DESCRIPTION
Lyon is the second most populated French town; its urban transit system consists in a metro network (Line A, Line B, Line C, Line D), in a modern tram network (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, Rhonexpress) and in an important regional/suburban railway network.
Metro Line A opened on May 1978 (Perrache-Laurent Bonnevay); it was extended in 2007 (Laurent Bonnevay-Vaulx en Velin La Soie). Line 1 interchanges with metro Line 2 (at Charpennes Charles Hernu), Line C (at Hotel de Ville) and Line D (Bellecour).
Metro Line B opened on May 1978 (Charpennes-Part Dieu); it was extended in 1981 (Part DieuJean Macè), 2000 (Jean Macè-Stade de Gerland) and 2013 (Stade de Gerland-Gare d'Oullins). It interchanges with metro Line 1 (see above) and metro Line D (at Saxe-Gambetta).
Metro Line C opened on May 1978 (Hotel de Ville-Croix Rousse); it was extended in 1984 (Croix Rousse-Cuire). Line C is an urban rack railway that replaced a former funicular (Croix Paquet-Croix Rousse) in 1974 and became part of the metro network in 1978 (after Croix Rousse-Hotel de Ville extension).
The first section of the driverless metro Line D (Gorge de Loup-Grange Blanche) opened in 1991; it was extended in 1992 (Grange Blanche-Gare de Venissieux) and 1997 (Gorge de Loup-Gare de Vaise). Line D has a crucial role due to its connections with the other metro lines and with the tram network (tram T1 at Guillotiere, tram T2 at Grange Blanche, tram T4 at Gare de Venissieux); it also interchanges with the railway network at Gorge de Loup and Gare de Venissieux. All Line D stops have an electric protection system, with sensors to detect the presence of obstacles along the track, instead of platform doors.