chenôve and Quetigny. The network has 35 stops across approximately 19 kilometres of infrastructure; the combined length of the two lines is approximately 20 kilometres, including their shared central section.
Line T1 links Dijon’s main railway station with Quetigny Centre La Parenthèse, while line T2 runs between Chenôve Centre and Dijon Valmy. Together, the lines connect the city centre with residential districts and major destinations across the metropolitan area.
DiviaMobilités
The tram and urban bus network operates under the DiviaMobilités brand. Services are run by Keolis Dijon Multimodalité on behalf of Dijon Métropole, the transport authority responsible for the network.
Dijon’s first electric trams entered service in 1895, operated by the Compagnie des Tramways Électriques de Dijon (TED). The metre-gauge network initially comprised four lines covering around 11 kilometres and subsequently expanded to serve more of the city and its suburbs.
During the 1950s, trolleybuses and motor buses progressively replaced the trams. The final tram service ran on 1 December 1961, bringing the original network to an end. Trolleybuses continued operating until 1966, after which buses provided the city’s urban public transport.
The urban transport network was reorganised under the Divia name in 2004, introducing the frequent main bus routes known as Lianes. As passenger demand increased, attention turned to a new transport system running on dedicated infrastructure. Studies led to approval of the modern tramway project on 12 November 2008.
The project created two lines linking Dijon with Chenôve and Quetigny. Dijon and Brest jointly procured their Alstom tram fleets, helping reduce purchasing costs. Construction also brought extensive changes to streets and public spaces along the routes, including landscaping and grassed track.
Trams returned to Dijon on 1 September 2012, when line T1 opened between Dijon’s main railway station and Quetigny. Line T2 followed on 8 December 2012, linking Chenôve Centre with Dijon Valmy. These openings restored tram services after an absence of more than fifty years.
In 2017, the Divia brand became DiviaMobilités, bringing buses and trams together with bicycle and parking services under a common identity.
Dijon’s tramway uses standard-gauge track (1,435 mm) and is electrified at 750 V DC through overhead wires, with power collected by pantographs.
The two lines run at street level on predominantly reserved track, with substantial sections laid on grassed track beds. They share a central section through Dijon before separating towards their respective outer destinations.
Stabling and maintenance are provided at the Ateliers André Gervais, the combined tram and bus operating and maintenance centre on Rue des Ateliers in southern Dijon. The site incorporates a retained nineteenth-century building from the former SNCF railway workshops.
The fleet comprises 33 Alstom Citadis 302 trams, introduced from 2012. These are bidirectional, five-section articulated vehicles, approximately 32.7 metres long and 2.4 metres wide. Driving cabs at both ends allow them to reverse at termini without turning loops.
The trams have a fully low-floor interior and accommodate around 200 passengers. Passenger equipment includes audible and visual information systems and CCTV. The vehicles were assembled at Alstom’s La Rochelle factory, following the joint procurement undertaken with Brest.
Dijon Métropole is developing a third tram line, T3, to increase capacity and improve connections across the metropolitan area. The proposed route links the Portes du Sud area near Chenôve with Cap Nord in Dijon, serving Place du 1er Mai, Place Wilson, the university, the university hospital and the Grésilles district. It is intended to relieve pressure on existing tram and bus services.
Public consultation took place during summer 2025. Further studies will examine the line’s termini and associated park-and-ride facilities, including a possible extension towards Marsannay-la-Côte and alternative alignments at the northern end.
The project is targeting opening in 2030, with a public inquiry planned for 2027. The final route and delivery timetable remain subject to further studies and approvals.