Photorail 8 - TRAM DE LIEGE

THE LIÈGE TRAM: THE RETURN OF RAIL TO THE ‘FIERY CITY’

With its route, the 2025 version of the Liège tram is the heir to a long tradition of urban transport, which was interrupted in the 1960s. Six decades later, it is being revived to form the new backbone of the Liège TEC network. In the meantime, abandoned projects, shifting political priorities and financial difficulties have left the ‘Cité Ardente’ trapped in traffic, bogged down in massive civil engineering works.

1. A BIT OF HISTORY

The history of trams in Liège? It has been written about time and again. I am thinking of the reference collection ‘Les tramways au Pays de Liège’ (unfortunately out of print), produced by the GTF and penned by JH Renard (among others), but also of the recent book by Frédéric Georges and Alain Mertens, ‘Liège en tram’.

This story begins in 1871 with a horse-drawn tram line on standard gauge (1,435 mm), linking Guillemins station to Place Saint-Lambert, and then on to Coronmeuse. It is worth noting that it already followed a route similar to that of the current tram. Electrification began in 1893, making Liège, it seems, the first Belgian city to operate an electric tram!

2. COMPETITORS WHO DON’T STEP ON EACH OTHER’S TOES… ON THE TRACKS

Within a few years, some twenty lines radiated out from the city centre towards the suburbs. I shall not go into the history of Liège’s operators: as elsewhere, it is rather complex, involving start-ups, bankruptcies, takeovers, mergers, and so on. To simplify matters, let’s say that alongside the local network (with metre gauge) covering the entire kingdom to serve mainly rural areas and suburbs, Liège established two urban networks with standard gauge: the Tramways Liégeois and the Liège-Seraing (RELSE). As its name suggests, the latter runs towards Seraing and Jemeppe-sur-Meuse, to the west. The presence of different track gauges explains the tangle of rails and overhead lines, as the period photograph on page 12 clearly shows.

In the interwar period, the urban operators merged to form the TULE (Tramways Unifiés de Liège et Extensions); services to the outskirts (mainly to the north: Saint-Trond, Tongres, Bassenge, Jupille, etc.) were provided by the SNCV trams.

3. WHEN THE TRAMS BOWED OUT

But after the Second World War, the mood was one of change. The tram was seen as ageing, even obsolete. Modernity was synonymous with ‘diesel’: the bus was seen as a more flexible and less costly mode of transport. The year 1955 marked the beginning of the decline for the Liège tram network. Its demise came to an end on 23 December 1961, with the closure of the 50 Liège–Tongeren route. The urban trams, technically obsolete due to a lack of significant investment after the 1930s, were also gradually withdrawn from service, with the last one leaving the city centre on 31 August 1964. As an aside, a tram continued to run between Flémalle and Seraing until April 1968.

4. THE GHOST METRO AND DECADES OF DOUBT

But in the 1970s, following the example of Brussels and Charleroi, the authorities in Liège dreamt of a metro or pre-metro, intended to symbolise modernity and support the region’s economic regeneration. Tunnels were dug in the heart of the city, but the project was abandoned; it became one of Belgium’s most famous ‘useless works’ (see pages 18–19), subsequently serving as a car park or simply a storage area.

At the same time, Liège relied almost exclusively on cars and diesel buses: the trolleybus network was phased out in the early 1970s, roads were widened, motorway interchanges were built, and car parks were created in the city centre. In the absence of a structuring rail transport system, traffic congestion worsened, whilst the idea of bringing back the tram periodically resurfaced, without ever materialising, against a backdrop of political debates, institutional (and linguistic) disputes and budgetary constraints.

5. THE DIFFICULT RETURN OF THE TRAM

It was not until the start of the 21st century that the prospect of a tram really made its way onto the Walloon agenda, under the combined pressure of road congestion, climate demands and a desire to revitalise the city centre. The arrival in power of the Greens, who favour sustainable modes of transport, also played a significant role. The tram was then seen, oh the irony, as a tool for urban regeneration as much as a means of transport: reducing the role of the car, redesigning boulevards, and improving accessibility.

6. A HISTORIC ROUTE, BUT… LOGICAL!

Entirely within the boundaries of the City of Liège, the route of the T1 line follows the main axis of the Meuse Valley, running between Sclessin (Standard Stadium) on one side, and Coronmeuse (on the border with Herstal) and Liège Expo (depot and maintenance centre) on the other. The line crosses the city from one end to the other, serving the main neighbourhoods and transport hubs – just as the RELSE and TULE trams did 70 years earlier! Along this densely urbanised corridor, the tram always runs at street level, mainly on dedicated tracks (often grassed over), with priority at junctions to ensure a relatively attractive operating speed. Whilst it may not seem very fast, it is in any case far quicker than the buses of yesteryear.

In total, the line stretches for 11.7 km, has 23 stops – grandly referred to as ‘stations’ – with bus connections and large park-and-ride facilities at the Standard and Liège Expo termini, which are, unfortunately, underused. Since 28 April 2025, 66 bus routes – representing around 75% of the Liège TEC network – have been linked to the tram, which has become its backbone.

7. CHOICE OF CAF URBOS 100 TRAMS

The operator of the new tram, TEC Liège-Verviers, has purchased 20 state-of-the-art Urbos 100 trams from the Spanish manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF), designed for intensive urban service. Measuring approximately 45 m in length and 2.65 m in width, these highly aesthetic and comfortable vehicles, featuring a fully low-floor design, are designed for maximum accessibility, with dedicated spaces for passengers with reduced mobility, pushchairs and bicycles.

