73-700: 47°22′25″N 8°31′45″E / 47.3735°N 8.5292°E / 47.3735; 8.5292 Stauffacher is a tram junction (lines 2, 3, 8, 9, 14) in Aussersihl , Zurich , next to the St. Jakob church, situated along the Badenerstrasse between the Bäcker and the Stauffacher streets. The tram stop was named after the street, which had been named for Werner Stauffacher in 1893. Stauffacher
146-649: A country (for example, 1,440 mm or 4 ft 8 + 11 ⁄ 16 in to 1,445 mm or 4 ft 8 + 7 ⁄ 8 in in France). The first tracks in Austria and in the Netherlands had other gauges ( 1,000 mm or 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in in Austria for the Donau Moldau line and 1,945 mm or 6 ft 4 + 9 ⁄ 16 in in
219-620: A distance of 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi) with seven stops. The new line operates over the first section of the so-called Limmatalbahn, not to be confused with the defunct Limmattal tramway , and replaces trolleybus line 31 over that section (line 31 now terminates at Hermetschloo station). The second section of the Limmattalbahn opened in December 2022. The Limmattalbahn is a light rail service (line 20) from Altstetten railway station to Killwangen-Spreitenbach railway station. It
292-538: A fare regime provided by the cantonal public transport authority Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV), which also covers regional rail and bus services. The city's trams are operated by the Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ), which also manages the tramway infrastructure within the city, but the city's tram tracks are also used by two other operations. The Glattalbahn tram services to the Glattal area to
365-960: A new generation of tram cars, to replace the high-floor Tram 2000 trams currently in service. By 2010, it had conducted trials of three existing tram types on its network. These were the Stadler Tango , the Siemens Combino and the Bombardier Flexity . It then requested tenders for the supply of 30 new trams, together with an option for the supply of a further 70 vehicles. The first trams were to be delivered in December 2016, and were to be 100% low floor with capacity for at least 225 passengers. In response, by April 2013 five suppliers had submitted bids. As of February 2015, no decision had been made as to which supplier to select, with reports of conflict between city and canton authorities. Standard gauge A standard-gauge railway
438-772: A private company, and were of standard gauge ( 1,435 mm or 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in gauge) and horse-drawn. By 1888 the first electric tramway in Switzerland (the Vevey–Montreux–Chillon tramway ) had opened, and, in 1894, another private company, the Elektrische Strassenbahn Zürich [ de ] (EStZ), started operating metre gauge ( 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in gauge) electric trams in Zurich. The EStZ only survived for two years before it
511-571: A rail connection to the Swiss Federal Railway system, allowing the delivery of infrastructure items and vehicles by rail. In addition to the above depots and workshops, two other former tram depots, at Burgweis and Wartau, are also still connected to the tram network. Burgweis depot now houses the Zurich Tram Museum 's main collection, whilst Wartau is used as a workshop by that organisation. The rail connections permit
584-510: A standard gauge of 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ), and those in Ireland to a new standard gauge of 5 ft 3 in ( 1,600 mm ). In Great Britain, Stephenson's gauge was chosen on the grounds that existing lines of this gauge were eight times longer than those of the rival 7 ft or 2,134 mm (later 7 ft 1 ⁄ 4 in or 2,140 mm ) gauge adopted principally by
657-547: A ticket valid for the whole journey is held. The ZVV system is zone-based, with fares for individual journeys set by the zones the journey passes through. The Zurich tram network extends over just two of these zones, with zone 110 covering the city routes, and zone 121 covering the Stadtbahn Glattal routes. Both single journey and day tickets are available, as are a number of passes with longer validities. Besides its passenger transport activities, VBZ, jointly with
730-622: A westward extension of the same trolleybus line. In practice, the trolleybus service struggled to cope with peak loadings and punctuality did not improve. No further conversions of tram lines to trolleybuses have taken place. In the 1950s, as well as proposing the conversion of less busy lines to trolleybus, plans were also made to place the busier lines in tunnels, in a form called the Tiefbahn . The recently delivered Swiss Standard trams were not seen as suitable for this, because they had doors on their tapered car ends that would not have aligned with
