Before we begin, I know that DTG don't very like underground lines, I know, but if one day maybe in the future, they will find a solution or a third party does this, let me dream... No seriously, I have nothing to lose by suggesting it; whether they take it into account or not would be up to them to decide. Anyway, I would like to suggest the Lyon metro network in 2020. I find the individually the lines too short, so I preferred to combine them all; it will make a special DLC with a network (even though Cardiff City Network already exists). There are four metro lines but I will only suggest three because line D is automatic even though it was manual briefly for 1 year between 1991 and 1992. Line B is the reason I chose the 2020 period because from the end of 2022, the line is fully automated and I would find it a shame if the network were reduced to 2 out of 4 metro lines. So I chose a period when the train was still manually operated, even though parts of the line hadn't yet been built (the extension of Gare d'Oullins to Saint-Genis-Laval Hôpital Lyon Sud on Line B in 2023) The metro network (excluding line D) is 19.4 km long (12 mi). The metro network is located... in Lyon, in France (not complicated to know) and has three lines excluding line D : line A, B and C. The rolling stock belongs to Sytral Mobilités and the operator at that time was Keolis Lyon (today since 2025, it is RATP) I would also like it if we could make the connections on foot to actually have connectivity instead of relying on teleportation points. Line A is 9.3 km long (5.8 mi) with 14 stations and a journey time of 18 minutes and this is the only metro that connects with all the other metro lines and the longest of the three lines. Route map: Cab Ride (if you want a visual) Line B is 7,7 km long (4,8 mi) with 10 stations and a journey time of 16 minutes. Route map : Cab Ride (if you want a visual) And the Line C the shortest is only 2.4 km (1.5 mi) with 5 stations and a journey time of only 8 minutes and has two overground stations, the only ones in the network (Cuire and Croix Paquet). Route map : Cab Ride (if you want a visual) BUT it's this line which is mainly why I'm making this suggestion because it has two unique features that only this metro line in the world has. Firstly, it uses racks between Hotel de Ville and Croix Rousse after that, there's a change of regime and the train uses normal rails. But yes, you read that right: it uses racks. Why? Because originally line C was a funicular railway between Croix-Paquet and former station Lyon-Croix-Rousse and that brings us to the second peculiarity : the station Croix Paquet , the steepest subway station in the world with an incline of 17% (be careful not to fall). Plus, it's the only metro in Lyon, and even in France, to use a pantograph but with the arrival of the Grand Paris Express, lines 15, 16 and 17 will also be equipped with it, so line C won't be the only one.... That makes three particularities in the end A good video from Aiguillages on Line C , there are English subtitles (yes I already recommended one of his videos for my first suggestion of the Ligne des Hirondelles, he's a very good YouTuber ) : In terms of rolling stock, they only has two : MPL 75 for Line A and B, MPL 75 is semi-automatic but can be driven manually if the driver wishes. MCL 80 for Line C (yes the two rollings stocks look alike) and 100% manual.
Apart from the particularity of line C, I also chose this network because I honestly find the stations very beautiful, it's a change for me, as a Parisian suburbanite, from the Parisian metro stations which all look almost identical and are a bit old-fashioned, even if some of them are pretty like for example those on line 14, the most recent Photos of some stations that I found quite beautiful : Cordeliers on Line A Flachet - Alain Gilles on Line A , it reminds me of Châtelet Les Halles (RER platform) before its renovation, I don't know why Debourg on Line B Jean Macé on Line B And also the Croix Paquet station on Line C, we mustn't forget the star of the network (If I've made any mistakes somewhere, please don't hesitate to correct me.)