Each tram has a ‘standard’ capacity of 310 passengers (4 people per square metre), but can accommodate around 426 at maximum capacity. The on-board facilities – air conditioning, audio announcements, real-time information displays and USB sockets – make the tram a thoroughly modern mode of transport, a far cry from the trams of yesteryear.

8. CONSTRUCTION AND INAUGURATION

The project, entrusted to the Tram’Ardent consortium, was originally scheduled to last three years, from May 2019 to October 2022. But that was without taking into account the Covid-19 pandemic, the floods of July 2021, inflation and the problems encountered by the contractor. In August 2024, the Walloon government even announced, for budgetary reasons, the abandonment of the two planned extensions to Herstal and Jemeppe, which will be replaced by rapid bus routes.

After numerous delays, the opening of Line 1 is finally announced for April 2025. The project enters the ‘dry run’ phase two months earlier: trams run empty along the entire route, at the frequency planned for commercial service, in order to familiarise staff, run in the rolling stock and test the fixed installations.

On 28 April 2025, at long last, the first commercial tram linked Sclessin to Coronmeuse in a very family-friendly atmosphere; the occasion was highly symbolic for a city that had not seen a tram in service for sixty years. On 9 May, in the presence of King Philippe of Belgium, the reopening was marked by a major ‘Tram en fête’ celebration featuring entertainment, concerts and completely free travel on Liège’s bus and tram network.

9. EXCELLENT SERVICE AND A REORGANISED NETWORK

Fares on the tram line are the same as in the rest of Wallonia: €2.80 for a ticket valid for 90 minutes across the entire TEC network (or €2.23 with a 6-trip card) and €6 for a day pass. Acting as a sort of ‘surface metro’, the tram runs every day from 5am to 1am (last departure at 1.10am from Guillemins station towards the city centre and Liège Expo!). The frequency (see table below) varies depending on the time and type of day (school week; school holidays; Saturdays; Sundays & public holidays). With one small exception, the weekday timetable is the same whether or not there is school. Well done, TEC! Important note: as trams run alternately towards Coronmeuse AND towards Liège Expo, the frequency on these two terminal sections is obviously halved.

As for journey times, to put it simply, allow 5 to 6 minutes for each of the following sections: Standard / Val Benoît / Guillemins / Charlemagne / Saint-Lambert / Pont Atlas, and 4 minutes to reach the termini. That’s 33 minutes in total, covered at an average speed of 21.3 km/h. Not bad!

The introduction of the tram has led to a complete overhaul of the network: new designations (T for Tram, B for Busway, E for Express), logical renumbering, new colours depending on the zone, and a complete reorganisation. Towards Sart Tilman, for example, the famous line 48, long

the sole major route to the university, has thus been replaced by several key lines (2, 3, 8, E20, and the future B2 and B3) connected to the tram, with a focus on feeder services rather than duplication.

10. BETWEEN HERITAGE, COMPROMISE AND PROSPECTS

Liège’s new tram is neither a simple return to the urban trams of yesteryear, nor the underground metro dreamed of in the 1970s: it is the result of a compromise between budgetary constraints, urban necessities and environmental ambitions. The word ‘compromise’ is very apt: ‘yes’ to the tram on its main route, but ‘no’ to the extensions initially planned towards Seraing or Herstal. Too expensive?

Although I am neither a user nor a resident of Liège, I particularly regret the abandonment of the extension to Seraing. One need only look at the map on page 1 to realise the significant number of bus routes running between the Standard terminus and Pont de Seraing, and even as far as the Jemeppe SNCB station. This is less the case, it seems to me, in Herstal, at the other end of the line.

At this stage, the current network is, I hope, more of a starting point than an end in itself. But after four decades of procrastination, the ‘Fiery City’ has finally equipped itself with a structuring rail system, capable of reshaping travel habits and reconciling the city with its inhabitants. The TEC Liège and its tram are writing a new chapter, from yesterday’s ‘ding ding’ to today’s electronic announcements… and the already famous ‘DONG’ of the CAF trams, so distinctive and audible from so far away.

6.      This magnificent colourised vintage postcard shows the Meuse at the Petit Paradis lock (the medieval-looking tower on the far right), with a Jemeppe–Liège steam tram operated by the RELSE at its foot. This line was the first "street railway"; opened in 1882, it was indirectly responsible for the creation of the SNCV. It was also the only RELSE line to enter Liège (as far as Place Saint-Lambert), running alongside the Meuse. Info: JH Renard.

7.      This early 20th-century postcard, which I have colourised, shows an urban tram in front of the Opera House. Just as in those days, you can once again cross the boulevard without fear of being run over by a car. Note the statue of the famous Liège composer André Grétry: although his remains are buried in Paris, his heart is enshrined in the statue’s pedestal.

8.  An old colour postcard of the third Guillemins station (built in 1882), hand-coloured in a workshop by ‘helpers’, often women, who had never seen the sites in question. Note the green colour of the canopy sheltering the main entrance and the cars to the right of it: it is anything but realistic. But at the time, it was better than black and white. The TULE trams (i.e. standard gauge at 1,453 mm) were the only ones serving Les Guillemins.

9.      This (recoloured) postcard from the 1930s shows the Palace of the Prince-Bishops and the tram turning loop. In the foreground, a local tram and a sightseeing tram (presumably on a Sunday); to their right, a train on Line 12 of the Tramways Unifiés. On the far right, two buildings flanked Place Saint-Lambert, including the Tourist Office. They were demolished during the major redevelopment works of the 1980s.

10.  An SNCV train (standard motor car + trailer) travelling from Riemst and Herstal towards Saint-Lambert approaches the RG ramp downstream of Quai de Coronmeuse towards Pont Atlas. Photo by L. Clessens taken around 1957 (JH Renard collection)

11.  SNCV Type S and TULE motor car on Line 5. In the background, the SNCB station at Liège-Palais and, on the right, the Palais on Place Saint-Lambert. In the foreground, the tracks, points and overhead lines allow for the operation of urban trams with pole contact, local trams with pantographs, and additionally an overhead line for trolleybuses. Photo by R. Temmerman, taken before 1960 (JH Renard collection).

