Bordeaux Cable Car: Discover the 9 Possible Lines

Monday, November 28, Bordeaux Métropole announced the launch of the public consultation on its cable car project between the two banks of the Garonne.

In September 2021, Alain Anziani, the president of Bordeaux Métropole, did not hide his interest in seeing a cable car network arrive in Bordeaux by 2026. A year later, the city has launched the public consultation for the cable car project. The chosen study area to connect the right bank to the left bank of the Garonne is located north of Bordeaux. The project is expected to be completed in 2028. Currently, the Chaban-Delmas bridge is the only crossing over the Garonne between Lormont and the Bassins à Flot. For the community, the goal remains to “relieve traffic congestion and facilitate the movement of residents.”

Bordeaux is studying nine routes

Today, nine routes are subject to the consultation, grouped into three colors: blue, red, and green. The “blue” routes connect to the Achard station on tram line B and cross the Garonne towards Lissandre-Nord. A technical infrastructure will enable cabins to turn towards La Buttinière, Le Rocher de Palmer, or Les Quatre-Pavillons. The costs for these routes are estimated between 53 million and 69 million euros.

The different routes studied for the Bordeaux cable car. (Credit: Bordeaux Métropole)

The “green” routes connect, at the “Cité du Vin” tram station, cross the Garonne to reach Lissandre-Sud. They continue towards La Buttinière, Le Rocher de Palmer, or Les Quatre-Pavillons. The operation’s cost is estimated between 63 and 83 million euros.

The “red” routes cross the Garonne slightly further south to reach the Lissandre-Sud area and continue towards La Buttinière. The line extends towards Le Rocher de Palmer and Les Quatre-Pavillons. In this scenario, a passenger station will be created south of the Marie Brizard company to serve the Brazza neighborhood, at a cost estimated between 55 and 75 million euros.

Crossing the Garonne under study

Crossing the Garonne remains a sensitive issue. For the blue and red routes, the river crossing is limited to 400 meters, which involves installing pylons on both sides of the Garonne. For the green route, the crossing distance is longer. This would require pylons of taller heights (100 meters on the left bank, 110 meters on the right bank).

The metropolis has not yet made a decision regarding the wiring choice for the cable car. Currently, two options are being studied. They are still hesitating between Monocable or 3S (two traction cables and one support cable). The 3S technology limits the number of pylons but requires larger stations (three on the left bank, three on the right bank). With a higher estimated cost of around 50 million euros, it also offers better comfort and more stable cabins.

Additionally, regarding the cabins, Bordeaux Métropole has ruled out the “shuttle” cable car option. It prefers to focus on a cable car system whose profile will be defined based on cost, technical requirements, and urban integration.

More suitable public transportation?

Bordeaux Métropole has nearly 800,000 residents and its population is growing each year. In response to this demographic growth, the metropolis continues to strengthen public transportation. In addition to the cable car, several projects are underway. The extension of tram line A to Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport is scheduled to be operational in spring 2023. The express bus (BUS by the hour) linking Bordeaux-Saint-Jean station and Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc will open in 2024.