(L-R) Helge Dorstewitz, director of new tramlines at Luxtram; Lydie Polfer, Mayor of Luxembourg City; Yuriko Backes, Luxembourg’s Minister for Mobility and Public Works; André Von der Marck, Managing Director of Luxtram; Credit: Jazmin Campbell / Chronicle.lu

On Friday 19 April 2024, Luxembourg’s Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, the City of Luxembourg and Luxtram presented the latest extension plans and development priorities for the tram network to media representatives.

The speakers were Luxembourg’s Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, and the Mayor of Luxembourg City, Lydie Polfer, as well as André Von der Marck, outgoing Managing Director of Luxtram, and his successor (from 7 July) Helge Dorstewitz, who currently serves as director of new tramlines at Luxtram.

Minister Backes began by emphasising that mobility remains a priority for the Luxembourg government. She spoke of the desire to offer the “best alternatives” allowing people to “get from A to B”. The minister noted that the tram plays an important role in the 2035 national mobility plan. She acknowledged the need for new tramlines and greater capacity, for example to serve additional residential and work districts in and around the capital. Immediate development priorities thus include extending the tram network to Route d’Arlon and introducing a second tramline.

Mayor Polfer stressed the importance of the tram but also buses in Luxembourg City, two forms of mobility which complement each other - 100,000 passengers take the tram and 200,000 take the bus every day. She touched on the capital’s mobility plan which aims to tackle the double challenge of guaranteeing both accessibility and a good quality of life for residents of the various districts.

Both Minister Backes and Mayor Polfer thanked André Von der Marck, who is retiring as Luxtram Managing Director in July 2024, for his contribution in making the tram a “success”; Minister Backes added that she looked forward to “excellent collaboration” with future Luxtram Managing Director Helge Dorstewitz. Mayor Polfer noted that past achievements have been the result of the various parties working together.

André Von der Marck and Helge Dorstewitz then delivered a powerpoint presentation elaborating on current tram extension priorities, namely the second Kirchberg (K2) line and the Hollerich expansion (both approved in parliament already), as well as the Route d’Esch and Route d’Arlon sections. They noted that the tram is expected to serve an estimated 200,000 passengers per day (at a frequency of every 3-4 minutes in the city centre and 6-8 minutes in other districts) by 2035. They also touched on the topic of the Avenue de la Porte-Neuve section which has run into difficulty in the past (challenges linked to the natural landscape of the municipal park). They said they were working to develop “a better solution” but for now the new routes on Route d’Arlon and on the north-south axis can go ahead without this section.

Next steps (2024/2025)

  • Route d’Arlon: launch of environmental procedures expected in May 2024;
  • CRM Cloche d’Or (storage and maintenance centre): submission of financing bill in June 2024;
  • Rapid tram: APS/APD (preliminary project) studies to begin in July 2024;
  • K2A Kirchberg: execution studies to start in September 2024;
  • Route d’Esch: APS/APD studies to start in September 2024;
  • Route d’Arlon: submission of financing bill at the end of 2024 / start of 2025;
  • K2A Kirchberg: works scheduled to start in the first half of 2025;
  • CRM Cloche d’Or: works scheduled to start in the second half of 2025;
  • Route d’Esch: submission of financing bill towards the end of 2025;
  • Rapid tram: submission of financing bill towards the end of 2025.

The tram is expected to transport passengers to Cloche d'Or from Sunday 7 July 2024, serving five new stations (Scillas, Howald Gare, Lycée Vauban, Waassertuerm, Stadion). Subsequently, the new tram route between Luxexpo and Findel (Luxembourg Airport) is expected to be operational in early 2025.