12.  This photograph was taken by JH Renard on 15 February 1964 near No. 281 Rue Saint-Léonard. It shows the M29 motor car No. 184 (STIAL, formerly TULE) travelling towards the city centre, with the Church of Sainte-Foy in the background.

13.  On Boulevard de la Sauvenière (near Rue Lonhienne), a STIAL (formerly TULE) motor car pulls a STILS carriage towards Liège-Guillemins on 21 February 1964. It forms an advertising convoy on the urban lines, a few months before their closure. Photo by JH Renard.

14.  Place Général Léman, 29 January 1967. Motor car D 307 has just left the stop to enter Rue de Fragnée and head towards the city centre. Far left: Rue Varin. Photo: JH Renard

15.  21 March 1967: the D-type bogie motor car has just left the Liège République Française terminus and is heading towards Pont de Seraing. Photo: JH Renard.

16.  Two postcards showing the same location in the 1960s. Left-hand page: note the traffic, the red and cream SNCV bus, the STIL trolleybus and the cream SNCV Type S tram. One can make out that the tracks run around the square.

17.  Above: the same spot a few years later. The tracks have been filled in, and the trams and catenary poles have disappeared; the square is now used as a coach park.

MAJOR WORKS OF THE 1970S AND 1980S: REALISM OR DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR?

PLACE ST-LAMBERT

All Belgians who lived through the late 1980s will no doubt remember the Sunday programme by Jean-Claude Defossé, an investigative journalist at RTBF, who exposed the mismanagement of the public authorities and their voracious appetite for viaducts, tunnels, motorways and other utterly useless structures.

With his permission, I have reproduced and colourised the black-and-white illustrations from his Petit Guide des Grands Travaux Inutiles, focusing on Place Saint-Lambert (p. 210) and the Ghost Metro (p. 214).

"Wellies and a torch required for a thorough visit".

Development work on Place Saint-Lambert began in 1975: a huge hole was dug in the middle and thousands of tonnes of concrete were poured to create gigantic multi-level underground caverns, a bus station, underground car parks, access shafts and two large lift towers (visible top left opposite). But the project was halted in 1980, having cost almost 3.8 billion francs. That is 300 million euros when inflation is taken into account.

Work resumed in 1989, beginning with the demolition of the two towers, followed by the construction of a bus station and the extension of the Courthouse.

Jean-Claude Defossé adds: “It’s impossible to distinguish financially between what will serve a purpose and what has been spent in vain. Is the ordeal of Saint-Lambert finally coming to an end? Like Saint Thomas, let’s wait until we can see for ourselves.”

Well yes, we can say it and confirm it: a full stop was put to this ordeal in 2025.

The left-hand side of Place Saint-Lambert. The main and side façades of the Palais. Top left: the two lift towers, demolished to make way for the new Palais de Justice. Photo taken from the opposite angle to the one below. Courtesy of Jean-Claude Defossé.

This photo, probably taken in 1978, shows the construction work on the site that has now become the new Palace of Justice and the Îlot Saint-Michel. In the background: the department stores. In the top left-hand corner: the corner of the Palace of the Prince-Bishops. Photo: City of Liège Department of Urban Planning.

THE GHOST METRO OF LIÈGE

Another chapter of the Petit Guide des Grands Travaux Inutiles is devoted to Liège’s ghost metro. Jean-Jacques Defossé points out that the works are almost entirely invisible, as they are underground. Except for the access shaft to the Saint-Léonard Quay tunnel, on the banks of the Meuse, pictured opposite.

Work on a heavy metro system in Liège began in the early 1970s. However, studies and experts estimated that such a project was not viable in a city with fewer than a million inhabitants. But Charleroi has one, so why not Liège?

A long tunnel was dug along the Meuse, beneath Quai Saint-Léonard and Quai de la Batte, another beneath the Blonden junction – a very deep one as it passed under the road tunnel – as well as four exploratory shafts, including at Val Benoît and beneath Place Saint-Lambert.

But the project fizzled out and work was halted. A shame, as the public authorities had already spent nearly 900 million Belgian francs, or over 65 million euros.

But Liège was determined to have its metro. In the mid-1980s, a prototype automated urban transport system (the TAU), similar to the VAL operating in Lille, was unveiled in Charleroi. Liège and Mons vied for this new mode of transport, but the Minister for Communications, Herman De Croo, came out in favour of the ‘Fiery City’. Except that… the studies commissioned, carried out (and paid for!) concluded that the project was unviable.

Jean-Jacques Defossé points out, however: “Some have not given up on the idea of rail-based public transport in the principality.” Thirty-five years later, one can only agree with him! Well spotted, Mr Defossé!

The cutting at Quai Saint-Léonard providing access to the tunnel intended for Liège’s former planned heavy metro. Fortunately, it has all been filled in today.

Aerial photograph of Place Saint-Lambert, probably around 1978. Dark, cluttered and chaotic, the square bears no resemblance to today’s open and airy version. Photo: City of Liège Department of Urban Planning.

After decades of indecision and vast sums of money wasted for nothing, Liège finally opted for the most obvious solution: the tramway. Of course, it wasn’t built overnight. These photos, taken in 2023 by Christian Scheemakers, bear witness to this.

