Stuttgart Stadtbahn

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Stuttgart Stadtbahn light rail system
Stadtbahn train; note mixed gauge track
Stadtbahn train; note mixed gauge track
Ruhbank Stadtbahn station
Ruhbank Stadtbahn station
Stuttgart Rathaus Stadtbahn underground station
Stuttgart Rathaus Stadtbahn underground station
Stadtbahn cars at the terminus of line U1
Stadtbahn cars at the terminus of line U1

The Stuttgart Stadtbahn is a light railway system in Stuttgart, Germany. It is operated by the Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen AG (SSB), which also operates the bus systems in that city. The system covers much of Stuttgart and also reaches the neighbouring towns of Fellbach, Gerlingen, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Ostfildern and Remseck am Neckar.

Contents

[edit] Lines

Line Route
U1 Fellbach – S.-Bad Cannstatt – S.-Charlottenplatz – S.-Heslach – S.-Vaihingen
U2 S.-Neugereut – S.-Bad Cannstatt – S.-Charlottenplatz – S.-Hölderlinplatz
U3 S.-Plieningen – S.-Möhringen – S.-Vaihingen
U4 S.-Untertürkheim – S.-Ostendplatz – S.-Charlottenplatz – S.-Vogelsang – S.-Botnang
U5 S.-Mönchfeld – S.-Zuffenhausen – S.-Hauptbahnhof – S.-Degerloch – S.-Möhringen – Leinfelden
U6 Gerlingen – S.-Weilimdorf – S.-Feuerbach – S.-Hauptbahnhof – S.-Degerloch – S.-Möhringen
U7 S.-Höhenpark Killesberg – S.-Hauptbahnhof – S.-Ruhbank – S.-Heumaden – Ostfildern-Nellingen
U8 S.-Vaihingen – S.-Möhringen – S.-Degerloch – Ostfildern-Nellingen
U9 S.-Hedelfingen – S.-Raitelsberg – S.-Hauptbahnhof – S.-Vogelsang
U11 S.-Hauptbahnhof – S.-Cannstatter Wasen / Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion / Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle
only during the Volksfest, sporting events and music concerts
U13 S.-Giebel – S.-Feuerbach - S.-Pfostenwäldle – S.-Pragsattel – S.-Bad Cannstatt – S.-Hedelfingen
U14 Remseck-Neckargröningen – S-Münster – S-Hauptbahnhof – S-Rotebühlplatz – S-Heslach
U15 S.-Mönchfeld - S.-Zuffenhausen – S.-Nordbahnhof – S.-Hauptbahnhof – S.-Eugensplatz – S.-Ruhbank - S.-Heumaden
Extension from Zuffenhausen to Stammheim under construction, will be put into operation on December 12th, 2010 (estimated).
U16 S.-Feuerbach - S.-Pfostenwäldle – S.-Pragsattel – S.-Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion
only during sporting events, operation ceased in August 2006
U17 S.-Degerloch Albstraße – S.-Hauptbahnhof – S.-Höhenpark Killesberg
U18 S.-Vaihingen – S.-Möhringen – S.-Waldau
only during sporting events
U19 S.-Neugereut – S.-Bad Cannstatt – S.-Daimler-Stadion
only during sporting events, since August 2006

[edit] Operation

The Stadtbahn system runs over 192 km of lines. In the city centre as well as in other densely built-up districts of the city, the Stadtbahn runs underground. The Stadtbahn uses the "U" logo like the underground systems (U-Bahnen) in other German cities. However, here the "U" does not stand for untergrund (underground) but for unabhängig (independent, meaning independent of other traffic infrastructure). Outside the densely built up areas, the Stadtbahn runs on the surface, often along roads with level crossings, though on a separate right-of-way. In a few places, Stadtbahn trains run on street sharing space with other traffic.[1][2]

The system is operated with 164 cars, operates on standard gauge track, and is electrified at 750 volts DC. On December, 8th, 2007 the ongoing replacement of the city's tram lines was finally completed after 27 years.

The Stuttgart Stadtbahn operates from 04:45 - 24:00, with trains every 10 minutes on all lines during daytime service, and every 15-20 minutes after 20:00 as well as before 12:00 on weekends. Most routes are served by two or more lines in the city centre, so there is a train every few minutes at most stations.[2]

[edit] Fares and ticketing

The Stadtbahn is part of the regional transport cooperative, the Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund Stuttgart (VVS), which coordinates tickets and fares among all transport operators in the metropolitan area. Besides the Stadtbahn, these include the SSB's bus networks, together with the Stuttgart S-Bahn, operated by a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG (DBAG), and DBAG's RegionalBahn regional train services within the VVS area.[1]

[edit] Colour

Since the coat of arms of Stuttgart shows a black, rampant horse on a yellow or golden field, the Stuttgart Stadtbahn (as well as all the buses and the now dysfunctional old trams) comes in yellow with black window frames.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia.
  2. ^ a b Stuttgart Stadtbahn. UrbanRail.Net. Retrieved on February 21, 2007.

[edit] External links


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