Alstom celebrates two years of operation of its Cuenca tramway

Press Release from Alstom 

Alstom, world leader in smart and sustainable mobility, celebrates two years of successful operation of its tramway in Cuenca, Ecuador. The system has been officially operating since September 22, 2019, and currently transports around 19,000 passengers per day. The goal is for the number of passengers to reach 40,000 daily, according to the Municipality of Cuenca, which is in charge of operations and maintenance of the system. 

The transportation system in operation in Cuenca, whose historic walled town was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999, has become a new tourist attraction and is used by people from Cuenca, as well as by national visitors and foreign tourists.

Javier Díaz, Director of the Cuenca Tramway Project for Alstom, said: “We are very happy and proud with the two years of successful and uninterrupted operation of the Alstom tram in Cuenca, particularly knowing that we are contributing to the smart and sustainable mobility of the municipality, with the delivery of a high-quality product and system in partnership with our client and that it brings many benefits to its citizens.”

Alstom and its consortium partners were contracted to design, deliver, integrate and test the complete system, including 14 Alstom Citadis trams, the power supply system, depot equipment, telecommunications and railway signalling equipment. In total, there are 27 stops across the tram network spread over the 20.4 kilometres. The route crosses important places in Cuenca such as the El Arenal Market, a point of intense commercial activity, the Historic Centre, the Bus Terminal, the Mariscal Lamar Airport and the city's Industrial Park.

Each unit of the Alstom Citadis tram is 33 metres long and corresponds to the new generation of this type of modern, fast, silent, inclusive and low CO2-emission transportation. Each Citadis tram can transport up to 280 people, replacing the equivalent of three buses or 215 private vehicles. This, combined with the fact that the system is an electric mobility system, helps to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and carbon emissions.

Additionally, the implementation of the APS system, a system owned by Alstom that supplies the necessary energy for the trams through a third rail located on the ground, helps to preserve and highlight the architecture and landscape of Cuenca. This reliable and safe system has been installed in several cities around the world, which like Cuenca, value its architectural wealth.  

Inclusion is another feature of the transportation system. The units are equipped with low floors and wide doors that guarantee total accessibility, especially for those with reduced mobility. The tram allows for people in wheelchairs, passengers with bicycles and pets with their owners to board. It is common to see young people entering with their bicycles or mothers and fathers with strollers, at different stations.

The two years of operation of the Cuenca tram reaffirms Alstom's commitment to continue working and innovating to offer environmentally friendly and smart mobility systems throughout the world, developing and marketing integrated and maintenance systems that provide the foundations for the future of sustainable transport.