CAPTIONS FOR THE PHOTOS OPPOSITE:

1. Place Général Leman; in the background, the tunnel used by the tram towards Sclessin;

2. Boulevard de la Sauvenière, on the Opéra side; in the centre, high up: the Basilica of Saint Martin;

3. The same boulevard, but on the other side, between the current Sauvenière and Pont d’Avroy stops;

4. A comical scene on Boulevard d’Avroy; the well-turfed dedicated lane seems to hold a particular attraction for these ducks.

HOW TO ‘READ’ THIS PHOTO ALBUM?

Having given a brief overview of the tram’s history through texts, old postcards, black-and-white photographs and pictures of construction sites and works, it is time to explore the entire T1 line, from end to end.

The journey begins at Liège Expo, where we’ll board a tram towards Sclessin and the Standard terminus. We’ll then head straight back in the opposite direction to reach Coronmeuse (left bank) on the second branch of the eastern terminus; all that remains is to return to the depot via the short link to Liège Expo (right bank).

This album has been designed to offer tram enthusiasts magnificent photographs in A4 format. At the bottom of each photograph is a diagram of the line, with a box for each stop; the tram’s location is indicated by a silver-coloured box (or two if the tram is photographed between two stops).

Please note that there is another version of this photo album, "Guided tour along the tram route", with captions in French and Dutch at the bottom of each page, presenting the history and heritage of the city, its buildings and its tram.

Enjoy reading, and above all, enjoy the journey!

Didier Lemaire

1.   On a beautiful sunny day in April 2025, the two CAF trams at the Liège Expo terminus await departure.

2.  View from inside an empty CAF tram of the TEC Liège-Verviers, powered by batteries or 700 V overhead lines. Note the touches of red scattered here and there. This tram, 45.4 m long and 2.65 m wide, consisting of 7 sections, can carry over 400 passengers at full capacity. Its 8 axles run on rails spaced 1435 mm apart. Please have your Mobib card ready, ladies and gentlemen, as we are about to depart. View of the interior of a tram.

3.   Dong… The people of Liège have already grown accustomed to the distinctive departure chime of their tram. Depending on the circumstances, it can be heard from a hundred metres away and serves as a reminder that the tram always has right of way. Here it is at the Liège Expo terminus… located just a few metres from the (Liège) municipalities of Bressoux and Jupille-sur-Meuse!

4.  A few metres further on, a tram has departed from the Droixhe stop, which is situated at the foot of the two towers visible in the background of the photo. Photo: Christian Scheemakers 02/04/2025

5.  The tram coming from Sclessin is at the Droixhe stop during a ‘test run’, i.e. running empty, with no passengers. These test days are designed to familiarise staff and equipment with conditions very similar to those of actual operation. The local primary school can be seen on the left.

6.  The Atlas Bridge photographed in spring with a telephoto lens from the left bank of the Meuse. Note that it has no overhead lines: traction is therefore provided by batteries.

7.   There are no overhead wires on this section. At the end of the Atlas Bridge, on the left bank, the ‘wattman’ (or tram driver) can either turn left towards the city centre, which is the normal route; or turn right to reach the terminus of the extension to the recently redeveloped Coronmeuse eco-neighbourhood. This section will be discussed in the final pages of the book.

8.  Above: On this dedicated track bed, perfectly covered in grass, we see two trams: the one on the right heading towards the city centre, and the one on the left climbing the ramp to cross the Atlas Bridge. To their right, two other parallel tracks lead from the terminus of the extension to Coronmeuse. Photos DL 30/04/2025.

9.  Return of the overhead line at the Atlas stop. However, the two trams on the left-hand track (towards Liège Expo) have lowered their pantographs. It is another day of test runs, and technical issues explain why the two trams are so close together. Furthermore, the points leading to the Coronmeuse terminus are clearly visible.

10.  Opposite: The apartment blocks on Quai Saint-Léonard, on the left bank, give this photo a touch of the Belgian coast (and the coastal tram). The redevelopment has been entirely reimagined to prioritise sustainable modes of transport: pedestrians, cyclists and trams. It is a real treat to walk or cycle along the banks of the Meuse – whether on an electric bike or not. Photo: DL 05/04/2025 & 30/04/2025.

11.   Links: What a comical scene this is, near the Marengo stop. Take a closer look at the red tricycle: it’s a TEC vehicle – which can even carry a passenger! It’s fully kitted out: a barbecue and a crate of Jupiler beer, a sunshade, two orange flashing lights and a TRAM warning triangle. Unfortunately, I didn’t spot its driver when I passed by in late April 2025.

12.  Above: I stood on the right bank of the Meuse to photograph this tram on the other side of the river. But in the foreground, a barge caught my eye: Amon Tchantchès. In Walloon, this means ‘At Tchantchès’s’. He is an iconic figure in Liège’s culture and folklore.

13.   Links: Another scene that will appeal to fans of the “sea tram”, courtesy of Lionel Debacker (28/04/2025): a T1 tram heading towards Place Saint-Lambert and Sclessin reaches the end of the double track on Quai Saint-Léonard and is about to turn right towards the Pont Maghin stop (see next page).

14.  Above: This view from 30 April 2025 shows two trams that have just passed each other; the one on the right, coming from the city centre (on the left), has run along the Meuse on a single track and crossed the Batte district; the one on the left comes from Pont Atlas, will stop at the Pont Maghin stop and then continue on battery power towards the city centre (on the left of the photo), on a single track running parallel to the Meuse but routed through built-up areas. 

15.   A beautiful autumnal view from the Pont Maghin stop, 8 November 2025. The tram is still powered by overhead lines, but is about to switch to battery mode. In the background are the wooded hills of the citadel’s slopes, where the hospital of the same name is located. At their foot, a little further on than the tram, stood Saint-Léonard Prison until 1982.

