Lausanne 2020 have partnered with the city's public transport system ©Keystone ATS/J.-C. Bott

Lausanne 2020 has partnered with the Swiss city's public transport system "tl" to encourage the use of public transport during major events.

The partnership comes with less than a year to go until the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

The agreement was announced at the inauguration of a new bus line in Lausanne with new stops including the Olympic Museum and the new headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

A special bus, decorated with the Lausanne 2020 branding, was unveiled to mark the partnership and was travelled on by IOC President Thomas Bach.

"This partnership fits perfectly into our mission, which is to create a different, innovative and sustainable Games," said Ian Logan, Lausanne 2020 chief executive.

"It will allow us to promote new solutions at all levels, particularly in terms of public transportation during major events. 

"I would like to thank the entire tl team for their long-standing support in organising these Games, and I look forward to continuing this great collaboration."

Lausanne 2020 claim the partnership is in line with their vision to take "concrete action" to create a smart and innovative event.

The collaboration is aimed at encouraging young athletes, their entourages and fans to use public transport as a priority − a first in the history of the Youth Olympic Games.

tl are expected to play a key role in the event's transport strategy, with the M1 metro line linking the Olympic Village to the Vaudoise Arena for ice sports and the Flon for medal ceremonies.

IOC President Thomas Bach travelled on the bus as the new route was inaugurated ©Keystone ATS/J.-C. Bott
IOC President Thomas Bach travelled on the bus as the new route was inaugurated ©Keystone ATS/J.-C. Bott

The cultural festival "Lausanne en Jeux" will also be spread across the city centre.

The tl will also use the Youth Olympic Games to provide its customers with "innovative" solutions to maximise the use of new technologies and facilitate access to the different sites during the event.

"We have been supporting Lausanne 2020 since the beginning of the project, in 2013," said Michel Joye, director of tl.

"To highlight this collaboration, an M2 metro train decorated top to bottom in Lausanne 2020's colours is circulating, as is a bus for our new line inaugurated today. 

"This partnership is important for us because we are committed to providing an exciting experience to the world's young athletes and to the public by putting our strengths at the service of responsible mobility, which is essential in the context of our societies' current mobilisation for the climate."

The Lausanne 2020 competitions will take place in the cantons of Vaud, Valais, Grisons and neighbouring France.

The Games will run from January 9 to 22.