The Amsterdam Tram ( nl, Amsterdamse tram
ŒÉ‘mstəɹˈdÉ‘msÉ™ tɾɛm is a tram network in
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
,
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. It dates back to 1875 and since 1943 has been operated by municipal
public transport
Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...
operator
Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf (GVB), which also runs the
Amsterdam Metro
The Amsterdam Metro ( nl, Amsterdamse metro) is a rapid transit system serving Amsterdam, Netherlands, and extending to the surrounding municipalities of Diemen and Ouder-Amstel. Until 2019 it also served the municipality of Amstelveen but thi ...
and the city bus and ferry services. Amsterdam has the largest tram network in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and one of the largest in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
.
Network overview
The 15 tram lines within Amsterdam's tram network serve all
boroughs
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle Ag ...
in Amsterdam except for
Amsterdam-Noord
Amsterdam-Noord (; ) is a borough of Amsterdam, Netherlands with a population of about 90,000. The IJ, the body of water which separates it from Amsterdam-Centrum and the rest of the city, is situated southwest of Amsterdam-Noord. The borough, whi ...
on the north side of the
IJ.
Tram lines 5 and 25 extend south of the borough of
Amsterdam-Zuid
Amsterdam-Zuid (; ''Amsterdam South'') is a borough (''stadsdeel'') of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The borough was formed in 2010 as a merger of the former boroughs Oud-Zuid and Zuideramstel. The borough has almost 138,000 inhabitants (2013). With 8, ...
to serve the municipality of
Amstelveen
Amstelveen () is a municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands with a population of 92.353 as of 2022. It is a suburban part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area.
The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the historical villages o ...
,
and tram line 19 extends east of the borough of
Amsterdam-Oost
Amsterdam-Oost () is a borough of Amsterdam, Netherlands, established in May 2010 after a merger of the former boroughs of Zeeburg and Oost-Watergraafsmeer. In 2013, the borough had almost 123,000 inhabitants.
History
Amsterdam-Oost is the bor ...
to serve the municipality of
Diemen
Diemen () is a town and municipality with a population of in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is located approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Amsterdam's city centre, within the Amsterdam metropolitan area.
Etymology
The name ...
.
, the fleet consists of 227 trams, of which 155 are Combinos (types 13G and 14G) from
Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
and 72 are Urbos 100 trams from
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (Grupo CAF, literally "Construction and Other Railway Services") is a Spanish publicly listed company which manufactures railway vehicles and equipment and buses through its Solaris Bus & Coach subsidia ...
(type 15G). The first 15G trams ran on
line 25. Trams of types 14G and 15G are
bi-directional for use on lines 5 and 25 which have terminals without turning loops.
All other tram lines have turning loops and use
unidirectional trams.
Lines 25 (
Amsteltram
Amsterdam tram line 25, also known as the Amsteltram, is a tram line between Amsterdam Zuid station in Amsterdam and Westwijk in Amstelveen. It officially opened on 13 December 2020 (unofficially 4 days earlier on 9 December). Work is underway to ...
) and 26 (
IJtram
Amsterdam tram line 26, popularly known as the IJtram, is a tram line operating between Amsterdam Centraal station and the IJburg district in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. , the IJtram was the busiest tram line in Amsterdam, carrying 30,000 riders ...
) can operate trams coupled in pairs; both lines run in a right-of-way mostly separated from road traffic.
In 2020, the tram network consisted of 14 lines operating over of routes and of
standard gauge
A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of . The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson), International gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge, normal gauge and European gauge in Europe, and SGR in Ea ...
track with 650
switches
In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type of ...
and 500 tram stops. The tram fleet travelled almost while in service. Tram service consumed 45 million kilowatts of electricity per year, all produced from green sources.
History
Beginnings
![Paleis op de dam 1900](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Paleis_op_de_dam_1900.jpg)
On 3 June 1875, Amsterdam's first
horse-drawn
A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load. They were once common worldwide, but they have m ...
tramway was opened. It linked
Plantage
Plantage is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands located in its Centrum borough. It is bordered by the Entrepotdok to the north, Plantage Muidergracht to the east and south and Nieuwe Herengracht to the west. In the centre of the neighbourhoo ...
with the
Leidseplein
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...
, and was operated by AOM (''Amsterdamsche Omnibus Maatschappij''), which had been founded in 1872 by Karel Herman Schadd, amongst others.
In the last quarter of the 19th century, horse trams ran through the main streets of Amsterdam, linking all neighborhoods inside the
Singel
The Singel is one of the canals of Amsterdam. The Singel encircled Amsterdam in the Middle Ages, serving as a moat around the city until 1585, when Amsterdam expanded beyond the Singel. The canal runs from the IJ bay, near the Central Statio ...
with
Dam Square
Dam Square or the Dam () is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the best-known and most important locations in the city and the country.
Location and description
...
, and were extended to newly constructed residential areas. By the end of the century, about 15 lines led to or from the Vondelstraat, Overtoom, Willemsparkweg, Amsteldijk, Linnaeusstraat, Weesperzijde, Bilderdijkstraat and Ceintuurbaan.
The lines of the original horse tram lines can still clearly be recognised in the present day tram routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, (9, 10) and 13.
Gemeentetram
As of 1 January 1900, the
municipality of Amsterdam The Government of Amsterdam consists of several territorial and functional forms of local and regional government. The principal form of government is the municipality of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The municipality's territory covers the city of Amster ...
took over AOM. The company continued as the Gemeentetram Amsterdam (GTA). A total of 242 tramcars, 758 horses and 15 buildings were acquired along with the company.
Between 1900 and 1906, all but one of the existing tram lines were electrified. Additionally, the AOM's unusual
track gauge
In rail transport, track gauge (in American English, alternatively track gage) is the distance between the two rails of a railway track. All vehicles on a rail network must have wheelsets that are compatible with the track gauge. Since many d ...
of was
converted to .
![Bustram](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Bustram.jpg)
By 1906, the electric tram network consisted of 12 tram lines (1-11 and 13). To operate these lines, the GTA purchased 229 new electric tramcars. The former horse-drawn trams were progressively reclassified as tram trailers. In 1906, the ''Amsterdamse Tramharmonie'' orchestra (now known as ''
Symfonisch Blaasorkest ATH'') was founded. This orchestra, composed of amateur musicians from the Amsterdam region, still exists.
