Alstom has launched at UTIP 2015 in Milan the Attractis, an innovative integrated tramway system for growing cities that is simpler to operate and cost-effective.

Thanks to optimised project management and construction methods, Attractis is available in the record time of 30 months from the design phase. Designed to optimise acquisition costs and the total cost of ownership, Attractis can offer up to 20 per cent savings in investment compared to a traditional tramway system.

“Attractis is a concentrate of Alstom’s proven know-how and expertise designed for growing cities with high population density not yet equipped with a tramway system,” said an Alstom statement. It includes Alstom’s Citadis tram and all associated infrastructure: the track, power supply, passenger stations, communication and information system, line operation supervision and control systems, ticketing, and maintenance. In partnership with a civil works company, Alstom builds all the necessary infrastructure and ensures the testing and commissioning of the entire line working with the operator.

“Attractis allows cities, especially those experiencing rapid growth, to acquire a tramway system enabling them to rapidly reduce congestion and pollution, while offering city-dwellers a clean, safe and comfortable mode of transport,” declared Eric Marie, vice president for systems at Alstom Transport.

Able to carry from 4,000 to up to 14,000 passengers per hour and per direction, Attractis can be easily adjusted to the level of ridership. The footprint of a two-way Attractis line is comparable to that of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Should ridership increase, the capacity of Attractis can easily be adapted using the same dedicated lane, whereas the footprint of a BRT lane needs to be doubled. An eco-friendly mode of transportation, the tramway consumes 6 g of petrol equivalent per passenger kilometer, compared with 60 g for the cars, and produces 3 to 10 times less greenhouse gas emissions.

To ensure the availability of Attractis in record time, Alstom has developed optimised construction methodology involving intelligent section-by-section scheduling of civil and electromechanical works to minimise construction time, disturbance and costs. The Attractis package also includes a 3D driving simulator.