16.  Above: The Pont Maghin stop is a double-track station with a side platform on each side. Why allow a crossing if the line is supposed to be single-track (and one-way) towards the city centre? Well, it’s all down to the Sunday market at La Batte. As moving this institution, which dates back nearly five centuries, is unthinkable, trams must run in both directions on the section of Rue Féronstrée. Hence this passing loop and the one in the middle of the section.

17.   Links: Still at the Pont Maghin stop, I’m on the lookout for an unusual shot. And when that ray of sunshine reflects off the metallic surface of the roof, I press the shutter button on my camera.

18.  Above: The tram has just left the Pont Maghin stop and is heading – on a single track! – towards the city centre and Sclessin via Rue Féronstrée. To its left, the triangular structures mark the site of the Esplanade Saint-Léonard, where the sinister prison of the same name once stood. An extension of this square is now home to a playground.

19.  Left: As the sign indicates, we are now at the Feronstrée stop, on the street of the same name. Contrary to appearances, the line is not double-tracked but single-tracked in the east–west direction, with the exception of this stop. The tram passes through a thoroughly transformed neighbourhood; much more pleasant since the end of motor traffic, it nevertheless suffers from a lack of light due to the shadow cast by the tall buildings. Photo: Christian Scheemakers 10/05/2025.

20.  Above: A touch of sunshine is all it takes to bring the Place du Marché to life. The café terraces around the Perron, THE symbol of Liège’s freedoms and independent spirit, are very popular with the people of Liège, even on this 5 April 2025, when the temperature barely exceeds 15°C. For aesthetic reasons, the tram track has no overhead lines; the tram therefore runs on batteries, on a single track, and is heading towards Place Saint-Lambert, to the right of the image.

21.  Links: Night photography is a specialised discipline far from straightforward. I am all the more grateful to Lionel Debacker for spontaneously offering me these two shots taken on 16 December 2025 during the Liège Christmas market, the largest in Wallonia. Links: a tram arrives at the Market Square and the famous Perron, visible on the previous page.

22.  On the opposite page, the tram is a little further on and reaches Place Saint-Lambert. The right-hand track is occupied by a tram that has just left the double track and taken the single-track junction towards Liège Expo.

23.  Links: Here again is the famous Place Saint-Lambert, which made headlines in the 1980s and 1990s due to works that seemed, at the time, never-ending. The left-hand side is occupied by the former Palace of the Prince-Bishops of Liège, which has served as the Palace of Justice since the 19th century. The tram is, of course, running on batteries.

24.  Above: At the end of Rue Joffre, Place Saint-Lambert and the dome of Saint-André Church can be seen. I have my back to the theatre, which today houses the Royal Opera of Wallonia. The building was erected in the early 19th century, under Dutch rule, and inaugurated in 1820.

25.  Left: These two views were taken from the same spot, but a century apart. Links: The tram coming from Guillemins station leaves Boulevard de la Sauvenière and the Opéra/République française stop. At the same time, it switches from overhead catenary power to battery power. Due to the orientation of the boulevard, the tram is only exposed to the sun for a few days a year, early in the morning.

26.  Above: In the centre, atop the hills, stands the Basilica of Saint-Martin, built in the 16thcentury. The postcard bears neither a date nor a postmark, but the photograph was probably taken around the turn of the 1930s.

27.   Left: These two views were taken on Boulevard de la Sauvenière, almost at the same spot: the one above (Christian Scheemakers 28/04/2025) is the reverse angle of the one on the right (DL 08/11/2025). Very few people know that this former 3×3-lane thoroughfare, which is now largely free of motor traffic, was once a branch of the Meuse, which was filled in in 1844.

28.  Links: New before-and-after comparison; the tram reaches the Sauvenière stop, whose eponymous boulevard is lined, on the right, with beautiful mansions.

29.  Above: New before-and-after comparison; the tram reaches the Sauvenière stop, whose eponymous boulevard is lined, on the right, with beautiful mansions. Photo DL, 08/11/2025.

30.  Opposite: Unfortunately, this postcard, which is about a century old, does not show what the Boulevard de la Sauvenière had become by the end of the 20th century: a wide and very unsightly thoroughfare with two lanes in each direction for cars and a double central lane reserved for buses.

31.   Links: In early April, whilst the trams were still running empty, I photographed two of them from a distance, using a telephoto lens, near the Sauvenière stop.

32.  Above: An autumnal view from 8 November 2025. On the grass-covered tram reserve of Boulevard de la Sauvenière, the tram speeds towards Guillemins and Sclessin stations. Cars now travel on just a single lane, to the left and right of the tram reserve, whereas there were still three lanes in the 1970s or 1980s.

33.   Left: On the same day, I am standing at the end of the grass-covered dedicated tramway lane, where Boulevard de la Sauvenière gives way to Boulevard d’Avroy. The tram has just left the Pont d’Avroy stop and is heading towards the Sauvenière stop.

34.  Above: The tram is now just a few metres from the Pont d'Avroy stop. The spot is enhanced by this artistic sculpture, which is particularly poetic when the sun shines on it.

35.   Left: The two trams shown here are practically in the same spot, at the junction of Boulevard d'Avroy and Avenue Maurice Destenay. (photo Christian Scheemakers, 28/04/2025).

36.  Above: A T1 tram from Guillemins station is heading towards Liège Expo, whilst on the right, a CAF tram is travelling in the opposite direction towards Sclessin.

37.   Links: 320 metres further on, still on Boulevard d’Avroy, the tram reaches the Charlemagne stop, a name chosen, as one quickly realises, in honour of the famous emperor who sits proudly on his horse atop this building. This sculpture, unveiled in 1868, is the work of Louis Jehotte.

