France's rail company SNCF has exercised an option with Alstom for 15 Citadis Dualis tram-trains for the Ile-de-France region, according to Railway Technology.
The option was placed on behalf of STIF and is part of an Euro 80m framework agreement, which was signed in 2007 for the French regions.
The new trains will be operated on the Epinay-sur-Seine and Le Bourget sections of the Tangentielle Legere Nord line.
With a design based on Alstom's Citadis tramway, the Dualis will be able to operate on both tram and regional rail networks, through adaptations concerning the power, safety and comfort.
The modular, accessible and reliable Dualis helps to meet the need for increased fluidity between the urban and suburban transport networks.
Balancing the benefits of train and tram, Citadis Dualis' configuration enables it to transport passengers to the outskirts at nearly 100km/h without interchage.
The trains will be manufactured at Alstom's Valenciennes site, where 48 Citadis Dualis tram-trains have already been made and delivered to date for different services.
Deliveries under the new order will begin in mid-2016 with commercial operations expected to start in July 2017.
More than 150 Alstom Citadis Dualis and Regio Citadis tram-trains have already been sold in Europe and have travelled over 50 million kilometres.
This technology is also being exported by Alstom along with the Citadis Spirit for the Nort
SNCF ordersh American market. 15 Alstom Citadis Dualis tram-trains
