Tramways in Strasbourg

The Strasbourg tram system, run by the CTS, consists of five lines, A, B, C, D and E. Lines A and D were opened in 1994, lines B and C were opened in 2000 and line E was opened in 2007.

History

The first tram line in Strasbourg, which was originally horse-drawn, opened in 1878. After 1894, when an electric powered tram system was introduced, a widespread network of tramways was built in the largest city of Alsace, to which belonged several longer distance lines. The decline of the tramways system began in the 1930s, and ended with the retirement of the service in 1960. After a long drawn out communal political decision process, the tram was reintroduced in 1994. As part of the redevelopment of the city, a track of a total 33 km distance was built, on which 5 tram line services have been developed.

Horse-drawn and electric, 1878 - 1960

On the 5th April 1877 the Strasbourg Horse/Railway Company was founded, and the name changed on 25th April 1888 to the "Strasboug Tramway Company". [Zur Geschichte der Straßenbahn: Groneck, "Straßenbahnen", S. 66 und Eckehard Frenz: "Das Stadtbahn-Projekt von Strasbourg." In: "Der Stadtverkehr" 4/1980, S. 155-158.] Elektrokonzern AEG was the main shareholder from May 1897 onwards, and in 1912 the company was handed over to the possession of the city of Strasbourg. Out of that society, the current "Compagnie des tramways strasbourgeois“ (CTS) arose, in which form it exists today.

Public transport in Strasbourg commenced in 1848 with horse-drawn omnibuses and carriages. The first standard gauge tracks of the Horse/Railway Company were opened on 20th July 1878. These passed through the areas of "Hönheim" and "zur Kehler Brücke". In the inner city, horses were used. In the suburbs, small steam locomotives drew the carriages. By 1885 further lines to the suburbs of Königshofen, Robertsau, Neuhof and Wolfisheim were opened, and in 1886 the meter gauge was first used in extending the track to Grafenstaden.

Elektrokonzern AEG was tasked with electrifying the track in December 1894. From May 1897 onwards the normal gauge tracks were converted to the meter gauge, and further lines were built to service Kronenburg, Lingolsheim and Breuschwickersheim.

In 1930, the network comprised 234 km of track, extending from Strasbourg to the Vosges Mountains, Colmar and across the Rhine to Germany. There were 55 million passengers in 1930 and 71.5 million passengers in 1943. In the 1950s, the tram, already weakened by World War II, faced competition from other modes of transport such as the bus, the bicycle and the private automobile. The tram system was abandoned in 1960 and replaced by buses; the last tram ran on May 1, 1960. Much of the traffic was absorbed by the private automobile.

Due to increasing traffic and pollution, the City of Strasbourg decided in the 1990s to build a new, modern tram system. Its goal was to pedestrianize and revitalize the city centre. Major roads were closed to automobile traffic, and parking in the downtown was removed and replaced by park-and-ride lots in the suburbs. The first line, line A, opened in 1994. In 2006 new trams were introduced, first on lines A and D and later on the rest of the network.

Current network

As of May 23, 2008, the current network has 5 lines and a total length of 55 km.

The five lines are:

* Line A: Hautepierre Maillon in the northeast to Illkirch Lixenbuhl in the south (12.5 km).
* Line B: Hoenheim Gare in the north to Lingolsheim in the southwest (14.7 km).
* Line C: Elsau in the southwest to Neuhof in the southeast.
* Line D: Rotonde in the northwest to Aristide Briand in the east.
* Line E Robertsau Boecklin in the north and Baggersee in the south.

Some stations connect to the bus network, run by the CTS.

Future extensions

* Line A : Extension to Cronenbourg - Zénith de Strasbourg) to the northwest, planned.
* Line B: To Lingolsheim (southwest) - 2 phases: To Hotel de Ville/Ostwald, which opened on 30th January 2008, then to Lingolsheim Tiergaertel in June 2008.
* Line D: To Kehl in Germany (planned).
* Line F : A new tram-train line. The tram portion will open in 2009, with only 1.5 km of new track and 3 new stations. It will go from Place de la Gare (new station) to Homme de Fer and then either Boecklin (Robertsau) - the terminus of Line E and Vauban (Esplanade), a new station. It will then be extended to Gresswiller and Barr on train tracks in 2010-2011.

References

External links

* [http://www.cts-strasbourg.fr/ Official site of the Compagnie des transports strasbourgeois (public transit agency)]
* [http://www.trams-in-france.net/reload.htm?strasbourg.htm Pictures and informations on Strasbourg's tramway]
* [http://www.photo-alsace.com/search.php?recherche=Tramway%20de%20Strasbourg&operateur=AND&debut=0&limit=12 Numerous views of Strasbourg's tramway]
* [http://www.planum.net/4bie/main/m-4bie-strasbourg.htm The art programme for the Strasbourg tramway]