38.  Above: A few metres further on, on a glorious spring’s day, a tram heading towards Place Saint-Lambert passes along Boulevard Piercot, a cross-town route leading directly to the Meuse and home, amongst other things, to the Liège Philharmonic Hall.

39.  Left: 40 metres further on towards Guillemins station, the tram runs alongside Avroy Park. This wooded area is far from exceptional, but it is a very pleasant green space right in the heart of the ‘Fiery City’. It features numerous statues and sculptures, a pond and catering facilities.

40.  Above: For this shot, Christian Scheemakers positioned himself next to Avroy Park, along the grass-lined tram track. To the right of this lies Les Terrasses, an iconic spot with its central garden, fountains, flowerbeds and four enormous animal sculptures (a bull, an ox and two horses).

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43.  Links: Photographing in the snow is quite an art – one I’ve hardly mastered, I humbly confess. In Belgium, conditions are rarely ideal, as snowfall always means grey skies, which are dreadful for photos; the conditions for good shots only come together if the temperature stays cold enough to preserve the white blanket and the weather deigns to turn to blue skies. I wasn’t so lucky when I travelled the length of Belgium on 21 January 2026 to try my hand at a few shots, which, truth be told, were of very average quality.

44.  Above: The tram approaches the final section of Avroy Park, reaching its end point here, near the monument dedicated to Charles Rogier, the Belgian patriot of 1830, a few metres before the Blonden stop.

45.  Left: On 19 February 2025, during one of the first trial runs of the T1 line, Lionel Debacker photographed this battery-powered tram travelling towards Coronmeuse between Petit Paradis and Blonden. Is the absence of overhead lines here for aesthetic reasons? No, not at this location, but the switch between battery power and overhead line power can only be made at the stops designated for this purpose.

46.  Above: Two trams passing each other at the Petit Paradis stop. Two days after the T1 line came into service, work on the surroundings of the stops was not yet complete, as evidenced by the red and white safety barriers at the end of the platform. However, the dedicated tramway is beautifully landscaped with grass and flowers.

47.   Left: The tram from Sclessin is at the Petit Paradis stop during a trial run on 5 April 2025. It has passed through a neighbourhood that has been entirely demolished and rebuilt in a futuristic style that is, in my opinion, most striking. Could we not rename it Petit Manhattan? It is home to a multitude of public institutions (including the impressive tower of the Federal Public Service Finance, the ONEM, etc.), corporate headquarters and a few hospitality businesses.

48.  Above: The tram leaving Guillemins station is about to reach the Petit Paradis stop, whose name is derived from the lock that was once necessary for the passage of barges. Everything has been

49.  Links: Photo taken from platform 1, situated above Guillemins station. It’s hard to miss the Finance Tower… It’s a shame the stop is so far from the station, but the facilities, on the other hand, are practically flawless. Given the number of people crowding the stop, it’s clear just how popular the tram has (once again) become.

50.  Above: Superb aerial photo of the5thLiège-Guillemins station, designed by the Spanish architect Calatrava. It is hard to appreciate the technical feat required to carry out such a construction project without disrupting rail traffic at one of the busiest stations in the country! Photo by Christophe Drèze – Studio ADR SRL – 13/10/2012.

51.   Links: Who would believe that this is a high-speed rail station in a city of 200,000 inhabitants? This interesting photographic angle is courtesy of Christian Scheemakers; in the centre, one can make out the tower of the Basilica of Cointe to the left of the highly stylised light fitting and its dome to the right.

52.  Above: Here we are in front of Liège TGV station, designed by the renowned Spanish architect Calatrava, who also designed the stations in Mons and Lyon-Saint-Exupéry. On 4 April 2025, a trial run day, the front of the canopy was still adorned with magnificent bands of colour, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. Unfortunately, these have since had to be removed, as the contract with the artist has come to an end.

53.   Links: A futuristic-looking photo with a distant vanishing point to illustrate the modernity of Liège-Guillemins station and its tram heading towards Sclessin. (DL 30/04/2025).

54.  Above: 450 m further on, the T1 line, which has taken Rue Varin – once famous for its brothels – is about to branch off from the railway tracks to reach Place Général Léman. In the distance, the huge canopy of the TGV station, now devoid of its multicoloured strips. Photo: Christian Scheemakers, 22/04/2025.

55.  Links: The tram has reached Place Général Léman (shown under construction on page 20) and is about to enter the tunnel beneath the railway tracks. The square used to have two lanes reserved for buses but five or six for cars; now, cars are only permitted on the two outer lanes; the two central lanes are reserved for buses, one of which can be seen here, ready to cross the Fragnée Bridge, some 350 metres from the square.

56.  Above: Emerging from the tunnel that carries the 14 tracks of SNCB lines 37, 40, 43 and 125A and tracks 24 and 26, the tram travels along Rue Ernest Solvay. On the right, one can see the dome of the ‘basilica’ of Cointe (actually: the Church of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady of Lourdes) and the tower of the Inter-Allied Memorial to the First World War, inaugurated in the mid-1930s. This memorial was awarded to Liège in recognition of the heroic resistance of its forts (such as Lantin and Loncin), which significantly delayed the German advance.

57.   Links: This view helps to better understand the layout of the site. From left to right: the Inter-Allied Memorial tower, the two tracks of the 125 Liège-Namur-Charleroi line, the two tram tracks, Rue Ernest Solvay and the tunnel supporting the 14 railway tracks.

58.  Above: During a test run prior to commissioning, a train travelling from Sclessin towards Place Général Léman and Guillemins station is positioned between the 125 railway line and Rue Ernest Solvay. On the right, this structure reminds me of a hydroelectric power station dam; it is in fact the technical building for the E40/E25 link (Cointe tunnel).

