The public transport network of Geneva’s public transport company (Transports publics genevois, tpg) was extended on Sunday, 10 December 2023. This involves the extension of tram line 15 to the Plan-les-Ouates industrial estate, the strengthening of on-demand transport through the tpgFlex service and the further electrification of the fleet on several lines.
The most important change was the new tram line to the Plan-les-Ouates industrial zone (ZIPLO for Zone Industrielle Plan-les-Ouates), one of the most important industrial areas in Geneva. “This extension of line 15 of the tpg network will contribute to the attractiveness and dynamism of the canton,” emphasised Denis Berdoz, General Director of tpg. The line has a length of 2.7 km and runs as right-of-way on a grass track to the temporary terminus at ZIPLO. The construction costs of almost 125 million Swiss francs (approx. 132 million euros) were financed by the canton, the neighbouring municipalities and the Swiss federal government as part of the agglomeration programme.
The new line is a first step in the realisation of a second cross-border tram line in Geneva, which is expected to run to Saint-Julien-en-Genevois in France from the end of 2025. Construction work has already begun on the 2.0 km.
Running through Lancy, Confignon and Plan-les-Ouates, this extension of line 15 will give people living or working here direct access to Geneva city centre and the Léman Express via Lancy-Pont-Rouge station every 4 minutes and 30 seconds at peak times. This development will entail changes on various routes. Line 22 (Geneva-Carouge), for example, will be re-routed. It will be extended to the Carouge, Rondeau stop. Line 42 (Carouge-Bernex) will be replaced by line 48 (Confignon-Confignon), the route of which will be adapted (Confignon-Plan-les-Ouates), as will that of line 47 (Confignon-Bernex). Line 42 (Carouge-Bernex) will be replaced by line 48 (Confignon-Confignon), the route of which will be adapted (Confignon-Plan-les-Ouates), as will that of line 47 (Confignon-Bernex).
Expansion of the tpgFlex range
The tpgFlex service is also being expanded. Launched two years ago as a pilot project, this on-call bus service is intended to improve transport connections in rural Geneva. Travellers can use it to either cover a local route or reach a stop on a regular line or at a train station. From 10 December 2023, the tpgFlex service will be extended and will run Monday to Friday from 6.00 am to 10.30 pm in Champagne and serve the new terminus of line 15 in ZIPLO. Lines 76 (Viry-La Plaine) and 77 (Sézegnin-La Plaine) will be discontinued. The tpgFlex service will also be offered in the Seymaz-Voirons region, where it will cover the municipalities of Choulex, Gy, Jussy, Meinier, Presinge, Puplinge as well as part of the Annemasse Agglo area and the municipalities of Collonge-Bellerive, Thônex and Vandoeuvres from Monday to Friday from 6.00 am to 9.00 pm. In particular, this new service will replace line 86 (Presinge-Annemasse). The tpgFlex service will also be available to provide a night service in the Mandement.
Quite a change from a single route from Bachet. I had thought the extension to the airport was already underway. I worked in Geneva for about 8 years and watched the first stages of expansion.