The last remaining Amsterdam horse tramway was line 12 (Nassauplein–
Sloterdijk), which was electrified in 1916. Five years later, upon Amsterdam's annexation of the
municipality of Sloten, a former Sloten horse tramway came under the control of the GTA. The horses of this line, which linked Overtoom with Sloten, were replaced by tram-hauling buses in 1922; the line was converted into a conventional bus line in 1925.
Further developments
![AmsterdamTram 20180722](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/AmsterdamTram_20180722.svg)
Between 1910 and 1930, the growth of the city generated many new extensions to the tram lines. The first thirteen electrified tram lines were joined by: line 14 in 1910, lines 15–18 in 1913, line 19 in 1916, lines 22 and 23 in 1921, line 20 in 1922, line 21 in 1928, line 24 in 1929 and line 25 in 1930.
In 1931, the tramway network reached its greatest extent, at 25 tram lines. From that year to 1940, (almost) all the districts in the city could be reached by tram. Between 1900 and 1930, the fleet grew to 445 motorised trams and approximately 350 trailers. These were all twin axle vehicles with wooden bodies.
From 1922 until 1971, all trams had mailboxes at their rear side. These were emptied at
Centraal Station; the post office's distribution centre was located next to the station, at Stationsplein, and later at
Oosterdokskade. Thanks to the tram mailboxes, a letter could be delivered on time, even if it is too late for the last collection from the regular mailboxes.
During the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
of the 1930s, the tram service was reduced. In 1932, lines 12, 15, 19, 20 and 21 were abandoned. However, as part of the Eastern Railway Works (''Spoorwegwerken Oost'') in 1939–1942, trams came to the new neighborhoods in
Amsterdam-Oost
Amsterdam-Oost () is a borough of Amsterdam, Netherlands, established in May 2010 after a merger of the former boroughs of Zeeburg and Oost-Watergraafsmeer. In 2013, the borough had almost 123,000 inhabitants.
History
Amsterdam-Oost is the bor ...
, to serve the
Watergraafsmeer
The Watergraafsmeer is a polder in the Netherlands. It was reclaimed in 1629. In the 17th and 18th centuries, there were many buitenplaatsen in the Watergraafsmeer, though nowadays only one, Frankendael, remains.
Since 1921, the Watergraafsmee ...
, the new
Amstel station and the rebuilt
Muiderpoort station.
On 1 January 1943, the GTA merged with the Gemeenteveren to form
Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf (GVB).
Between 1940 and 1945, the trams carried big crowds and faced a crisis. Several lines had to be suspended (lines 4, 6, 8 and 14), before the whole service ceased in October 1944 due to a coal shortage. Many tram cars were transported eastward.
Postwar period
Following the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, tram services were resumed in June 1945, initially with only limited service (lines 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 24, 25). Line 5 was split into line 5 and line 12. Some lines were returned to service in later years: lines 2, 17 and 18 (in 1947) and 4 (in 1948). Between 1945 and 1949, the emergency line 26 was the tram line with the highest line number, followed by line 11. In 1948 and 1949, a special tram S ran as an express service from line 25 to Amstel station.
Tram lines 6 and 23 did not return to regular service, but operated intermittently until 1958 for transportation to the stadium. Lines 8, 14 and 22, used during the war, were not reactivated as tram lines, although line 22 was revived in 1950 as a bus line.
Between 1948 and 1950, the GVB acquired sixty motorised trams and fifty trailers, known as the three axles (''drieassers''). They were built by
Werkspoor
Werkspoor N.V. was the shortened, and later the official name of the Nederlandsche Fabriek van Werktuigen en Spoorwegmaterieel. It was a Dutch machine factory, known for rolling stock, (ship) steam engines, and diesel engines. It was a successor ...
in
Utrecht
Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
-
Zuilen
Zuilen is a district in the Northwest section of the Dutch city of Utrecht.
Zuilen is bordered by the train line and the river Vecht, the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, the street Marnixlaan, and the city borders at the north. The neighborhood Eli ...
, and replaced the then oldest trams in the fleet, which had entered service in 1902.
After a period of reconstruction in the 1940s, one tram line after another was shut down in the 1950s. Buses were considered to be more practical. Thus, between 1950 and 1965 lines 18, 12, 11, 17 and 5 (provisionally in 1961, finally in 1965) were replaced, in that order, by bus services. Only the
Leidsestraat
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...
and
Utrechtsestraat remained served by tram lines (lines 1, 2 and 4), which were necessary because these streets were too narrow for buses.
Revival
In the mid-1950s, (modern) tramcars came back into the spotlight. The 25
articulated tram
Trams have been used since the 19th century, and since then, there have been various uses and designs for trams around the world. This article covers the many design types, most notably the articulated, double-decker, drop-centre, low-floor, si ...
s ordered in 1955 to serve only the Leidsestraat lines 1 and 2 were well received, and secured the future of trams in Amsterdam. Between 1957 and 1968, 160 new articulated vehicles, manufactured by
Beijnes and Werkspoor in the Netherlands, were added to the fleet; they were numbered 551-587 and 602–724. The old twin axle trams from the prewar period were withdrawn from service between 1945 and 1968.
Extensions
After the trams had returned to favour in the inner city, the newly created Western Garden Cities (''
Westelijke Tuinsteden
Westelijke Tuinsteden is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, establish ...
'') in the west of Amsterdam were connected with its tramway network:
Bos en Lommerplein in 1950,
Slotermeer
Slotermeer is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = ...
in 1954, and
Osdorp
Osdorp () is neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. A larger area was, from 1981 until 2010, a ''stadsdeel'' (borough) of Amsterdam and in 2010 was merged into the new borough of Amsterdam Nieuw-West.
Neighborhood
The core neighborhood of Osdor ...
in 1962.
There were also some other new tram lines with line numbers that had long since disappeared or had never existed. Line 17, which was closed in 1956, was revived in 1962 (to Osdorp), when line 27 appeared on the old route of line 17. In October 1971, line 1 was extended to Osdorp. Line 27 disappeared in 1971. In 1977, upon the opening of Amsterdam's first
metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
line, lines 6 and 12 appeared. In 1978, with the opening of
Station Zuid, came line 5, and in 1982, a new line 14 (to
Station Sloterdijk) was opened, forty years after the lifting of the original line 14.