803-778: Is a railway with a track gauge of 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ). The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson ), international gauge , UIC gauge , uniform gauge , normal gauge in Europe, and SGR in East Africa. It is the most widely used track gauge around the world, with about 55% of the lines in the world using it. All high-speed rail lines use standard gauge except those in Russia , Finland , Uzbekistan , and some line sections in Spain . The distance between
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#1732776514709876-436: Is built to metre gauge ( 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in gauge). There are 171.9 kilometres (106.8 mi) of track, equating to a network length of 72.9 kilometres (45.3 mi) and a total route length of 118.7 kilometres (73.8 mi). The tracks are electrified using overhead line at 600 V DC , utilising a supply system shared with the city's trolleybus network . The VBZ infrastructure within Zurich
949-766: Is currently operated by the Ghana Railway Company Limited . Kojokrom-Sekondi Railway Line (The Kojokrom-Sekondi line is a branch line that joins the Western Railway Line at Kojokrom ) Indian nationwide rail system ( Indian Railways ) uses 1,676 mm ( 5 ft 6 in ) broad gauge. 96% of the broad gauge network is electrified. The railway tracks of Java and Sumatra use 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ). Planned and under construction high-speed railways to use 1,668 mm ( 5 ft 5 + 21 ⁄ 32 in ) to maintain interoperability with
1022-401: Is largely street based, with varying degrees of segregation from other street traffic and significant sections where trams run in unrestricted traffic lanes. In the city centre the tram tracks run through largely pedestrianised streets, and in one place in the suburbs the trams use a tunnel originally constructed for the never completed Zurich U-Bahn system. By contrast, on VBG infrastructure in
1095-457: Is officially just the name of the tram stop, not the square, and there was formerly a Stauffacherplatz some 200 m farther along the street towards the Sihl (named in 1898). Since the name of the tram stop induced common usage to associate Stauffacherplatz with the tram stop, leading to confusion with the actual Stauffacherplatz , the latter was renamed to Ernst-Nobs -Platz in 2003. St. Jakob
1168-419: Is operated by Aargau Verkehr AG (AVA). The extension of line 2, together with a delay to the delivery of the Bombardier Flexity trams on order (see Future developments ), required a reorganisation of other lines in order to free up trams for line 2. In addition two Mirage trams, withdrawn from service nearly ten years earlier but held in reserve, were reinstated to cover some peak workings. The first of
1241-608: The Liverpool and Manchester Railway , authorised in 1826 and opened 30 September 1830. The extra half inch was not regarded at first as very significant, and some early trains ran on both gauges daily without compromising safety. The success of this project led to Stephenson and his son Robert being employed to engineer several other larger railway projects. Thus the 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) gauge became widespread and dominant in Britain. Robert
1314-546: The Mirage . Despite the planning and new rolling stock, a referendum in 1962 rejected the Tiefbahn . Instead, the proponents of going underground instead proposed a full scale metro , the Zurich U-Bahn system. This would have been standard gauge and electrified using a third rail, and hence incompatible with the tram network. The lines would have extended further into the suburbs and provided faster transit times than
1387-670: The Second World War slowed down the program, but by 1953 the VBZ, as the StStZ had become in 1950, had taken delivery of 177 such trams. While the tram network within the city of Zurich has seen relatively few line closures, the same cannot be said for the lines beyond the city limits. The StStZ routinely closed any out-of-city lines belonging to the companies it took over. In other cases, private sector operated lines succumbed without StStZ involvement. Out of town closures included: In
1460-539: The city's S-Bahn railway network rather than as part of the tram network. Beyond Rehalp the trains use the FB's own segregated tracks to reach their outer terminus at Esslingen . On the last weekend of each month, the Zurich Tram Museum operates tram line 21 (Museumslinie) from the city centre to the museum at Burgwies (up to Rehalp at Saturdays), using their own heritage rolling stock. Zurich's tram network
1533-404: The nearside of the tram. Zurich's tram fleet is kept in the five operational depots of Hard, Irchel, Kalkbreite, Oerlikon and Wollishofen, together with a permanent way yard at Hardturm. Whilst these depots have the capability to undertake minor maintenance, heavier maintenance is the responsibility of the VBZ's central workshop at Altstetten. This is connected to the tram network, and also has
