Zoetermeer Stadslijn
The Zoetermeer stadslijn is a light rail connection in the Netherlands between The Hague and Zoetermeer.
History
Originally, the line was managed by the Dutch Railways (NS). Since June 2006 it has instead operated as a light-rail line, using trams. The lightrail connection is, together with the The Hague-Rotterdam line, called the RandstadRail.
Extra track
After the Oosterheem neighbourhood was built in Zoetermeer, an extra length of track added. It does not take the round line like the other routes, instead splitting off between the Seghweart and Leidsewallen stations.
Two lines
Since the extra Oosterheem line is added, there are two lines at the Zoetermeer Stadslijn, called line 3 and line 4. Line 3 uses the older track and line 4, called the Oosterheem line, takes the newer fork.
Line 3
Line 3 takes the old track and makes a lap. At Centrum West, it turns and goes back over the whole track to Den Haag Centraal Station.
Route
The route starts at Den Haag Centraal Station and goes through Voorburg and Leidschendam. Then it enters Zoetermeer at station Voorweg Laag.
- Voorweg Laag
- Centrum West (bus station)
- Stadhuis
- Palenstein
- Seghwaert
- Leidsewallen
- De Leyens
- Buytenwegh
- Voorweg Hoog
- Meerzicht
- Driemanspolder (NS station Zoetermeer)
- Delftsewallen
- Dorp
- Centrum West (bus station)
Here is the end of the line. The vehicle turns around and drives the route back to The Hague Centraal Station.
Line 4
Line 4 drives the same route as line 3, until after station Seghwaert. Here it splits off and goes into the Oosterheem neighbourhood.
Route
The route starts at Den Haag Centraal Station and goes through Voorburg and Leidschendam. Then it enters Zoetermeer at station Voorweg Laag, just like line 3.
- Voorweg Laag
- Centrum West (bus station)
- Stadhuis
- Palenstein
- Seghwaert
- Willem Dreeslaan
- Oosterheem
- Javalaan
This is the end of the track for now.
Future
There are future plans to make the fork into Oosterheem longer. The line would go to a big train station which not exist now, called Bleizo, that will be a station for Zoetermeer and Bleiswijk. There will be a station then. There are also bigger plans then to connect that to Rokkeveen, a big neighbourhood in Zoetermeer which doesn't have a RandstadRail station now.