Other changes also occurred. In 1971, the tramway postal service was abandoned. In 1972–1973, the first group of articulated trams were extended by the addition of a middle section, to become
bi-articulated trams. Also in the early 1970s, two series of new trams were ordered from
Linke-Hofmann-Busch
Alstom Transport Deutschland, formerly Linke-Hofmann-Busch, is a German manufacturing company originally established in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) to produce locomotives and rolling stock. Its origins lay in the wheelwright business of Gottf ...
in
Salzgitter
Salzgitter (; Eastphalian: ''Soltgitter'') is an independent city in southeast Lower Saxony, Germany, located between Hildesheim and Braunschweig. Together with Wolfsburg and Braunschweig, Salzgitter is one of the seven ''Oberzentren'' of Lower ...
, Germany, to operate the new western extensions. In 1974–1975, nos 725-779 entered the fleet, and in 1979–1981, nos 780-816 joined them.
By the early 1980s, the GVB had 252 bi-articulated trams available for use, at that time the highest number in any city in Europe. In 1983, after only 35 years - a short time for the Amsterdam tramway network - the three axle trams operated their last services; they had never been liked by the tram personnel. Between 1981 and 1983, the GVB also lost four other trams, when they were destroyed by fires started by rioting squatters.
Meanwhile, further western extensions of the network were opened, to
Geuzenveld
Geuzenveld (garden city) is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, establ ...
in 1974,
Slotervaart-Zuid in 1975,
Nieuw Sloten
Nieuw Sloten is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Nieuw Sloten was created in the 1990s because the Netherlands failed to become the host of the 1992 Summer Olympics, losing to Barcelona, an agreement was made with local farmers and cons ...
in 1991 and
De Aker
De Aker () is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = ...
in 2001. Other enhancements were to:
Station Zuid in 1978,
Flevopark
Flevopark is a park located in the Indische Buurt, in the eastern portion of the city of Amsterdam, in the province of North Holland, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_t ...
in 1980,
Station RAI in 1981,
Station Sloterdijk in 1982 (extended in 1985), and a second connection with Bos en Lommer/Slotermeer in 1989.
In 1985, a tram line was built to Haarlemmerhouttuinen, but not connected to other tracks, nor equipped with overhead wires. Thirty years later, it had still not entered into service.
New technology
In 1989–1991, to replace the oldest articulated trams, and to operate new lines, 45 articulated vehicles (numbers 817-841 and 901–920) were built by
BN in
Bruges
Bruges ( , nl, Brugge ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country, and the sixth-largest city of the countr ...
, Belgium. They were Amsterdam's first (partly)
low-floor tram
A low-floor tram is a tram that has no stairsteps between one or more entrances and part or all of the passenger cabin. The low-floor design improves the accessibility of the tram for the public, and also may provide larger windows and more airspac ...
s. During the same period came the first withdrawals of the first articulated trams from 1957, apart from a few vehicles that had previously had been damaged by fire or a collision. Additionally, a number of the 1974-1975 LHB vehicles were removed from service.
In 1990, a new tramway to
Buitenveldert
Buitenveldert is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is considered the modern Jewish quarter of Amsterdam with its Synagogue, Jewish schools, nursing homes, shops and restaurants.
History
From the Middle Ages the 'Binnendijksche Buitenve ...
and
Amstelveen
Amstelveen () is a municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands with a population of 92.353 as of 2022. It is a suburban part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area.
The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the historical villages o ...
was ready to go. Line 5 links Station Zuid with Amstelveen Binnenhof, while line 51 ran as a
light rail service, from Station Zuid to Amstelveen Poortwachter, and later to Westwijk in 2004. Also in 1990, line 9 to the Watergraafsmeer was extended to
Diemen
Diemen () is a town and municipality with a population of in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is located approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Amsterdam's city centre, within the Amsterdam metropolitan area.
Etymology
The name ...
(Sniep). In 1991, a rush hour line 20 and a special events line 11 were opened. In 1993 a support line 11 and in 1997 a circle line 20 were added to the network. Lines 6, 11 (2 lines) and 20 have since disappeared. However, line 11 is still used occasionally for extra services to the RAI convention centre.
Between 2002 and 2004, following an order for 155
Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
Combino
The Siemens Combino is a low-floor tram produced by Siemens Mobility (formerly Duewag). The first prototype was produced in 1996 at the Duewag works in Düsseldorf; the trams are now made in Krefeld- Uerdingen.
Due to its modular design using ...
trams (nos 2001-2151 and 2201–2204), the existing tram fleet was largely renewed. Four of the Combinos were specified as bidirectional vehicles, for use on line 5 to Amstelveen. By mid-2004, 155 Combinos had been delivered. As a result, the last old articulated cars of the 1960s were removed from service in March 2004. However, between 2004 and 2008 all of the Combinos had to be taken progressively out of service for repairs and strengthening, to correct their many structural faults.
In 2022 a Hanning & Kahl 3-way point-setting system was installed to direct trams on routes 4, 14 and 24 to the correct track in stand A at Centraal Station.
Changes 2001—2016
In December 2001, line 1 was extended to the new district of De Aker, and line 17 replaced line 1 on the route between
Osdorpplein and
Dijkgraafplein
The Dijkgraafplein is a square in Amsterdam-Osdorp in the Netherlands, lying at the end of Tussen Meer. The square is named after the office of dijkgraaf (official), dijkgraaf (the chairman of a water board) in 1962. The Dijkgraafplein lies in ...
. For a lengthy period, line 24 was diverted via line 16, and line via line 4, during the construction of the
De Pijp metro station
De Pijp metro station (Dutch language, Dutch: ''Station De Pijp'') is a station on the Route 52 (North–South Line) of the Amsterdam Metro in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was opened on 22 July 2018. Prior to March 2012, this station was known as ...
on
Ferdinand Bolstraat
The Ferdinand Bolstraat is a street in Amsterdam, named after the artist Ferdinand Bol in 1872.
Description
The Ferdinand Bolstraat has traditionally been, and continues to be, primarily a shopping street. It is a major artery of the neighbo ...
. In December 2002, line 6 was diverted to call at Centraal Station in place of Stadionplein, and in November 2003, line 16 was extended from Stadionplein to the
VU Medisch Centrum.
