The French urban area of Orléans-Val-de-Loire reaffirmed its confidence in Alstom by selecting the company to provide its second tram line. Alstom has already provided the equipment and maintenance of the first line that entered revenue service in 2000.

This new contract, worth around 108 million euros, comprises the design and manufacturing of the entire transport system : 27 Citadis trainsets (of which 6 are optional), the tracks, the signalling system and the ground level power supply, APS.
 
Following Bordeaux in 2000, Angers and Reims in July 2006, Orléans-Val-de-Loire is the fourth urban area to opt for APS, thus confirming the benefits of this technology which is unique throughout the world in terms of urban integration. To protect the historic and architectural heritage of Orléans, tracks covering more than one kilometer will be equipped with this system to preserve the visual integrity of the cathedral and the perspective of the famous “rue Jeanne d’Arc".
 
This second tram line will connect the Orléans urban area from west to east, from the area of "La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin" to the town of Saint-Jean de Braye. It will enter revenue service in 2011, be around 12 km long and will comprise 26 stations.
 
The Citadis trainsets, able to transport more than 200 passengers, will be designed and assembled in Alstom's facility at La Rochelle in France, the company’s tram competence centre. Four other French facilities will contribute to the manufacturing : Tarbes will provide the traction drives, Ornans the traction motors, Le Creusot the bogies and Villeurbanne the onboard electronic systems.
 
Currently, more than 860 Citadis trainsets have been ordered by 24 cities, including 15 in France. They have transported more than 1 billion passengers, demonstrating their reliability over more than 76 million kilometres travelled, confirming the success of this model recognised for its modularity and design.