59.  Left: This is where Christian Scheemakers positioned himself on 22 April 2025 to photograph an empty tram heading down towards Liège-Guillemins. It is only about twenty metres from the Val Benoît stop.

60.  Above: The tram en route to the Liège district of Sclessin stops at the Val Benoît stop, alongside railway line 125 connecting Liège-Guillemins to Namur and Charleroi. This beautiful photograph was taken by Lionel Debacker on 28 April 2025, the day the T1 line opened to the public, in excellent lighting conditions.

61.  Links: This view was taken shortly after the Val Benoît stop. This 13th-century Cistercian abbey has had several incarnations; destroyed by the French Revolutionaries and then during the SecondWorld War, the buildings have been rebuilt on numerous occasions. The University of Liège occupied them from the 1920s onwards, finally vacating them in 2006 in favour of the Sart Tilman site. The site has been converted into a hub for economic activity and training, housing, amongst others, the FOREM and the Cité des Métiers.

62.  Above: Photographed slightly further on from the previous view, this train is heading towards the city centre and passes in front of the Walloon Region’s Public Service Scientific Institute. The Val Benoît stop is just after the bend. The tall tower is that of the university’s former thermal power station, designed by Albert Duesberg.

63.  Left: These two photographs show two trams at the Petit Bourgogne stop. It is partially situated beneath the Modeleurs Bridge, which connects the banks of the Meuse to Avenue du Petit Bourgogne in Sclessin, passing over the railway tracks.

64.  Above: As operations encountered numerous problems on 4 April 2025, the trams remained side by side for a long time at the Petit Bourgogne stop. This made it easier to take the photograph above of SNCB railcar AM96 number 520, operating the Tournai-Liège service on the Walloon backbone line.

65.  Left: A tram departing from Sclessin travels along the section between Place Ferrer and Petit Bourgogne. It passes under the Renory railway viaduct, built in reinforced concrete in 1930 to link nearby Kinkempois to Voroux station on the Liège–Brussels Line 36. Today, a Lidl store occupies the former René De Malzine Workshops, which specialised in the manufacture of gears and gearboxes.

66.  Above: Whilst the distance between the Val Benoît stop and Petit Bourgogne is considerable (1,100 m), the distance between Petit Bourgogne and the next stop, Place Ferrer, is much shorter (470 m). This is where the tram is pictured, having just passed under the viaduct.

67.   Left: The line continues along the very long Rue Solvay, which links Sclessin to Liège over a distance of 3.8 km. Given its narrowness and the need to reserve space for trams, certain sections have been made one-way. I am not familiar with the previous situation, but there is no doubt that local residents must have far fewer complaints about noise and pollution from cars.

68.  Above: A few metres before reaching its terminus, the tram runs past the Bois d’Avroy restaurant; to the right of the tram, another tram disappears towards Liège city centre. In the background, a multitude of industrial facilities, remnants of Liège’s great steel industry.

69.  Left: Terminus. Ladies and gentlemen, all alight. Several buses are waiting side by side for the connection. On the right, the P+R park-and-ride facility to encourage people to use the tram. Unfortunately, it has not been a success, far from it: according to some sources, only 10 to 15% of spaces are occupied during the day. Yet the cost is very reasonable: €5.90 for a full day, including use of public transport. It is even cheaper than the day pass sold by the TEC (€6). But the challenge remains: we still need to persuade motorists to abandon their bulky and expensive cars… Photo: Christian Scheemakers.

70.   Above: The same terminus, seen from the opposite angle; note that one of the two tracks has no buffer stop; this allows access to the turning loop. Right: Standard Liège’s stadium. The "Rouches" have made the stadium roar throughout the club’s long and glorious history. It seems a distant memory now, but let us recall its honours: 10 Belgian championships, 8 cups, 4 Super Cups and even the 1982 Cup Winners’ Cup final, lost to a certain… FC Barcelona!

71.   Links: A few metres past the official terminus, you can see the track layout, with a set of points on the left positioned for a possible, hypothetical extension towards Pont-de-Seraing. On the right, there are two turning tracks.

72.   Above: And here is the ‘very end’, so to speak: the two buffers marking the end – hopefully only temporary – of the T1 line towards Sclessin. It could one day be extended towards Jemeppe-sur-Meuse. Or at least as far as the large coach station at Pont-de-Seraing, the terminus for around fifteen bus routes – which would spare passengers the need to change buses twice.

73.   Links: Although we have reached the terminus, our journey is not over yet. In fact, I haven’t yet shown you the southern bypass of the central section, that is, the single-track line running between Place Saint-Lambert and Pont Maguin, via La Batte and past the Curtius Museum. But there’s no need to validate your Mobib card again; it’s valid for 90 minutes!

74.   Above: Let’s continue our journey from Place Saint-Lambert. In the centre of the image is the palace of the lords of the ecclesiastical (and independent) principality of Liège, which was never part of the Burgundian or Spanish Netherlands, but fell under the (entirely theoretical) authority of the Holy Roman Empire. To the left of the palace: the recent extensions to the Palais de Justice. A few metres away is the entrance to the SNCB station at Liège Palais, renamed Saint-Lambert for clarity – just as Jonfosse has become Liège Carré.

75.   Links: You have to look very closely to spot where the two lines split: the points are located at the end of the south platform of Place Saint-Lambert. The tram takes Rue Léopold and passes the major coach station of the same name, but without stopping. The photo above was taken at the end of this street, on the Batte side.

76.   Above: Some streets in this neighbourhood are narrow and winding; this can be seen here as the tram literally winds its way along, taking up a good portion of the road. See page 98 for where it emerges.

77.   Links: The tram has emerged from a narrow street and is crossing this roundabout to reach the banks of the Meuse and the Batte district, famous for its market, which has been held every Sunday since 1561! Note the absence of overhead lines from Place Saint-Lambert. Photo: Lionel Debacker, 28 April 2025.