In May 2004, line 10 was extended/diverted to
Java-eiland
Java-eiland (literally, "Java Island") is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located on a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water and on the east by the KNSM Island neighbourhood.
History
The peninsula was created by dre ...
(Azartplein). Lines 7 and 14 was later rerouted to
Amsterdam-Oost
Amsterdam-Oost () is a borough of Amsterdam, Netherlands, established in May 2010 after a merger of the former boroughs of Zeeburg and Oost-Watergraafsmeer. In 2013, the borough had almost 123,000 inhabitants.
History
Amsterdam-Oost is the bor ...
(with a terminus at
Flevopark
Flevopark is a park located in the Indische Buurt, in the eastern portion of the city of Amsterdam, in the province of North Holland, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_t ...
). In December 2004, line 6 started sharing a terminus with line 16 at VU Medisch Centrum (
Gustav Mahlerlaan). Since that month, line 7 has been sharing the
Sloterpark terminus of line 14; the former line's terminus had earlier moved to Surinameplein, because the turning loop at Bos and Lommerplein had been closed.
On 30 May 2005, a new line, the
IJ-tram (line 26) was opened (Centraal Station – Piet Heintunnel –
IJburg
IJburg () is a residential neighbourhood under construction in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is situated in the IJmeer and is being built on artificial islands which have been raised from the lake. The Haveneiland, Rieteilanden, Steigereiland and ...
, a distance of ) and (initially) line 16 was extended from CS to the
Passagiersterminal (for cruise ships). Twelve months later, line 6 was closed, and the route CS–Passagiersterminal was taken over by line 25 from line 16 (it was later curtailed again to CS). In December 2006, line 24 was extended from Olympiaweg to VU Medisch Centrum.
In October 2011, a new turning loop for line 16 and 24 was installed at the
De Boelelaan/VU stop. It replaced the loop at Gustav Mahlerlaan, which was required to give way to a new building.
In December 2013, tram line 25 between Centraal Station and President Kennedylaan in the
Rivierenbuurt
Rivierenbuurt is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The neighbourhood is situated in the eastern part of the borough of Amsterdam-Zuid, bordered by the river Amstel to the east, the ''Boerenwetering'' canal in the west, the ''Amstelkanaal' ...
neighbourhood was discontinued. Tram lines 4 and 12 also ran between Rivierenbuurt and Centraal Station, and their service frequency was increased.
In May 2015, tram line 24 between Centraal Station and VU Medisch Centrum was temporarily discontinued. It has since been reinstated and line 16 ceased instead.
Changes since 2017
2017 changes related to the opening of the North-South subway line
When the new
metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
North–South line (line 52) opened on 22 July 2018, the GVB's and
Amsterdam "City Region" ('Stadsregio')'s policy was that the metro use should be emphasized, that is, that travelers traveling across the city would, in general, be expected to take the metro more as part of their journey and transfer between the metro and trams and buses.
The new tram network thus consisted of 14 tram lines. Fewer trams ran on the lines between Centraal Station, the southern part of the
city center
A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...
and
Amsterdam-Zuid
Amsterdam-Zuid (; ''Amsterdam South'') is a borough (''stadsdeel'') of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The borough was formed in 2010 as a merger of the former boroughs Oud-Zuid and Zuideramstel. The borough has almost 138,000 inhabitants (2013). With 8, ...
borough. Meanwhile, more trams would run in the areas surrounding the city center. The route
Leidseplein
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...
—Weteringschans–
Sarphatistraat
The Sarphatistraat is a street in the center of Amsterdam between Frederiksplein and Oostenburgergracht at the Cruquiuskade.
The street crosses the Amstel and forms an almost long connection between the southern part of the Grachtengordel and the ...
–Weesperplein became the busiest tram route portion with three lines serving it.
Lines 9, 10 and 16 were discontinued while lines 11 and 19 were reintroduced:
*Line 11 is the same route as line 1 but with its western terminus at Surinameplein
*Line 19 is a combination of lines 9, 10 and 12, connecting
Amsterdam Sloterdijk with
Diemen
Diemen () is a town and municipality with a population of in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is located approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Amsterdam's city centre, within the Amsterdam metropolitan area.
Etymology
The name ...
(Sniep) via Leidseplein and
Weesperplein
The routes of lines 1, 3, 5, 7, 12 and 14 were partially changed, while lines 2, 4, 13, 17, 24 and 26 remained unchanged. In a few streets no trams ran anymore, such as in Bos en Lommerweg (line 14), Mozes en Aäronstraat (line 14), Paleisstraat (line 14), or along Albert Cuypstraat–Ruysdaelstraat–Johannes Vermeerstraat–Gabriël Metsustraat–De Lairessestraat–Cornelis Krusemanstraat–Amstelveenseweg up to Stadionplein (line 16). Except for the Witte de Withstraat, where the removal of tram rails was the cause of the removal of line 7 to Postjesweg– Hoofdweg, the rails were kept in place in case of detours, trips to the tram shed or possible future route changes.
Other changes since 2017
![Tramlijn 25 met 15G tram op de openingsdag bij de halte Amstelveen Poortwachter](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Tramlijn_25_met_15G_tram_op_de_openingsdag_bij_de_halte_Amstelveen_Poortwachter.jpg)
In 2017, the line 24 track over a section of Ferdinand Bolstraat, between Stadhouderskade and Albert Cuypstraat, was rebuilt from double-track to single-track. This change was made to provide more space for pedestrians and cyclists. During the rebuild, a tram stop was moved closer to Marie Heinekenplein.
Also in 2017, the GVB started testing the use of coupled pairs of trams on line 26. They were put into service 28 September 2020.
In 2018, the GVB replaced the conductor cabins on 151 Combino trams with modern, open service counters, that would give a more welcoming feel. These conversions took 15 hours per tram and were performed in the Lekstraat depot.
In March 2018 work started to build an alternative
turning circle for tram 26 on the IJ side of Centraal Station, for use when events such as the
Dam tot Damloop
Dam tot Damloop (''Dam to Dam Run'' in English) is an annual road running competition held in North Holland in the Netherlands. It is a Silver Label 10-mile race from Amsterdam to Zaandam. The event was first held as a fun run event in 1985 and ...
block Stationsplein. It was completed in October 2019 in time for the track relaying of Stationsplein in 2020.
