Alstom has supplied a total of 19 trams, each able to carry about 200 passengers, equivalent to more than three buses. The trams will operate on the T7 line, which links Villejuif with Athis-Mons and serves 18 stations. There are plans to extend the line further between Athis-Mons and Juvisy-sur-Orge.

STIF ordered the trams in February 2011 as part of a contract covering the supply of 39 Citadis trams for the T7 and T8 lines. The deal covered by the contract includes the potential for up to 70 trams.

Since it entered service in France, back in 2000, in Montpellier and Orléans, 1,500 Citadis trams have been delivered to 33 cities in France and abroad, the most recent being Tunis, Bordeaux and Tours. Ten cities are awaiting delivery of their Citadis trams, including Aubagne and Avignon in France and Dubaï and Cuenca abroad, with 226 trams set to be delivered in the next two years.

With several hundred possible configurations, Citadis trams meet the mobility needs of small towns and large cities alike. Since it entered service, Citadis has continuously evolved to incorporate the latest technological innovations including the introduction of alternatives to overhead power lines.

A great deal of effort has been put into making Citadis the most efficient, economical and environmentally-friendly solution possible. This includes increasing the trams’ maximum speed, the integration of permanent magnet motors, an optimization of the traction system to reduce energy consumption and making the trams highly recyclable by using materials designed to protect the environment.

The main tram assembly site is located in La Rochelle in France; other assembly sites are also located abroad to bring Alstom closer to the cities it serves.