Sun Link, Tucson’s first tramway line, is 3.9 miles long with 18 stops. The line connects the University of Arizona campus to the Mercado District, Arizona Health Sciences Center, 4th Avenue, downtown Tucson and the Convention Center.
RATP Dev through its RDMT subsidiary has inaugurated the Sun Link Tucson Streetcar as the first tramway line in Tucson, Ariz., over the weekend. The inauguration marks the first RATP Dev tramway service to begin operation in the U.S.
Sun Link, Tucson’s first tramway line, is 3.9 miles long with 18 stops. The line connects the University of Arizona campus to the Mercado District, Arizona Health Sciences Center, 4th Avenue, downtown Tucson and the Convention Center. The tramway offers connecting services with the Tucson bus station and Tucson’s extensive bus network. Sun Link will ultimately become a structural focus for Arizona’s second largest city.
RATP Dev is tasked with operating and maintaining the line with a three-year contract from the City of Tucson Department of Transportation with options for up to eight years. RDMT also ensured the entire preparatory phase prior to operations ranging from technical trials to hiring and training staff. Nearly 40 people work in operations and maintenance for this line.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.