Métro Léger de Charleroi
| Métro Léger de Charleroi | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Métro léger de Charleroi | |||
| Overview | |||
| Owner | Opérateur de transport de Wallonie | ||
| Locale | Charleroi, Hainaut, Belgium | ||
| Transit type | Light rail (Semi-metro) | ||
| Number of lines | 4 | ||
| Line number | M1, M2, M3, M4 | ||
| Number of stations | 48 (incl. 10 underground and 26 tram stops) | ||
| Headquarters | Place des Tramways, 9/1 6000 Charleroi | ||
| Website | TEC Homepage | ||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | 21 June 1976 | ||
| Operator(s) | TEC Charleroi | ||
| Number of vehicles | 48 | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 33 km (21 mi) | ||
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge | ||
| Electrification | 600 V DC overhead | ||
| |||
The Métro Léger de Charleroi (French pronunciation: [metʁo leʒe də ʃaʁləʁwa], abbreviated as MLC) is a 33-kilometre (21 mi) light rail network in Belgium. The system consists of a loop line around central Charleroi and three branches towards the suburbs of Gilly, Anderlues and Gosselies. Another branch to Châtelet (historically, the third one) was partially built, never entered service, but will finally do so in 2027.
The original plan was much more extensive with eight branches radiating from the central loop, by gradually upgrading the existing tram network with grade separated sections. Full completion had to be abandoned due to high costs and low prospective ridership rates. As a result, a significant part of the network consists of tram infrastructure and is operated with high-floor trams. The system functions partly as a tram and partly as a metro and therefore can be characterised as semi-metro.
The system was opened in seven phases ranging from 1976 to 2012, which included 30 stops, of which 22 were stations as of 2012 along with two regular tram stops in Charleroi (the loop) and six in Anderlues. On 22 June 2013, 18 more tram stops were added to the network when line M3 to Gosselies went into service. Despite not meeting full metro standards, it is locally also referred to as the Métro Carolo or simply Le Métro in French.