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#17327765147091606-454: The 1890s, they have seen off challenges including proposals to replace them by trolleybuses and by a metro or U-Bahn . With a relatively static city network from the 1930s to the late 1970s, the city's trams have been expanding again since then. Recent expansions have taken the network into the suburbs beyond the city boundary, covering areas it retreated from in the first part of the 20th century. Further extensions have been approved, both to
1679-913: The Great Western Railway. It allowed the broad-gauge companies in Great Britain to continue with their tracks and expand their networks within the "Limits of Deviation" and the exceptions defined in the Act. After an intervening period of mixed-gauge operation (tracks were laid with three rails), the Great Western Railway finally completed the conversion of its network to standard gauge in 1892. In North East England, some early lines in colliery ( coal mining ) areas were 4 ft 8 in ( 1,422 mm ), while in Scotland some early lines were 4 ft 6 in ( 1,372 mm ). The British gauges converged starting from 1846 as
1752-647: The Netherlands for the Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij ), but for interoperability reasons (the first rail service between Paris and Berlin began in 1849, first Chaix timetable) Germany adopted standard gauges, as did most other European countries. The modern method of measuring rail gauge was agreed in the first Berne rail convention of 1886. Several lines were initially built as standard gauge but were later converted to another gauge for cost or for compatibility reasons. 2,295 km (1,426 mi) Victoria built
1825-522: The Stadtbahn Glattal, VBZ trams operate on long stretches of dedicated track. Many of Zurich's tram stops have been equipped with boarding platforms raised to match the floor height of the low floor trams, although there are still examples of stops where passengers must board from street level. Zurich's trams are single-ended, with doors on only one side, although Forchbahn trains are double-ended and double-sided. In consequence all terminal locations are equipped with turning loops , and all tram stops are to
1898-569: The U-Bahn. In 1990, the city's urban and regional transport were integrated by the introduction of the ZVV and its zone-based common fare structure. In 2001, the VBZ took delivery of the first prototypes of a brand-new low-floor design of tram, known as the Cobra . Despite many teething problems with the prototypes, which were eventually extensively rebuilt, there are now 88 of these trams in service, with
1971-645: The advantages of equipment interchange became increasingly apparent. By the 1890s, the entire network was converted to standard gauge. The Royal Commission made no comment about small lines narrower than standard gauge (to be called "narrow gauge"), such as the Ffestiniog Railway . Thus it permitted a future multiplicity of narrow gauges in the UK. It also made no comments about future gauges in British colonies, which allowed various gauges to be adopted across
2044-578: The city boundary. The system opened in stages between 2006 and 2010. The VBG contracted the VBZ to operate the network, and several tram lines now operate across both networks. The arrival of new trams between 2001 and 2010 led to the retirement of older vehicles. The Karpfen last ran in regular service in 2006, and the Mirage in 2010. Many members of both classes have been transferred to Vinnytsia in Ukraine . Tram Zürich West , an extension from Escher-Wyss-Platz to Bahnhof Altstetten Nord , in
2117-552: The city of Zurich in Switzerland . The tram network serves most city neighbourhoods, and is the backbone of public transport within the city, albeit supplemented by the inner sections of the Zurich S-Bahn , along with urban trolleybus and bus lines, as well as two funicular railways, one rack railway and passenger boat lines on the river and on the lake . The trams and other city transport modes operate within
2190-464: The city of Zurich, opened in December 2011. The resulting reorganisation of lines included a new line 17 from Hauptbahnhof to Werdhölzli via Escher-Wyss-Platz , and the diversion of line 4, which had previously served Werdhölzli , to Altstetten. In 2017, line 8 was extended from Hardplatz to Hardturm , via a new track over Hardbrücke, the first tram line to cross the main railway line through Zurich (project Tram Hardbrücke ). An extension of