On 3 March 2019, the light rail line through Amstelveen (formerly metro line 51 a.k.a. Amstelveenlijn) closed to convert it into a new tram line to
Westwijk to go into service as
line 25[ Reference PDF file must be downloaded.] officially opened on 13 December 2020. (Unofficially, it went into service on 9 December 2020.)
Line 25 will later be extended further south to
Uithoorn
Uithoorn () is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.
Population centres
The municipality of Uithoorn consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: De Kwakel and Uithoorn.
''Dutc ...
.
On 27 May 2019 a rush-hour tram line 6 was introduced between
Amsterdam Zuid station
Amsterdam Zuid ("Amsterdam South") is a railway station situated in the borough of Amsterdam-Zuid in Amsterdam, Netherlands. For a number of years, it was named ''Amsterdam Zuid WTC'', in reference to the neighbouring World Trade Center Amsterdam. ...
and Amstelveen Stadshart. Because metro line 51 was discontinued and, because the replacement bus service between
De Boelelaan/VU and
Oranjebaan doesn't stop, line 5 became overcrowded. Following 6 November 2020, tram line 6 was discontinued due to low ridership. It was originally scheduled to be replaced by
tram line 25 upon the latter's opening on 13 December 2020.
Starting 23 March 2020, tram line 11 (Central Station – Leidseplein – Surinameplein) was suspended due to a drop in ridership, and was definitively cancelled by the end of that year. The GVB recommended that riders take tram 1 between Surinameplein and Leidseplein, and tram 2 or 12 between Leidseplein and Centraal Station.
On February 7, 2021, snow storm Darcy caused the shutdown of the entire Amsterdam tram system. By February 9, tram lines 5 and 17 were again in operation. However, by February 10, lines 1, 3, 4, 13, 14, 24 and 25 were still not operating. It took three days to clear ice and snow on all tram lines, the problem being aggravated by road traffic pushing snow back on the rails and refreezing. To help with clearing the rails, the GVB borrowed two preserved work cars and crew from the Electrische Museumtramlijn Amsterdam, a local operating tram museum. One vintage car used was a snow scraper originally from the
Wiener Linien
Wiener Linien (Viennese Lines) is the company running most of the public transit network in the city of Vienna, Austria. It is part of the city corporation Wiener Stadtwerke Holding AG.
Governing structure and statistics
Until decentralisation ...
(Vienna). A second museum car was a former streetcar modified to carry a tank to sprinkle brine onto the tracks. The two cars were operated by museum staff.
On 14 June 2021, the GVB officially retired its remaining 11G (bidirectional) and 12G (unidirectional) trams manufactured by
La Brugeoise et Nivelles
La Brugeoise et Nivelles, later BN Constructions Ferroviaires et Métalliques was a Belgian manufacturer of railway locomotives and other rolling stock; it was formed by a merger of two companies: La Brugeoise et Nicaise et Delcuve and Les Ateli ...
(BN). On this day, the GVB donated one tram of each type to the Electrische Museumtramlijn Amsterdam for preservation. These two trams made a symbolic last trip from the Havenstraat depot to the Lekstraat depot. There were still 45 BN trams on hand of which some would be sold at auction with the remainder scrapped.
Despite the official retirement, 11G and 12G trams were still spotted in service during the weeks following.
On 13 December 2021, tram line 27 started service between Dijkgraafplein and Surinameplein during the morning rush hours supplementing service on tram line 17.
Lines
Current lines
, the Amsterdam tramway network was made up of the following lines:
*
1 –
Muiderpoort Station –
Weesperplein –
Leidseplein
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...
–
Surinameplein –
Lelylaan Station –
Osdorp
Osdorp () is neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. A larger area was, from 1981 until 2010, a ''stadsdeel'' (borough) of Amsterdam and in 2010 was merged into the new borough of Amsterdam Nieuw-West.
Neighborhood
The core neighborhood of Osdor ...
De Aker
De Aker () is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = ...
(
Matterhorn
The (, ; it, Cervino, ; french: Cervin, ; rm, Matterhorn) is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the ...
)
*
2 –
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
–
Leidseplein
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...
–
Hoofddorpplein –
Nieuw Sloten
Nieuw Sloten is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Nieuw Sloten was created in the 1990s because the Netherlands failed to become the host of the 1992 Summer Olympics, losing to Barcelona, an agreement was made with local farmers and cons ...
(
Oudenaardeplantsoen)
*
3 –
Zoutkeetsgracht
The Zoutkeetsgracht (Salt sheds canal) is a canal to the west of the center of Amsterdam.
Location
The canal separates the Westelijke Eilanden (Western Islands) of the Centrum district from the Zeeheldenbuurt in Amsterdam-West.
It connects the ...
–
Museumplein
The Museumplein (; ) is a public space in the Museumkwartier neighbourhood of the Amsterdam-Zuid borough in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Located at the Museumplein are three major museums – the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum â ...
–
Ceintuurbaan –
Muiderpoortstation –
Flevopark
Flevopark is a park located in the Indische Buurt, in the eastern portion of the city of Amsterdam, in the province of North Holland, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_t ...
*
4 –
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
–
Frederiksplein –
Station RAI
*
5 –
Westergasfabriek The Westergasfabriek is a former gasworks in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, now used as a cultural venue.
History
In the 19th century the Imperial Continental Gas Association (ICGA) built four coal gas plants in Amsterdam: the Eastern Gas Factory ...
–
Leidseplein
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...
–
Museumplein
The Museumplein (; ) is a public space in the Museumkwartier neighbourhood of the Amsterdam-Zuid borough in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Located at the Museumplein are three major museums – the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum â ...
–
Station Zuid –
Buitenveldert
Buitenveldert is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is considered the modern Jewish quarter of Amsterdam with its Synagogue, Jewish schools, nursing homes, shops and restaurants.
History
From the Middle Ages the 'Binnendijksche Buitenve ...
–
Amstelveen
Amstelveen () is a municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands with a population of 92.353 as of 2022. It is a suburban part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area.
The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the historical villages o ...
Stadshart
*
7 –
Slotermeer
Slotermeer is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = ...
–
Mercatorplein –
Leidseplein
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...
