The carpet is not red, but green, with grass planted under the oars of the T9.
The crowd gathers on the platform, laptop in hand, to immortalize the moment.
This Saturday at 11 am, a first train of this new tram line, crowded, started from the Porte de Choisy, in Paris.
Head south, or the Orly-Gaston-Viens (Val-de-Marne) stop on this line which has 19.
More than 80,000 daily travelers are expected there.
A performance that no one would have imagined thirty years ago.
The tram, abandoned in the 1930s in the Paris region, reappeared in 1992 in Seine-Saint-Denis, with the entry into service of T1.
In the second train of the T9, the users, some frustrated at not having had room to be on the first trip, applaud.
"Finally, I have been waiting for this moment since 2016", exults Latifa.
"I will save at least 10 minutes to get to and come home from my work", rejoices Francine as the train surely moves towards its destination.
“Frankly, we had dropped the bus for the car but here we will think about it,” says Yann, a resident of Villeneuve-le-Roi.
“It was unlivable, says Cyrille bluntly.
It's a new life for us and also for the cities served.
"
"I will go twice as fast to my work"
“It's day and night between the tram and the old bus line 183. For four years, it was hellish between the world and the slowdowns because of the works,” explains Hand.
Marguerite, her mother sitting next to her, nods.
“I'm going to get to work twice as fast.
I took more than 40 minutes, ”she notes.
Indeed, from the Porte de Choisy to the Orly terminus, it takes 30 minutes, with trains every 5 minutes during the week, and every 8 minutes at weekends.
New users scrutinize every detail.
"Here, at each stop, red and green lights appear on the ceiling," notes a woman.
On the ceiling, when the doors open, the green neon clearly indicates the direction to follow.
The names of the stops are displayed on a screen on the ceiling.
On some grab bars, USB ports even allow you to recharge your mobile phone between two stops.
“There are tulips in some places on the side of the tracks, works of art further on, the boulevard has been redone.
It's cleaner outside and in the oars, notes, delighted, Odile.
As long as it lasts.
"
This Saturday, T9 users were able to discover the new signage on the ceiling.
To go down, follow the green lights of course.
Sylvain DELEUZE
The amateurs, glued to the driver's window, follow the progress of the train.
“It goes fast, it's clean and quiet.
I love it, ”says Thomas, 7 years old.
A passenger asks a question, the boy immediately draws the answer in front of his father's amazed eyes.
“My son loves trains, subways.
We live in front of the stations so there was no question of missing that, explains the father, Daniel.
On the other hand, we went from two lanes to one lane for cars in certain places and there it is a bit of a hassle.
"
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Side place, users seem comfortable.
“We have more space, especially when you're like me with a stroller,” explains Tiphaine, delighted not to have to climb the stairs of the bus with her baby.
“We find the same faults as for the T3
(Editor's note: the tram on the Marshals)
.
Sitting in a wheelchair for the disabled, you can't see anything on the screen when you withdraw tickets!
To believe that we can not change certain elements to improve our lot ", gets annoyed Alain, a resident of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, before driving the point home:" There is a lack of disabled places and when there are, people don't care.
It is not for me to beg!
"