2263-693: The city refuse and recycling department ERZ, operates the cargo tram to collect bulky waste. The cargo tram serves 10 different collection points around Zurich, calling at each on different days of the month. The collected refuse is taken to a specially constructed siding at the ERZ yard adjacent to the Werdhölzli tram terminus. The service was introduced in 2003, as an attempt to reduce the amount of bulky waste items dumped illegally every year. As Zurich has an extensive tram network serving most neighbourhoods, and many suitable sidings not used by regular services, it
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2336-563: The city tram network itself, and by the introduction of a new light rail system in the Limmat Valley that will interwork with the city trams. Various projects to introduce trams to Zurich were proposed from the 1860s onwards. It was not until 1882, however, that the first tram operated in the city. These initial trams were operated by the Zürcher Strassenbahn Gesellschaft [ de ] (ZStG),
2409-494: The city, the initial threat to the tram came from its perceived inflexibility and susceptibility to the growing traffic congestion in the city streets. One proposed solution was the conversion of the less busy tram lines to trolleybus lines, and the first step in this direction was the conversion of tram line 1, from Burgwies to Hardplatz (1954–56). This was followed by the Farbhof to Schlieren section of line 2 (1956–58) which became
2482-465: The city. Like the EStZ, all these lines were electrified and were built to the metre gauge. The StStZ gradually took over those companies that had significant city operations, usually closing any cross-boundary lines, whilst leaving those lines entirely beyond the city to their own devices. By the mid-1930s, the StStZ had acquired all the companies that had operated tramways within the city boundaries, with
2555-483: The coal mines of County Durham . He favoured 4 ft 8 in ( 1,422 mm ) for wagonways in Northumberland and Durham , and used it on his Killingworth line. The Hetton and Springwell wagonways also used this gauge. Stephenson's Stockton and Darlington railway (S&DR) was built primarily to transport coal from mines near Shildon to the port at Stockton-on-Tees . Opening in 1825,
2628-597: The colonies. Parts of the United States, mainly in the Northeast, adopted the same gauge, because some early trains were purchased from Britain. The American gauges converged, as the advantages of equipment interchange became increasingly apparent. Notably, all the 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) broad gauge track in the South was converted to "almost standard" gauge 4 ft 9 in ( 1,448 mm ) over
2701-459: The course of two days beginning on 31 May 1886. See Track gauge in the United States . In continental Europe, France and Belgium adopted a 1,500 mm ( 4 ft 11 + 1 ⁄ 16 in ) gauge (measured between the midpoints of each rail's profile ) for their early railways. The gauge between the interior edges of the rails (the measurement adopted from 1844) differed slightly between countries, and even between networks within
2774-617: The current city boundaries are shown in italic type. Those which still operate tram or other light rail services are shown in bold type. The following tram lines make up the urban routes and the routes of the Glattalbahn and Limmattalbahn networks. All journeys on lines 6, 10 and 12 are operated by low-floor trams, whilst at least every other journey on lines 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 14 are provided by such vehicles. Most, but not all, tram stops are configured to allow passengers in wheelchairs to board low-floor trams. Of
2847-544: The fare and ticketing system provided by the cantonal public transport authority, the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV). This system covers the whole of the canton of Zurich and thus covers travel on other modes and services, provided by many other operators, and includes the Zurich S-Bahn suburban rail network. Free transfer is permitted between different vehicles, lines, modes and operators, provided
2920-484: The first of the city's trolleybus lines . Initially these modes complemented the trams, but at various times they have threatened to replace parts of the tram system, and sometimes succeeded in doing so. In 1940, the StStZ started a modernisation of its trams, introducing the first prototypes of the Swiss Standard Tram [ de ; fr ] . Despite Switzerland's neutrality, the economic effects of
2993-740: The first railways to the 5 ft 3 in ( 1,600 mm ) Irish broad gauge. New South Wales then built to the standard gauge, so trains had to stop on the border and passengers transferred, which was only rectified in the 1960s. Queensland still runs on a narrow gauge but there is a standard gauge line from NSW to Brisbane. NMBS/SNCB 3,619 km (2,249 mi) Brussels Metro 40 km (25 mi) Trams in Brussels 140 km (87 mi) 1,032 km (641 mi) The Toronto Transit Commission uses 4 ft 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 in ( 1,495 mm ) gauge on its streetcar and subway lines. Takoradi to Sekondi Route,