–
Weesperplein –
Alexanderplein –
Azartplein
*
12 –
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
–
Leidseplein
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...
–
Museumplein
The Museumplein (; ) is a public space in the Museumkwartier neighbourhood of the Amsterdam-Zuid borough in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Located at the Museumplein are three major museums – the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum â ...
–
Ceintuurbaan –
Amstelstation
*
13 –
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
–
Rozengracht
The Rozengracht is a street in the Jordaan neighbourhood of Amsterdam.
It runs between the Prinsengracht at the Westermarkt and the Singel canal at De Clercqstraat.
The name means "Rose canal".
The Rozengracht is one of the six former canals i ...
–
Mercatorplein –
Geuzenveld
Geuzenveld (garden city) is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, establ ...
(
Lambertus Zijlplein)
*
14 –
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
–
Dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...
–
Plantage
Plantage is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands located in its Centrum borough. It is bordered by the Entrepotdok to the north, Plantage Muidergracht to the east and south and Nieuwe Herengracht to the west. In the centre of the neighbourhoo ...
–
Alexanderplein –
Flevopark
Flevopark is a park located in the Indische Buurt, in the eastern portion of the city of Amsterdam, in the province of North Holland, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_t ...
*
17 –
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
–
Rozengracht
The Rozengracht is a street in the Jordaan neighbourhood of Amsterdam.
It runs between the Prinsengracht at the Westermarkt and the Singel canal at De Clercqstraat.
The name means "Rose canal".
The Rozengracht is one of the six former canals i ...
–
Kinkerstraat –
Lelylaan Station –
Osdorp
Osdorp () is neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. A larger area was, from 1981 until 2010, a ''stadsdeel'' (borough) of Amsterdam and in 2010 was merged into the new borough of Amsterdam Nieuw-West.
Neighborhood
The core neighborhood of Osdor ...
(
Dijkgraafplein
The Dijkgraafplein is a square in Amsterdam-Osdorp in the Netherlands, lying at the end of Tussen Meer. The square is named after the office of dijkgraaf (official), dijkgraaf (the chairman of a water board) in 1962. The Dijkgraafplein lies in ...
)
*
19 –
Sloterdijk Station –
Leidseplein
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...
–
Weesperplein –
Alexanderplein –
Watergraafsmeer
The Watergraafsmeer is a polder in the Netherlands. It was reclaimed in 1629. In the 17th and 18th centuries, there were many buitenplaatsen in the Watergraafsmeer, though nowadays only one, Frankendael, remains.
Since 1921, the Watergraafsmee ...
–
Diemen
Diemen () is a town and municipality with a population of in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is located approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Amsterdam's city centre, within the Amsterdam metropolitan area.
Etymology
The name ...
Sniep
*
24 –
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
–
Vijzelstraat –
Ferdinand Bolstraat
The Ferdinand Bolstraat is a street in Amsterdam, named after the artist Ferdinand Bol in 1872.
Description
The Ferdinand Bolstraat has traditionally been, and continues to be, primarily a shopping street. It is a major artery of the neighbo ...
–
Stadionweg –
Amstelveenseweg –
VUmc –
De Boelelaan/VU
*
25 –
Station Zuid –
Buitenveldert
Buitenveldert is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is considered the modern Jewish quarter of Amsterdam with its Synagogue, Jewish schools, nursing homes, shops and restaurants.
History
From the Middle Ages the 'Binnendijksche Buitenve ...
– Amstelveen
Westwijk
*
26 –
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
–
Rietlandpark –
Piet Heintunnel –
IJburg
IJburg () is a residential neighbourhood under construction in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is situated in the IJmeer and is being built on artificial islands which have been raised from the lake. The Haveneiland, Rieteilanden, Steigereiland and ...
(
IJburglaan)
*
27 (Only during the morning peak) –
Surinameplein –
Lelylaan Station –
Osdorp
Osdorp () is neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. A larger area was, from 1981 until 2010, a ''stadsdeel'' (borough) of Amsterdam and in 2010 was merged into the new borough of Amsterdam Nieuw-West.
Neighborhood
The core neighborhood of Osdor ...
(
Dijkgraafplein
The Dijkgraafplein is a square in Amsterdam-Osdorp in the Netherlands, lying at the end of Tussen Meer. The square is named after the office of dijkgraaf (official), dijkgraaf (the chairman of a water board) in 1962. The Dijkgraafplein lies in ...
)
Notes
Former lines
The GVB may reassign a line number once used on a former line to a new, unrelated line. For example, in 2020, number 25 was assigned to tram line 25 (Station Zuid – Westwijk) which does not overlap with former line 25 (Centraal Station – President Kennedylaan), closed in 2013.
* Line
6 was used multiple times as an temporary rush hour tram service, most recently to supplement line 5 during the conversion of Metro Line 51 into tram line 25 (
Station Zuid –
Amstelveen
Amstelveen () is a municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands with a population of 92.353 as of 2022. It is a suburban part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area.
The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the historical villages o ...
Stadshart).
* Line
8 (
Centraal Station –
Nieuwmarkt
Nieuwmarkt (; en, New Market) is a square in the centre of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The surrounding area is known as the Lastage neighborhood. It is situated in the borough of Amsterdam-Centrum.
The square is considered part of Amsterdam's Chin ...
–
Waterlooplein
Waterlooplein (Waterloo Square) is a square in the centre of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The square near the Amstel river is named after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The daily flea market on the square is popular with tourists. The Stopera ...
–
Weesperstraat –
Rivierenbuurt
Rivierenbuurt is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The neighbourhood is situated in the eastern part of the borough of Amsterdam-Zuid, bordered by the river Amstel to the east, the ''Boerenwetering'' canal in the west, the ''Amstelkanaal' ...
) existed from 1905 to 1942. This tram ran through the old Amsterdam
Jodenbuurt
The Jodenbuurt ( Dutch: ''Jewish neighbourhood'') is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. For centuries before World War II, it was the center of the Dutch Jews of Amsterdam — hence, its name (literally '' Jewish quarter''). It is best ...
. ''This line number will most definitely never be used again since the line was used in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
to transport deported Jews.''
* Line
9 existed from 1903 until July 22, 2018, from Central Station to Diemen Sniep (until 1990 until Watergraafsmeer). This line has for most of its route been replaced by line 19, which instead of Central Station runs to Sloterdijk station, with on its way possibilities to transfer to several metro lines towards Central and South stations.
