When will Caen's new tramlines begin construction and where will they go?

The summer of 2029, that is the scheduled date meant to mark the opening of the new tramlines in the Caen metropolitan area. But what do we currently know of the project and has anything evolved since 2022?

Two new lines and 9.1 km of new tracks

The new lines will cover 10.4 km with a total of 9.1 km of new tracks needing to be built to accommodate them. With the three current tramlines primarily providing transport on the north-south axis, the new lines aim to provide better service to Caen's western inhabitants. The lines are also set to serve parts of the city centre which have yet to benefit from a tram service.

Seventeen new stops

Some notable additions in terms of stops in Caen's centre are the town hall and theatre stations, which both lines are expected to serve. They will then split, at Place Louis Guillouard (in front of the town hall) and head off in two separate directions.

The first would head towards Saint-Contest, passing through the Chemin Vert (Caen's largest neighbourhood, with its 12,000 inhabitants, had yet to get a tramline), Dunois and rue Caponière.

The second would head south, towards the racetrack at the Prairie, via the Zénith and Palais des Sports and back up through Venoix, Malherbe's Stade d'Ornano and towards the outskirts of Carpiquet.

A detailed map is available on the "Projet Tramway" page of Caen la Mer's website, here.

Not just trams, a whole revitalisation project

The city aims to use this widespread construction project to improve its streets and neighbourhoods in a broader sense, with the tramlines bringing new connections and better mobility to the neighbourhoods it services, but also by improving cycling infrastructure and replacing tarmac with greenery where possible.

Three new park and ride carparks are also set to be built to provide better alternatives for people commuting from outside the city. They will be located by the Chemin Vert, Pompidou and Zénith - Palais des Sports stops, respectively.

The project aims to "facilitate travel and significantly improve the living environment in the affected neighbourhoods".

Archaeological digs are already taking place

After an archaeological evaluation in 2024, multiple dig-sites have been ordered by the DRAC (Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs) over the summer to make sure the project won't negatively affect Caen's historical vestiges.

As such, parts of the city centre may prove more difficult to access over the summer as the digs take place, though they remain relatively small and should only cause localised disruptions. The full details of where and when the digs are expected to take place are available on this page.

A start to be made in mid-2026

With construction set to begin as of 2027, the city says it will start diverting traffic and public transport in the affected areas as of mid-2026.

Much like when the trams were rebuilt and modernised in 2019, the construction of these new lines is expected to take around two years to complete. A detailed timetable of the construction has yet to be published.