78.   Above: On this section, all trams run on battery power in a west-east direction, i.e. from the city centre to Liège Expo or Coronmeuse. To the left of the tram, the black building is the Maison Havart. Probably built around 1665, it is one of the oldest buildings in Liège’s private heritage. It houses the restaurant Au vieux Liège.

79.   Left: The tram runs along the tree-lined section of Quai de Maastricht. In the distance, the tower of the Cité administrative is impossible to miss; it stands just a few metres from the Havart House mentioned on the previous page. To its right, the long, beige building is the Îlot Saint Georges: designed by the architect Henri Bonhomme, it comprises an underground car park, retail units, offices occupied by municipal departments, and a large museum space.

80.  Above: The tram runs alongside the Meuse at the Quai de Maastricht. This photo shows just how green the Meuse valley is. A large part of the hillsides is not (yet) built up.

81.  Left: A new look at the same scene 100 years apart. On the left, photographed on 30 April 2025 from the Maghin Bridge, the Quai de Maastricht and the Curtius Museum. Spanning armoury, archaeology, glass and decorative arts, religious and Meuse-region art, its collections are remarkable and, above all, beautifully presented!

82.  Above: The same spot a century earlier. Note the detail in the postcard; the colourist has certainly done a fine job. In the background, a small electric tram can be seen, just above the central barge.

83.  Left: A little further on, the tram that has just left the Curtius stop has passed under the Maghin Bridge and joined the track that turns towards the city centre (on the left of the image).

84.  Above: The tram, travelling along the tracks on the Meuse side, continues eastwards towards Coronmeuse; I photograph it here just as it is about to pass a tram coming from Liège Expo, travelling on its left and due to turn right at the trees and the Pont Maguin stop.

85.  Left: On 8 November 2025, having travelled 1.1 km and passed the Marengo stop, the tram reaches the Y-junction which, if it takes the left-hand branch, will lead it towards Coronmeuse. Here it can be seen near the Sainte-Foy church in the Saint-Léonard district, photographed in black and white in the 1960s on page 12.

86.  Above: Here, we can clearly see this junction with the left-hand branch towards Coronmeuse, along which the tram is travelling, and the right-hand branch which climbs the ramp to cross the Atlas Bridge.

87.   Left: On a fine spring’s day, a CAF tram returns from the Coronmeuse terminus and heads towards the Parc Reine Astrid stop. This is the name of the green space situated on the other side of the river diversion leading to the port of Coronmeuse. At the level of the car crossing the tracks, one can just make out (rather than clearly see) the junction leading up to the Atlas Bridge.

88.  Above: Here is that junction: the tracks on the right are used to return rolling stock to the Liège Expo depot, crossing the Atlas Bridge. Note the partial absence of overhead lines. Switching between battery power and overhead line power can only be done at the stops designated for this purpose. Photo by Lionel Debacker, 28/04/2025. 

89.  Links: I have chosen these two photos (from 8 November and 30 April 2025) to show just how green the surroundings of the Coronmeuse terminus are. The whole neighbourhood has been redeveloped into a modern eco-housing complex and, from what I have seen, is a pleasant place to live. Links: A tram has just left its terminus, heading for Guillemins station and the Standard stadium.

90.  Above: The tram has reached its terminus and is waiting for the green light. With the arrival of the tram, local residents have undoubtedly gained on two counts: firstly, a frequent and comfortable means of transport to the city centre, and secondly, a complete redevelopment of the Meuse quays, making it easier to get around on foot or by bike.

91.  Links: These two views show the Coronmeuse terminus from different angles. It is clear that this is a densely populated neighbourhood, with tall residential blocks. Links: A slightly futuristic photo of two trams, taken just a few millimetres above the ground. The electronic display announces an imminent departure.

92.  Above: The same scene, but from the opposite angle, with a view of the two buffers marking the end of the line. Photos DL 05/04 & 30/04/2025.

93.  Links: There is a large crowd on one of the first days of tram operations. Despite a few glitches – expected though unpredictable – inherent in the teething problems of any rail equipment, the atmosphere among passengers remains good-natured. Many residents of Liège are marvelling at their new tram.

94.  Above: It is late in the day and some of the trams are being called back to the depot. To do so, the tram must climb the ramp leading to the Atlas Bridge. Had it continued along the right-hand tracks, it would have reached Place Saint-Lambert, Les Guillemins and Sclessin.

95.  Links: This tram crossing the Atlas Bridge – without overhead wires! – was photographed from the roof of a houseboat, which serves as the main residence of a local resident who kindly welcomed me and even offered me a glass of water. If he reads my book, he’ll recognise himself! I thank him once again.

96.  Above: After crossing the bridge, the tram reaches the Droixhe stop, next to the park, library and local school of the same name. I was very lucky on 8 November 2025: the weather was splendid, the autumn colours strikingly beautiful, and the sky filled with very expressive clouds.

97.   Left: Here is the tram again at its terminus; passengers are waiting for the doors to open so they can set off. This is one of the first days of actual operation.

98.  Above: Having finished its service, the tram travels a hundred metres or so and reaches its depot just beyond the bend. The brown building is the new TEC depot, with a park-and-ride facility to its left, which is unfortunately underused.

99.  Here is part of the TEC depot at Liège Expo, photographed by Lionel Debacker on 13 January 2025, three months before the line’s inauguration. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit the site, but perhaps I will in the future; I hope so. In the background: the tracks of the Bressoux SNCB station on Line 40, Liège–Visé. Dear passengers, thank you for choosing the TEC for your journey and Photorail for this guided tour. Have a lovely day!