Société des transports de Tunis
Encyclopedia
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
area. It supervises the bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
network, the Métro léger de Tunis
Métro léger de Tunis
The Métro léger de Tunis is an expanding public transportation network for the Tunis area that was started in 1985...
(a light railway system) and the TGM
TGM
Tunis-Goulette-Marsa or TGM is a 19 km Tunisian railway line linking the capital Tunis with La Marsa via La Goulette.The TGM was the first railway in Tunisia and inaugurated in 1872. Since 1905 it has been known as the TGM...
rail link to La Marsa
La Marsa
La Marsa is a coastal town in far north eastern Tunisia near the capital Tunis. It is located at around . The population is estimated as 65,742, as of 2006. The old summer capital of pre-colonial Tunisia, it is today a popular vacation spot for many middle class Tunisians.It is connected to Tunis...
. Transfu was founded in 2003 when the Société nationale des transports (SNT) and the Société du métro léger de Tunis (SMLT) were combined. Annually Transtu handles about 460 million passagers.
History
In 1872 Tunisia's first railway was inaugurated linking Tunis to La GouletteLa Goulette
La Goulette is the port of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. The Kasbah fortress was built in 1535 by Charles I of Spain but was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1574...
. The first trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
, initially horse-drawn, was opened in 1885; electrification of the trams started in 1902. A suburban train between Tunis, Bab Saadoun
Bab Saadoun
Bab Saadoun is one of the gates of the medina of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.Constructed circa 1350 on the edge of the suburb of Bab Souika, it owes its name to the saint Sidi Bou Saadoun....
and La Manouba was opened in 1903. In 1930 bus service was started. By 1944, the trolleys were replaced by trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
ses. After gaining independence, the transport systems in Tunis were nationalized. The Société nationale des transports (SNT) was charged to manage transit in the greater Tunis area in 1964. The Metro leger was subsequently created to provide a modern transit system without incurring the cost of building a subterrean metro. First trains on Line 1 began to operate between Tunis and Ben Arous
Ben Arous
Ben Arous is a coastal town in northeastern Tunisia. It is located at around and is the capital of the Ben Arous Governorate.-Information about Ben Arous:...
in 1985. In 2003 the SNT and the Société du métro léger de Tunis were combined.
Network
The authority manages three networks:- The bus system covers 5,836 kilometers in Tunis and surroundings serving a population of about 2 million people. 1,050 buses are covering 206 lines. The yellow buses indicate their terminals in Arabic and French.
- The Métro léger de TunisMétro léger de TunisThe Métro léger de Tunis is an expanding public transportation network for the Tunis area that was started in 1985...
consists of 5 lines that total 82 km; it will be further expanded. - TGM connects Tunis and La MarsaLa MarsaLa Marsa is a coastal town in far north eastern Tunisia near the capital Tunis. It is located at around . The population is estimated as 65,742, as of 2006. The old summer capital of pre-colonial Tunisia, it is today a popular vacation spot for many middle class Tunisians.It is connected to Tunis...
.