Tram systems in Orléans
Orléans is situated on the River Loire in north-central France and is the capital of the Centre-Val de Loire region. The city is closely associated with Joan of Arc, who helped lift the siege of Orléans in 1429, an event still commemorated through its annual celebrations. Its historic centre and riverside form an important part of the city’s identity.
Public transport in Orléans and the surrounding metropolitan area is provided under the TAO brand. Two tram lines form the main corridors through the urban area, supported by a bus network, demand-responsive transport and services for passengers with reduced mobility. Park-and-ride sites provide connections into the tram and bus networks from the outskirts.
The tram network connects the city centre with both Gare d’Orléans and Gare des Aubrais, providing interchange with rail services. It also serves major destinations including the hospital at La Source, while buses extend coverage to districts and neighbouring communities beyond the tram routes.
Orléans’ modern tram system opened in 2000 with Line A, followed by Line B in 2012. The two lines provide broadly north–south and east–west routes through the metropolitan area, meeting at De Gaulle in the city centre.
Line A links Jules Verne in Fleury-les-Aubrais with Hôpital de La Source in southern Orléans, serving both main railway stations and the city centre. Line B runs between Georges Pompidou in La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin and Clos du Hameau in Saint-Jean-de-Braye, passing through Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle and central Orléans.
Both lines operate daily using accessible low-floor trams. Together, they connect central Orléans with residential districts, neighbouring communities and major public facilities.
TAO — Keolis Orléans Métropole Mobilités
The TAO network is operated by Keolis Orléans Métropole Mobilités, a subsidiary of the Keolis group, on behalf of Orléans Métropole, the transport authority. TAO is the public-facing brand for the metropolitan transport network.
Orléans’ first tramway opened in 1877, using horse-drawn vehicles on a north–south route through the city. The line was subsequently extended to Olivet, establishing a tram connection between the city centre and communities south of the Loire.
The original line was electrified in 1899, followed by further routes during the early twentieth century. At its greatest extent, the urban network comprised four lines, with Place du Martroi forming its central meeting point.
Financial difficulties and falling passenger numbers led to the gradual contraction of the network during the interwar years. The first line closure took place in 1924, and buses progressively replaced further tram services during the 1930s. The last trams ran on 31 March 1938, leaving Orléans without an urban tramway for more than six decades.
Plans for a modern tramway developed during the 1990s as the metropolitan area sought to improve public transport and reduce reliance on private cars. The first route followed a north–south corridor, linking Fleury-les-Aubrais with central Orléans, Olivet and the southern district of La Source.
The modern tramway returned in November 2000 with the opening of what is now Line A. Its approximately 18-kilometre route connected the two main railway stations with the city centre, university campus and hospital at La Source, crossing the Loire on Pont George-V.
The network expanded on 30 June 2012, when Line B opened between La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin and Saint-Jean-de-Braye, serving Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle and central Orléans along the way. The approximately 11-kilometre east–west route complemented Line A, with interchange between the two at De Gaulle. Its opening was accompanied by a reorganisation of the bus network around the two tram corridors.
The Orléans tramway uses standard-gauge track (1,435 mm). Both lines are predominantly double-track surface routes, combining dedicated tram corridors with sections integrated into streets and pedestrian areas. Line A crosses the Loire on Pont George-V, while Line B remains north of the river.
The two lines meet at De Gaulle in the city centre, where track connections allow vehicles to move between them. The network uses bidirectional trams, which reverse at their termini without requiring turning loops. Maintenance and stabling facilities are located at Orléans-La Source for Line A and Saint-Jean-de-Braye for Line B.
The network operates at 750 V DC. Line A uses overhead wires, with current collected through roof-mounted pantographs. Line B also uses overhead wires on its outer sections, but employs Alstom’s APS ground-level power supply through part of central Orléans, between Madeleine and Eugène Vignat.
APS supplies electricity through a segmented conductor rail between the running rails, with sections energised beneath the tram. This allows operation without overhead wires through the historic centre, preserving views around the cathedral and Rue Jeanne d’Arc.
The fleet comprises 43 Alstom Citadis trams, divided between two generations. The original Citadis 301 vehicles serve Line A, while the later Citadis 302 vehicles operate on Line B and also supplement Line A.
| Type | Fleet | Approximate length | Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alstom Citadis 301 | 22 | 30 m | Three-section articulated tram with a partially low-floor interior |
| Alstom Citadis 302 | 21 | 32 m | Five-section articulated tram with a fully low-floor interior and APS equipment |
The Citadis 301 fleet entered service with the modern network in 2000. The Citadis 302 fleet was acquired for the expansion culminating in Line B’s opening in 2012. Both types have driving cabs at each end and doors on both sides.
The Citadis 302 vehicles can operate using either overhead power or APS. The Citadis 301 vehicles lack APS equipment, restricting them to routes supplied by overhead wires.
The planned redevelopment of Place d’Arc and Place Albert 1er includes a realignment of Line A and relocation of the Gare d’Orléans tram stop. The revised route would provide a more direct alignment between Avenue de Paris and Rue de la République, replacing the existing tight curves near the station. The associated development agreement was approved by the metropolitan council in April 2026.
Implementation depends on the remaining permissions and coordination with the redevelopment of the shopping centre. In April 2026, the metropolitan authority identified summer 2027 or 2028 as possible periods for the tramway works, with the final timetable still to be confirmed.
Orléans Métropole has studied further expansion of the tram network. Options identified include a new branch from Line A north of Libération towards Saran, serving the Interives development and Oréliance health complex, together with extensions of Line B westwards into La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin and eastwards towards the Tangentielle. The Line B proposals would improve access to park-and-ride facilities farther from the city centre.
These proposals have progressed through studies, but funding has not been secured and there is no confirmed construction timetable. Statements reported in July 2025 indicated that works were unlikely to begin before 2032; this represents an earliest possible horizon rather than a committed delivery date. The eventual routes, stops and implementation programme remain to be confirmed.