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3066-429: The initial gauge of 4 ft 8 in ( 1,422 mm ) was set to accommodate the existing gauge of hundreds of horse-drawn chaldron wagons that were already in use on the wagonways in the mines. The railway used this gauge for 15 years before a change was made, debuting around 1850, to the 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) gauge. The historic Mount Washington Cog Railway ,
3139-534: The inner sides of the rails) to be used. Different railways used different gauges, and where rails of different gauge met – a " gauge break " – loads had to be unloaded from one set of rail cars and reloaded onto another, a time-consuming and expensive process. The result was the adoption throughout a large part of the world of a "standard gauge" of 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ), allowing interconnectivity and interoperability. A popular legend that has circulated since at least 1937 traces
3212-400: The inside edges of the rails is defined to be 1,435 mm except in the United States, Canada, and on some heritage British lines, where it is defined in U.S. customary / Imperial units as exactly "four feet eight and one half inches", which is equivalent to 1,435.1 mm. As railways developed and expanded, one of the key issues was the track gauge (the distance, or width, between
3285-401: The last delivered in 2010. In order to increase the number of low-floor trams in service, 23 trams from the otherwise high-floor Tram 2000 fleet were rebuilt between 2001 and 2005 with the addition of a low-floor centre section. From the 1950s onwards, the Glattal region to the north of Zurich experienced a rapid boom as population and industry spilled over from nearby Zurich, partly driven by
3358-465: The last of the class delivered in 1992. From the 1980s onwards, the system was increasingly acclaimed for its success in maintaining a high share of the modal split , and the Zurich model of transport provision was named after it. Beyond the tramway, the Zurich S-Bahn rail network was introduced to serve the region beyond the city boundaries, taking on some of the role that was originally planned for
3431-467: The new Flexity trams arrived in Zurich on 13 November 2019, but it is not expected to enter passenger service until the summer of 2020. The next extension of the urban route network, from Radiostudio to Holzerhurd (called Tram Affoltern ), is currently planned and expected to open in 2029. Tram line 11 will operate on this section to Zurich Affoltern and replace the trolleybus line 32 on that section (line 32 will terminate at Bucheggplatz ). At
3504-514: The north of the city interwork with the city tram services and are also operated by the VBZ, although in this case it does so as a sub-contractor to the Verkehrsbetriebe Glattal (VBG). Trains of the independent Forchbahn (FB) light railway also use the city's tram lines to reach their city centre terminus. Trams have been a consistent part of Zurich's streetscape since the 1880s, when the first horse tram ran. Electrified from
3577-485: The occasional operation of preserved trams on the VBZ network. As of 2012, the VBZ owns 313 tram vehicles, which between them cover over 16 million vehicle-kilometres per year. All regular public services are covered by 289 vehicles of two basic classes, with the remainder of the fleet made up of a number of assorted works vehicles, including some used for the cargo tram service, and heritage vehicles. The heritage fleet sees occasional use on special services. As of 2024,
3650-505: The origin of the 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) gauge even further back than the coalfields of northern England, pointing to the evidence of rutted roads marked by chariot wheels dating from the Roman Empire . Snopes categorised this legend as "false", but commented that it "is perhaps more fairly labeled as 'Partly true, but for trivial and unremarkable reasons. ' " The historical tendency to place
3723-409: The original line 1 was terminated and its tracks removed in the 1950s). The Zurich Tram Museum , located at the former tram depot at Burgwies (on tram line 11), preserves many examples of Zurich's former tramcar fleet, along with other related exhibits. Current and historic operators of trams in and around Zurich are summarised in the table below. Names of companies whose lines were entirely outside
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#17327765147093796-405: The outermost portions of the wheel rims, it became apparent that for vehicles travelling on rails, having main wheel flanges that fit inside the rails is better, thus the minimum distance between the wheels (and, by extension, the inside faces of the rail heads ) was the important one. A standard gauge for horse railways never existed, but rough groupings were used; in the north of England none