* Line
10 existed from 1900 until July 22, 2018, from Westergasfabriek to Azartplein. This line has for most of its route been replaced by lines 5 and 7.
* Line
11 first existed between 1904 and 1944 (
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
–
Weesperpoortstation -
Muiderpoortstation) and was briefly reassigned to a different route from 1948 to 1955. In 1991 and in between 1996 and 2013 the number was also occasionally used for special routes during events and congresses in the city. From 1993 to 1996 line
11 was also used as a rush hour tram service (
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
–
Leidseplein
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...
–
Surinameplein) to supplement line
1. This route was reopened on July 22, 2018, but closed again on March 23, 2020, due to declining ridership.
* Line
15 existed from 1913 to 1932, and from 1936 to 1937.
* Line
16 existed from 1913 until July 22, 2018, from Central Station to VU medical centre. The route was roughly parallel to that of line 24 and the newly opened metro 52, which is why this tram line was closed.
* Line
18 existed from 1913 to 1951 under two different routes.
* Line
20 existed from 1922 to 1932, from 1991 to 1993 (branch line), and as a Circle Tram from 1997 to 2002. During the entire period, there were successively three different tram lines with this number.
* Line
21 existed as a horse/tractor tram line (ex municipality of
Sloten) from 1921 to 1925 and as an electric tramway from 1928 to 1931.
* Line
22 existed from 1921 to 1944 (Circle Line
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
).
* Line
23 existed from 1921 to 1944 (Stadium transport to 1958).
* Line
25 (Centraal Station – President Kennedylaan) existed from 1930 to 2013. Between 2006 and 2012 tram 25 also ran between Centraal Station and the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA). The line number and color are now in use with the brand new
Amsteltram
Amsterdam tram line 25, also known as the Amsteltram, is a tram line between Amsterdam Zuid station in Amsterdam and Westwijk in Amstelveen. It officially opened on 13 December 2020 (unofficially 4 days earlier on 9 December). Work is underway to ...
.
* Line
27 existed from 1962 to 1971 (
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
-
Marnixstraat
Marnixstraat is a main street in the Dutch city of Amsterdam , on the western border of the Jordaan in the Amsterdam-Centrum. The street is located between Haarlemmerplein and Leidseplein, parallel to Lijnbaansgracht.
History
Marnixstraat is a m ...
-
Ten Katestraat -
Surinameplein) as a rush hour tram service. What is remarkable is that when this line was in service the
GVB used the colors for line
23 due to them having leftover glass plates for that line color.
* Line number 28 has never been used for a tram line in Amsterdam.
* Number 29 also hasn't been used before, but both number 28 and 29 do have their own colors in case they may get used in the future.
* The line number
30 is used informally by the ( –
Amstelveen
Amstelveen () is a municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands with a population of 92.353 as of 2022. It is a suburban part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area.
The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the historical villages o ...
–
Bovenkerk).
* Line
S was a tram service in use in 1948 and 1949 to transport passengers between
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
and the
Amstelstation to make the
Amstelstation more accessible after the war. This line did not have its own color and just had the letter S upfront.
Line colours
Upon the electrification of the Amsterdam tramway network, all tram lines were given a line number and a line colour. The latter designator is a square logo next to the line number, so that people who cannot read the line numbers can still recognise the line. The tram stop signs also display the line colours, as did the early twentieth century horse tram lines. Line colours have been used in other cities in the Netherlands (
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
,
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
,
Utrecht
Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
), but outside Amsterdam the colours have since been removed.
The Amsterdam line colours consist of combinations of one or two colours (red, green, yellow, blue and white). Not all colour combinations are permitted: for example, green-blue and yellow-white are not used, due to the lack of contrast. The square plane can be split horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
The belt lines 3, 7, 9 and 10 were given a line colour in one colour: yellow, blue, green and red, respectively. The
radial lines usually had line colours divided into two. Later, new line colours divided into three fields (using a total of two colours) were introduced. Lines 7 and 13 have different combinations again. Line 7 is blue, but for clarity two horizontal white stripes are added. Line 13 is white, but has a pattern of blue squares added. Line 22 (originally 19) (Circle Line Centraal Station) was the only line using the colour pink.
Under the current system, there are 38 colour combinations. In the 1980s, never used combinations were assigned to the nonexistent lines 27, 28, 29 and 30 and to the
metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
line numbers 50 and 58. Today, the line colours are still used. They are located next to the line number on the front of the trams and light rail vehicles (and also on light rail vehicles running on
metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
lines 50, 51, 53 and 54).
Headquarters and depots
The AOM's original headquarters was located at
Stadhouderskade 2. In 1923, the GTA set up a new headquarters in the
Amsterdam School
The Amsterdam School (Dutch: ''Amsterdamse School'') is a style of architecture that arose from 1910 through about 1930 in the Netherlands. The Amsterdam School movement is part of international Expressionist architecture, sometimes linked ...
style building at the corner of the
Overtoom and Stadhouderskade 1. In 1983, the GVB moved to
Scheepvaarthuis
The Shipping House ( nl, Scheepvaarthuis) is a building on the western tip of the Waalseiland near Amsterdam harbour that is one of the top 100 Dutch heritage sites and generally regarded as the first true example of the Amsterdam School, a style ...
(also in Amsterdam School style; completed 1913) at
Prins Hendrikkade
Prins Hendrikkade (Dutch language, Dutch for "Prince Henry's Quay") is a major street in the centre of Amsterdam. It passes Amsterdam Centraal station, Amsterdam Central Station, intersects the Damrak at the mouth of the Amstel river, and forms th ...
108. In 2004, the GVB moved again, to a modern office building at Arlandaweg 100, near
Sloterdijk station.
For the operation of Amsterdam's trams, there are two main depots: Havenstraat (
Oud-Zuid), which was opened in 1914, and Lekstraat (
Rivierenbuurt
Rivierenbuurt is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The neighbourhood is situated in the eastern part of the borough of Amsterdam-Zuid, bordered by the river Amstel to the east, the ''Boerenwetering'' canal in the west, the ''Amstelkanaal' ...
), built between 1927 and 1929 in Amsterdam School style. On 12 July 2010, the management of the two depots was merged. Lekstraat depot is now only used for storage, and the daily maintenance of all trams is now carried out at the Havenstraat depot.
