page_title: Charleroi Metro
section_title: Lines
hierarchical_section_title: Charleroi Metro / Operations / Lines
caption_attribution_description: English: Destination plates used on Charleroi Pre-metro trams as of 2009. This image only contains plates for scheduled passenger lines in service as of 2009. Français&#160;: Films utilisés par les trams du métro léger de Charleroi, en 2009. Cette image ne représente que les lignes passagers régulières en service à cette date.
context_page_description: Charleroi Metro is a 33-kilometre light rail network in Belgium, consisting of a loop line around central Charleroi and three branches towards the suburbs of Gilly, Anderlues and Gosselies. Another branch to Châtelet was partially built but never entered service.
  The current system was opened in seven phases ranging from 1976 to 2012, which included 28 stations, of which 24 were in service as of 2012 along with 6 regular tram stops in Anderlues. On 22 June 2013, 18 more stations were added to the metro system when line M3 to Gosselies went into service.
  The original plans for the network were much more extensive with 8 branches radiating from the central loop, but had to be abandoned due to high costs and low prospective ridership rates.
context_section_description: The completion and opening of the central loop in 2012 led to a significant reorganization of the premetro/tram lines previously operating on the system. The five former premetro lines – 54, 55, 84, 88, and 89 – that operated on the network were replaced on 27 February 2012 by three new lines (M1, M2 and M4); a fourth line (M3) went into service on 22 June 2013.
  Line numbers are used alone on maps and station signage, while the prefix "M" is added on timetables and on destination indicators of trams, to avoid confusion with similarly numbered bus lines.
  The system is run by TEC Charleroi, a subsidiary of the Walloon public transport operator (Société Régionale Wallonne du Transport). Intervals between trains depend on the period (weekdays/weekends, holidays, etc.). The standard interval is 30 minutes for lines M1 and M2, ensuring a 15 minutes interval on the common Charleroi - Pétria section. This interval becomes 60 minutes (30 minutes on the common section) on weekends and holidays, and during the July–August period. On line M4, the standard interval is 10 minutes (15 minutes on Sundays and public holidays); similarly, line M3 also runs with 10-minute intervals.
  From 2012 on, all trams have been equipped with orange colored LED destination indicators, displaying the line number and final station. Prior to that, mechanical destination indicators were used, using various layouts. The most common display showed two distinctly colored rectangles indicating the most important stations of the line, with the line number displayed on a white square between both rectangles. Rectangle color used the following code:
  Pale yellow : used on lines originating/terminating in Anderlues.
  Bright yellow : used on lines originating/terminating at Gilly.
  Dark blue : used on lines originating/terminating at Sud.
  Dark green : used on lines originating/terminating at Parc.
  Beside this system, it happened that trams only displayed the terminus station as one of Charleroi-Sud (dark blue background) or Parc (green), without line number. Line 84 used a completely different display with black characters on a full white background and line number on the right.
  Trams drive on the right track, except on the Soleilmont branch and the not operated Châtelet branch. Some small sections on the street in Anderlues (and in Gosselies on the newly opened Gosselies branch) are single track. Theoretical maximum speed on the network is 65 km/h (40 mph), but actual speed is generally lower, especially in curves. Speed limits are displayed on panels along the track and can take one of the following values : 10 km/h (6.2 mph), 17 km/h (11 mph), 25 km/h (16 mph), 35 km/h (22 mph), 45 km/h (28 mph), 55 km/h (34 mph) and 65 km/h (40 mph). An onboard system warns the driver in case of overspeed, and will stop the tram abruptly in absence of reaction. A similar system will stop the tram immediately in the event of a red signal being ignored. Rail switches are controlled directly by tram drivers using a remote control unit sending a signal to a receiver along the track.
caption: Destination display on trams prior to 2012.
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