3869-513: The presence of Zurich Airport . Whilst the airport is served by the city's S-Bahn rail network , the economic growth and resulting congestion led to a need for a finer-grained form of public transport. The responsible transport authority (the Verkehrsbetriebe Glattal or VBG) responded by constructing a new light rail system, the Glattalbahn . This was built to be compatible with Zurich's tram network, with which it connects at several points on
3942-509: The proposed underground station platforms. In order to overcome this limitation, several new designs of tram were introduced. The first design, known as the P16 or Karpfen , could not run on some existing routes, and only one batch of 15 motor tram and trailer pairs was built. A later design, which used articulation to avoid the problems of the P16, was eventually more successful and 126 vehicles were delivered by 1969. This car became popularly known as
4015-592: The putative U-Bahn has since been adapted, as described below, for use by trams, whilst another now forms the terminus of the Uetliberg and Sihltal railway lines under the Hauptbahnhof . In 1976, the first tram extension since 1954 took place, with the extension of line 4 from Hardturm to Werdhölzli . Unlike the older lines, this extension was built mostly on reserved track , a precedent to be followed by most subsequent extensions. The Werdhölzli extension
4088-411: The rest of the network. All other railways use 1,668 mm ( 5 ft 5 + 21 ⁄ 32 in ) ( broad gauge ) and/or 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in ) metre gauge . BLS , Rigi Railways (rack railway) 449 km Several states in the United States had laws requiring road vehicles to have a consistent gauge to allow them to follow ruts in
4161-415: The same time, tram line 15 will be extended from Bucheggplatz to Auzelg on the tracks currently used by line 11. Also under discussion is the so-called Tram Nordtangente , a tram line from Zurich Affoltern to Schwamendingen via Oerlikon . Other extensions (after 2035) are under discussion, including the reenactment of tram line 1 from Hauptbahnhof to Altstetten (served by trolleybus line 31 since
4234-564: The section through the tunnel uses left-hand running. From 1976 onwards, the VBZ tram fleet was further updated, with the introduction of Zurich's variant of the Tram 2000 design used by several Swiss tram networks. Several sub-classes of the Tram 2000 were purchased, including articulated and non-articulated variants, and some without drivers cabs that could only operate in multiple with other cars. Eventually 171 of these vehicles were delivered, with
4307-470: The single exception of the Dolderbahn , which had closed its short tramway in 1930. The standard gauge horse tram lines had all been converted to metre gauge and electrified. The StStZ had also built many tram extensions, resulting in a dense network of tramlines serving most city neighbourhoods. However, in 1927, the StStZ had introduced its first motor bus line, and this was to be followed in 1939 by
4380-492: The term "narrow gauge" for gauges less than standard did not arise for many years, until the first such locomotive-hauled passenger railway, the Ffestiniog Railway , was built. In 1845, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , a Royal Commission on Railway Gauges reported in favour of a standard gauge. The subsequent Gauge Act ruled that new passenger-carrying railways in Great Britain should be built to
4453-571: The three lines that operate in part over Glattalbahn tracks, lines 10 and 12 are operated by the VBZ on behalf of the Verkehrsbetriebe Glattal (VBG), normally using tramcars in the VBG's own predominantly white colour scheme, whilst line 11 is operated by the VBZ on its own behalf, normally using vehicles in its own livery. In December 2022, the Limmattalbahn opened services between Zurich Altstetten and Killwangen-Spreitenbach ( Aargau ). It
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#17327765147094526-400: The tracks from Hardbrücke to Bucheggplatz and Milchbuck (project Rosengartentram und Rosengartentunnel ), along with the opening of two new tram lines, was rejected by a referendum in 2020, however. This project would have also included a loop tunnel for the cars between Hardbrücke and Bucheggplatz . In September 2019, city line 2 was extended from Farbhof to Geissweid ( Schlieren ),
4599-529: The tram fleet comprises the following vehicles: Like the rest of the VBZ network, Zurich's tram network operates on a proof-of-payment system. All tram stops are equipped with ticket machines, and passengers are required to purchase a ticket before boarding the vehicle. Passengers may board through any door and are not required to show tickets on boarding. Instead, tickets are randomly checked by roving teams of fare inspectors, and fines are imposed on passengers found without one. Tram services are operated within
