Rio de Janeiro tram VLT Carioca marks 10 years of operation

Rio de Janeiro's VLT Carioca light rail system is celebrating ten years of service. The electric transport, manufactured by Alstom at its Taubaté plant in São Paulo state, has transported more than 180 million people and serves approximately 95,000 passengers daily.

The VLT was inaugurated for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as part of a major urban transformation project aimed at revitalizing the city's downtown and port areas. The system operates on 100% renewable energy with zero direct CO2 emissions, connecting modes such as metro, trains, BRT buses, conventional buses, ferries, and Santos Dumont Airport.

Alstom's Citadis™ trams are fully electric and catenary-free, utilizing Alstom's exclusive APS (Ground Power Supply) technology. This system ensures quiet, safe, and sustainable journeys while preserving the urban landscape and the historic downtown's architecture. Rio de Janeiro was the second city globally to adopt this technology, following Dubai.

In 2024, the system's reach expanded with the opening of the Gentileza Intermodal Terminal. This new hub integrates the tramway with bus lines, BRT, and other transport modes, significantly increasing the system's area of influence and improving accessibility for passengers.

The VLT Carioca currently operates on four lines with 30 stops. Its fleet consists of 32 trams, each capable of carrying 420 passengers, connecting key points within the downtown area, the port zone, and transport terminals.