In Funimag there is not only funiculars… there are also tramways… so today here is the Mulhouse tramway in Alsace.
My last visit in Mulhouse was in 1999, there was no tramway at this time. The Mulhouse tramway was opened in May 2006. Was I saw it few weeks ago I was very enthusiastic! This tramway is a very big success: effectiveness, frequency, comfort, design… I really liked the design and the public address system. The trains have a nice yellow colour and inside it is yellow, grey and black (design by Peret, the spanish designer)… really nice! It really changes from sad colour design we can see in a lot of places.The design was chosen by the inhabitants of Mulhouse themselve! The public address system is from Pierre Henry, the famous composer. The stations with their arches were designed by Daniel Buren. All along the two lines, they are scultures from Tobias Rehberger.
So… I did not recognized the 1999′s Mulhouse … I was really impressed by the great integration of the tramway in the town and by the great new urbanization of the streets.
In 2010 Mulhouse tramway will be extended to Thann and Kruth… and the tramway will use the normal train lines! It will be a ‘tram-train’ as Karlsruhe tramway is.