4672-399: The tramways, which would have been curtailed so as not to compete with the U-Bahn. However this would have been at the expense of a coarser grained network, with much longer distances between U-Bahn stations than between the tram stops they replaced. In 1973, the U-Bahn proposal too was rejected in a referendum, but not before several stretches of U-Bahn tunnel had been built. One section of
4745-434: The wheels of horse-drawn vehicles around 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) apart probably derives from the width needed to fit a carthorse in between the shafts. Research, however, has been undertaken to support the hypothesis that "the origin of the standard gauge of the railway might result from an interval of wheel ruts of prehistoric ancient carriages". In addition, while road-travelling vehicles are typically measured from
4818-426: The world's first mountain -climbing rack railway , is still in operation in the 21st century, and has used the earlier 4 ft 8 in ( 1,422 mm ) gauge since its inauguration in 1868. George Stephenson introduced the 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) gauge (including a belated extra 1 ⁄ 2 in (13 mm) of free movement to reduce binding on curves ) for
4891-456: Was decided to use the tram network. In its first year of operation it was responsible for the collection of 380 tonnes (370 long tons; 420 short tons) of waste. The collected waste is carried in two standard refuse containers, which are mounted on four-wheeled flat wagons. These are hauled by car 1922, a former Swiss Standard Tram, originally delivered to Zurich in 1940, and converted into a works car in 1980. The VBZ has long intended to order
4964-449: Was designated line 20 and is operated by AVA using double-ended (i.e. with two driver's cabs ) Stadler Citylink vehicles. The independent Forchbahn (FB) railway uses VBZ trackwork to reach their city centre terminus, at Bahnhof Stadelhofen , from the eastern edge of the city, at Rehalp. The FB trains operate largely in the street for this section of their route, sharing track with VBZ tram lines, but are categorised as line S18 of
5037-497: Was followed in 1986 by the extension of lines 7 and 9 into new residential areas to the north-east of Zurich. This used one of the stretches of tunnel that had been built for the rejected U-Bahn, between Milchbuck and Schwamendingen. The tram route was extended through the tunnel before splitting at Schwamendingen to serve the area beyond, using new surface track. Because the tunnels and stations had been built with island platforms , whilst Zurich trams only have doors on their nearside ,
5110-784: Was less than 4 ft ( 1,219 mm ). Wylam colliery's system, built before 1763, was 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ), as was John Blenkinsop 's Middleton Railway ; the old 4 ft ( 1,219 mm ) plateway was relaid to 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) so that Blenkinsop's engine could be used. Others were 4 ft 4 in ( 1,321 mm ) (in Beamish ) or 4 ft 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,410 mm ) (in Bigges Main (in Wallsend ), Kenton , and Coxlodge ). English railway pioneer George Stephenson spent much of his early engineering career working for
5183-605: Was reported to have said that if he had had a second chance to choose a gauge, he would have chosen one wider than 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ). "I would take a few inches more, but a very few". During the " gauge war " with the Great Western Railway , standard gauge was called " narrow gauge ", in contrast to the Great Western's 7 ft 1 ⁄ 4 in ( 2,140 mm ) broad gauge . The modern use of
5256-591: Was taken over by the City of Zurich, who renamed it the Städtische Strassenbahn Zürich (StStZ). The following year, the horse trams of the ZStG were acquired. Further tramway companies were founded, some operating entirely within the city, some connecting the city with its nearer suburbs, and some running in rural areas entirely beyond the city, but still linked by connections with other lines to
5329-600: Was the site of a sick-house outside the town of Zurich and an associated chapel since the 11th century. The first historical mention of the St. Jakob church dates to 1221. It was the site of the Battle of St. Jakob an der Sihl in 1443. In 1677, the sick-house was transformed into a Pfrundhaus (senior citizens' residence), disestablished in 1842. The current St. Jakob church building was inaugurated in 1901. Zurich trams Trams make an important contribution to public transport in
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