OREANDA-NEWS. Alstom, NTL and the Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois (CTS) are testing Aptis on 20 and 24 November on line 10 of the Eurom?tropole network, under actual service conditions with passengers. A winner at the Busworld Awards in October 2017, Aptis is an innovative mobility solution co-developed by Alstom and NTL, whose prototypes are being manufactured at NTL's site in Duppigheim, Bas-Rhin.

This experiment will help test Aptis' special features in a new urban setting, prove its ability to fit with existing transport networks, and test its range following successful initial trials in Ile-de-France, Lyon, and Belgium.

Two Aptis prototypes were produced in NTL's Duppigheim facility in order for these tests to take place:

  • The two-door version, which was tested in Paris on the RATP system (Lines 21 and 147), in Lyon, Belgium, and now in Strasbourg.
  • The three-door version currently in a one-year trial run on the Keolis network in Ile-de-France between V?lizy and Versailles (Line 23).

Besides Duppigheim, four other Alstom sites in France have also contributed to the manufacturing of these prototypes: Saint-Ouen for design, systems integration, and project management, Tarbes for traction, Ornans for motors, and Villeurbanne for powertrain electronics.

Aptis, a bus inspired by trams, offers passengers a unique level of comfort. The built-in low floor and wide double doors enable easy circulation and quick boarding for people with disabilities and strollers. Thanks to its wide windows, the vehicle has 20% more window space than a traditional bus, as well as a lounge area in the rear. Aptis also has a low noise level.