Rotterdam Metro
The Rotterdam Metro (Dutch: Rotterdamse metro) is a rapid transit system operated in Rotterdam, Netherlands and surrounding municipalities by RET. The first line, called Noord – Zuidlijn (North – South line) opened in 1968 and ran from Centraal Station to Zuidplein, crossing the river Nieuwe Maas in a tunnel. It was the first metro system to open in the Netherlands. At the time it was also one of the shortest metro lines in the world with a length of only 5.9 km (3.7 mi).
In 1982 a second line was opened, the Oost – Westlijn (East – West line), running between
Lines
Lines A and B
In the northeast of Rotterdam, Lines A and B branch to Binnenhof (Line A) and to Nesselande (Line B). The latter has been extended since September 2005; before that date, this line terminated at De Tochten.
North of
As of 30 September 2019 Line B is connected to the Schiedam–Hoek van Holland railway line, extending the metro network to Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland), while line A operates on this line as far as Vlaardingen West, starting 1 November 2019.
Line C
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Metrostation_Pernis.jpg/220px-Metrostation_Pernis.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Metrostation_Troelstralaan.jpg/220px-Metrostation_Troelstralaan.jpg)
At Capelsebrug, Line C branches off the main East-West section to De Terp in Capelle aan den IJssel. Until November 2002, the Calandlijn (now lines A, B and C) terminated in the west of Rotterdam, at Marconiplein. On 4 November 2002 an extension through the city of Schiedam towards Spijkenisse was opened. The extension included four new stations in Schiedam (including Schiedam Centrum station) and one in Pernis. Line C joins Line D at the Tussenwater station in Hoogvliet. Line A and B branch off to the Schiedam-Hoek van Holland railway, while Line C trains continue and, like those on the Line D, terminate at De Akkers station in Spijkenisse.
Line D
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/RET_Metro_Type_SG2-1_op_De_Akkers.jpg/220px-RET_Metro_Type_SG2-1_op_De_Akkers.jpg)
Line D runs from Rotterdam Centraal via Beurs, Slinge, Rhoon, Tussenwater, and Spijkenisse Centrum towards De Akkers.
Line D intersects with Lines A, B and C at Beurs station. Before the connection with Line E at Rotterdam Centraal was realized in December 2011, some Line D trains terminated at Slinge during rush hours.
Line E
Line E is a direct conversion of the former Hofpleinlijn from a railway line to a rapid transit line in 2006. The section of the route between Laan van NOI and Leidschendam-Voorburg is shared with light rail vehicles on two routes from the Hague tram network heading towards Zoetermeer via the Zoetermeer Stadslijn. All of these services fall under the RandstadRail branding.
At the time of opening, the old
For the next year, work was in progress to connect Line D to Line E at Rotterdam Centraal station. Since the completion of this project in December 2011, all trains coming from Den Haag Centraal terminate at Slinge (these are Line E trains), while line D continues in service between De Akkers and Rotterdam Centraal.
The line's northern terminus used the former railway platforms at Den Haag Centraal, which had been inherited from NS and in use since 1975, having been moved from the previous terminus at Den Haag Hollands Spoor. These platforms remained in use until 12 February 2016. The line was then closed between here and Laan Van NOI while construction was completed of a new station built on an elevated viaduct adjacent to the railway platforms. This opened on 22 August 2016.[4]
Network map
Rolling stock
Series | Built | Vehicle numbers | Manufacturer | Status | Power supply | Vehicle length | Cabs | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5000 (MG2) | 1966–1967 1970 |
5001-5027 5051-5066 |
Werkspoor | Retired | Third rail only | 29 m (95 ft 1+3⁄4 in) | 2 | ![]() |
5100 (MG2) | 1974–1975 | 5101-5126 5151-5152 |
Duewag | ![]() | ||||
5200 (SG2) | 1980–1984 | (5201-5271) 5201 + 5229 destroyed in a fire in 2006 | Third rail Overhead wire |
29.8 m (97 ft 9+1⁄4 in) | ![]() | |||
5300 (MG2/1) | 1998–2001 | 5301-5363 | Bombardier | In service | Third rail only | 30.5 m (100 ft 3⁄4 in) | 1 | ![]() |
5400 (SG2/1) | 2001–2002 | 5401-5418 | Third rail Overhead wire |
![]() | ||||
5500 (RSG3) | 2007–2009 | 5501-5522 | 42 m (137 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | 2 | ![]() | |||
5600 (SG3) | 2009–2011 | 5601-5642 | ![]() | |||||
5700 (HSG3) | 2015–2017 | 5701-5722 | ![]() |
Trains series 5300, 5400, 5500, 5600 and 5700 are
-
First train series of the Rotterdam Metro, built by Werkspoor
-
A series 5200 train, built by Duewag
-
A series 5400 train, built by Bombardier
-
The new train for RandstadRail, built by Bombardier (5501)
-
Train in order from left to right: 5239, 5322, 5350, 5408, 5513 and 5631
Overview
Line | Termini (North / East – South / West) | Stations | Length (km) | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Line A | Binnenhof – Vlaardingen West | 24 | 17.2 (to Schiedam Centum) | Terminates at Schiedam Centrum outside peak hours. |
Line B | Nesselande – Hoek van Holland Strand | 32 | 42.4 | Extended to |
Line C | De Terp – De Akkers | 26 | 30 | |
Line D | Rotterdam Centraal – De Akkers | 17 | 21 | |
Line E | Den Haag Centraal – Slinge | 23 | 27 | Part of RandstadRail. |
In 2015, there were about 175,000 daily riders of Lines A, B and C. There were 145,000 on Lines D and E.
Future extensions
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Metro_Rotterdam_future.svg/220px-Metro_Rotterdam_future.svg.png)
RET plans to build a connecting line from
Traction power
Trains run on 750
Three lines do however have sections that use
The sections of the metro that use overhead wires are called sneltram (light rail) by locals, as they include several protected
See also
- List of Rotterdam Metro stations
- RandstadRail
- Trams in Rotterdam
- List of metro systems
- De Akkers metro station crash
References
- ^ "Operationele terugblik".
- ^ "Over RET - RET". Archived from the original on 2013-11-25. Retrieved 2014-05-03.
- ^ "Over RET - Materieel" [About RET - Vehicles] (in Dutch). RET. Archived from the original on 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
- ^ "Werkzaamheden aan RandstadRail, route tijdelijk ingekort – Stichting Vitaal Pendrecht".
- ^ "Hook of Holland light metro line finally opens". International Railway Journal. 30 September 2019. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
Further reading
- Jan van Huijksloot and Joachim Kost, Veertig jaar Metro in Rotterdam 1968-2008. Uitgeverij Uquilar, 2008.
External links
Media related to Rotterdam metro at Wikimedia Commons