Location: 310 km. east of Paris
Founded: 1050
Population: 105 100 (2004)

A city in the northeastern part of France. While Nancy proper has a population of about 105,100, the metropolitan area boasts as many as 410,500 residents. There is a small but impressive, if not glittery, historic center. Most of the city, however, is a product of the industrial growth of the XIX/XX centuries. The city is situated in a valley amid low mountains, which nevertheless provides for steep grades for some streets at the fringes of the city.

The city used to operate a conventional tramway until 1958. A conventional trolleybus was operated between 1982-1998 as the first attempt to optimize the city’s transportation system. It was closed in favor of the GLT project with some infrastructure including sections of the overhead utilized by the new system.

The GLT installation in Nancy is referred to locally as the Tram. The guidance rail is laid in the city center only, as well as in the areas that would have required extensive steering, which includes both terminals. Thus, GLT vehicles detach / reattach to the guidance rail several times throughout the regular service route. This means that the guidance rail could not be used for power supply. The power is therefore supplied via dual overhead wires, requiring vehicles to be equipped with trolleybus-style poles. This further enhances Nancy GLT vehicles being associated with trolleybuses. Moreover, in places where the guidance rail is not provided, GLT vehicles operate in purely trolleybus mode. Besides the electric traction, Nancy vehicles could also move using the diesel engine option.

08.1874 – Conventional horse tramway opens.
1899 – Conventional electric tramway takes over.
02.12.1958 - Conventional tramway closes.
1982 – Conventional trolleybus system opens.
1998 – Conventional trolleybus system closes.
08.12.2000 – GLT Line 1 between Vandoeuvre CHU Brabois - Essey Mouzimpre opens.
11.03.2001 – GLT system closes due to technical problems.
29.03.2002 – GLT system reopens.

Due to multiple technological problems experienced with the GLT in the past, the future of additional extensions is uncertain. The planned Lines 2 and 3 are now likely to be built as an enhanced conventional diesel bus. There is a suggestion to close the GLT system by 2022.

The length of the single northeast-southwest line is 11,4 km., out of which the guiding rail extends for 6,9 km.

Next to all sections with the guidance rail are built on the reservation, by way of parts of streets being converted into dedicated GLT lanes. Thus, technically speaking, only cross non-GLT traffic is allowed over the guidance rail. Nevertheless, cars do move over the GLT right-of-way in order to reach roadside parking spaces. There is only one short segment where GLT vehicles operate in guided mode while in mixed traffic with other cars - the about 150 m. long section over the bridge between Avenue Carrot and Avenue du 20eme Corps, in the westbound direction only. The segment via successive Rue Pierre Semard, Rue Saint-Jean and Rue Saint-Geroges (which is technically the same continuous street) is a dedicated pedestrian-GLT mall only. The about 250 m. long segment on Rue des Pres, preceding the northeastern Essey Mouzimpre Terminal, is a "single-track" section, where the single guidance rail is used by vehicles operating in either direction.

All sections not equipped with the guidance rail, where GLT vehicles operate in unguided trolleybus mode, are built in mixed traffic. The 150 m. long section of the line via Avenue Jean Jaures between Rue Leon Blum and Avenue du Vieux Chateau follows a narrow section of the street that allows for a passage of one vehicle at-a-time in each direction, which move is controlled by signals.

System map: 2011

Approximate midday headways:
Weekdays (schools opened): 5 min.
Weekdays (schools closed) and Saturdays: 6-7 min.
Sundays: 12-20 min.

Timetables are standardized during middays. Schedule awareness, however, is essential when using the system during early mornings or late evenings, when headways are longer.

On-time performance and service regularity are excellent.

25 Bombardier GLT/TVR vehicles (2000)

There are 25 three-section 95% low-floor vehicles on the property, delivered for the opening of the system in 2000, with 18 vehicles needed to maintain the given timetable.

The system faces future rolling stock uncertainties as Bombardier stopped production of GLT vehicles in 2006.