ALSTOM and the RATP sign a €181 million contract for 70 Citadis trams

The RATP, Pariss transport authority, and ALSTOM have
signed a contract worth 181 million for the supply of 70
CITADIS trams. This master contract comprises a confirmed order
for 21 trams and an option for 49 additional trams that may be
exercised over four future orders.

Each tram will be 40 meters long and 2.65 meters wide and
able to carry 300 passengers. The full low floor will
facilitate access for passengers with reduced mobility.

The trams will serve the Maréchaux Sud line, for which
the City of Paris and the RATP are co-contractors. The tramway
is in a dedicated lane of the citys southern interior
ring road. The first phase of the project includes an
eight-kilometer section with 17 stations linking the 13th, 14th
and 15th arrondissements.

The project, which is part of a regional plan for transport
development, was approved by the STIF, the transport authority
of the Ile de France region, on December 7, 2001 and by the
Paris City Council on November 20, 2001.

The interior and exterior design of the trams will be
presented in 2004.

Signing the contract were Yves Ramette, director of the
rolling-stock department at the RATP, and André
Guyvarch, president of ALSTOM Transport France.

Philippe Mellier, president of ALSTOM Transport, said:
Im delighted with this renewed show of confidence
in ALSTOM by the RATP, which allows us to continue our
collaboration and partnership begun several decades ago. With
regard to tramways, ALSTOM and the RATP signed their first tram
contract in 1990 for the launch of the Saint-Denis-Bobigny
line. This new order brings the number of CITADIS trams sold
around the world to more than 500.

ALSTOM will build the trams at its site in Aytré, near
La Rochelle. Delivery of the first vehicles is set to begin in
2005, with service beginning in 2006.

 Editors notes:

The CITADIS family of trams offers flexible, modular solutions
for rapidly growing cities. The CITADIS concept combines
standardization of components with customization of interior
and exterior design in order to meet the individual
requirements of each city in terms of aesthetics, comfort and
accessibility.

Characteristics of the CITADIS for the Maréchaux Sud
tramway:

Type of vehicle:   CITADIS with full low floor

Power supply:   750 V DC

Track gauge:   1,435 mm

Length of vehicle:  40 m

Width of vehicle:  2.65 m

Access height:   350 mm 

Floor height:   350 mm

Passenger capacity:  approximately 300

Number of single doors:  4

Width of single doors:   800 mm  

Number of double doors:  12

Width of double doors:   1,300 mm

Maximum speed:  60 kph

Power:    720 kW

Amenities:   Air-conditioning, video
surveillance

ALSTOM has sold 500 CITADIS trams to 15 cities around the
world. Paris, Barcelona, Rotterdam, Dublin and Melbourne have
chosen CITADIS. Today, 150 are in commercial service and have
carried 360 million passengers over 13 million kilometers.

With more than 35 product lines and a presence in more than
60 countries, ALSTOM's Transport sector offers complete
products and services for new rolling stock, signaling, and
electrical and mechanical infrastructure as well as maintenance
and rehabilitation services to four distinct types of
customers: urban transit authorities and operators; intercity
passenger rail operators and rolling stock owners; rail freight
operators; and intercity railway infrastructure owners.
ALSTOM's Transport sector, with sales of 5.1 billion in
financial year 2002-2003, is among the world's leading
suppliers to the railway industry.

www.transport.alstom.com

RATP press contacts:

Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 68 37 37

ALSTOM press contacts:

International, general, economic press

Séverine Gagneraud

Tel.: +33 (0)1 47 55 23 15

internet.press@chq.alstom.com

Rail press

Helen Connolly

Tel.: +33 (0)1 41 66 91 43

helen.connolly@transport.alstom.com

Investor relations

Emmanuelle Chatelain

Tel.: +33 (0)1 47 55 25 33

investor.relations@chq.alstom.com