Line 26 uses the IJburgstalling, a tram storage yard on
Zeeburgereiland
The Zeeburgereiland is a triangular island on the east side of Amsterdam, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It lies between the Oranje Locks and the and on the east is bordered by the IJ. Formerly an industrial area, the island is being re ...
in the
IJburg
IJburg () is a residential neighbourhood under construction in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is situated in the IJmeer and is being built on artificial islands which have been raised from the lake. The Haveneiland, Rieteilanden, Steigereiland and ...
district of Amsterdam. Located along tram line 26 near the Bob Haarmslaan stop, the yard was built especially for line 26, partly because of lack of space in the Lekstraat depot, and partly to shorten turnaround times. The yard opened in May 2005, and was reopened on 28 September 2020 after a renovation to handle coupled pairs of trams and to increase its capacity from 18 to 32 trams.
Line 25 uses the Legmeerpolder tram storage yard located south of the
Westwijk tram stop, the
line 25 terminal in Amstelveen. Opened in August 2020, the yard has capacity for 36 trams.
Since 1996, the main Amsterdam tram workshop has been in
Diemen
Diemen () is a town and municipality with a population of in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is located approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Amsterdam's city centre, within the Amsterdam metropolitan area.
Etymology
The name ...
-Zuid. It is connected to the network by a kilometre of single track from the Diemen Sniep terminus of line 19. Previously, it had been housed from 1902 in Tollensstraat (
Oud-West).
Rolling stock
15G trams
The 15G trams were needed to replace the 30-year old 11G and 12G trams. The trams have couplers to operate on the
Amsteltram
Amsterdam tram line 25, also known as the Amsteltram, is a tram line between Amsterdam Zuid station in Amsterdam and Westwijk in Amstelveen. It officially opened on 13 December 2020 (unofficially 4 days earlier on 9 December). Work is underway to ...
and
IJtram
Amsterdam tram line 26, popularly known as the IJtram, is a tram line operating between Amsterdam Centraal station and the IJburg district in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. , the IJtram was the busiest tram line in Amsterdam, carrying 30,000 riders ...
lines (numbered 25 and 26 respectively), and be bidirectional and low-floor. The materials in the new trams were expected to be 92 percent recyclable.
Development
On 11 November 2016, GVB contracted with the Spanish manufacturer
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (Grupo CAF, literally "Construction and Other Railway Services") is a Spanish publicly listed company which manufactures railway vehicles and equipment and buses through its Solaris Bus & Coach subsidia ...
(CAF) to build and deliver 63 new trams with an option for 60 more. In July and August 2017, a full-size mockup of the new tram was displayed at the Lekstraat depot to solicit comments from the public. At the end of 2018, CAF built the first tram and began testing it on its own 350-metre test track. A tram simulator was installed at the Havenstraat depot in order to tram 300 GVB operators. At 02:45 on the morning of 26 April, the first 15G tram arrived at the Diemen workshop. To satisfy legal requirements, there had to be 3 phases of testing: 1) operating around the Diemen workshop grounds, 2) on the tram network when no other trams were running and 3) between other trams on the network. Winter testing was done at a facility in
Minden
Minden () is a middle-sized town in the very north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the greatest town between Bielefeld and Hanover. It is the capital of the district (''Kreis'') of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detm ...
, Germany. On 13 July 2020, a permit was issued to commission the 15G. On the night of 28/29 May 2019, the 15G made its first test trip over the tram network. Nightly sound tests were performed between 29 July and 15 August. Starting 19 September, carrying sand bags, the tram made test runs on the tram network while other trams were in regular service. In May 2020, the GVB ordered 9 additional trams from CAF, with all 72 trams to cost 209.1 million euros. In 2020, despite a
COVID-19 lockdown
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions colloquially known as lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar societal restrictions) have been implemented in numerous countrie ...
for several months of all non-essential businesses in Spain, CAF put in extra effort to deliver the last 15G on schedule. Between 30 November and 12 December 2020, there were training runs using coupled 15G trams. On 13 December 2020, coupled pairs of 15G trams went into service on the Amstelveen line (a.k.a.
Amsteltram
Amsterdam tram line 25, also known as the Amsteltram, is a tram line between Amsterdam Zuid station in Amsterdam and Westwijk in Amstelveen. It officially opened on 13 December 2020 (unofficially 4 days earlier on 9 December). Work is underway to ...
, line 25); these trams were in
R-net livery. At the end of March 2021, 15G trams appeared in the blue and white GVB livery. The 72nd 15G tram was received on 11 April 2022.
The GVB still has the option to purchase 53 more 15G trams from CAF. The extension of the IJtram (line 26) between Centrumeiland en Strandeiland will require 13 extra trams, and a new tram line between Station
Sloterdijk and
Zuid railway stations (along bus line 15) will be require 11 more.
Problems
On 18 August 2020, there were complaints of screeching wheels when a 15G tram went around the Azartplein turning loop. To solve the problem, the GVB implemented a GPS-controlled greasing mechanism mounted on the tram to apply a thin layer of oil to the wheels.
There was a partial derailment soon after the 15G trams went into service. Trams were not communicating properly with the switch systems. Initially, on-site maintenance staff were required to correct the problem. Until there was a permanent solution, track-side control boxes were installed so that tram operators could step outside and insert a key in the box to set switches and signals.
In October 2021, there were complaints that the extendable wheelchair ramp was too slanted, too short or had a kink in it. This rendered the ramp unusable for certain wheelchair types, and required assistance. However, the trams had no conductor on board to assist. , the GVB was awaiting a solution from the manufacturer.
See also
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Amsterdam Metro
The Amsterdam Metro ( nl, Amsterdamse metro) is a rapid transit system serving Amsterdam, Netherlands, and extending to the surrounding municipalities of Diemen and Ouder-Amstel. Until 2019 it also served the municipality of Amstelveen but thi ...
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Transport in Amsterdam Transportation within the city of Amsterdam is characterised by bicycles and public transportation. Large freeways only exist around the city, terminating at the A10 Ringroad. Navigating by car through the city centre is discouraged, with the gove ...
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List of town tramway systems in the Netherlands
This is a list of town tramway systems in the Netherlands by province. It includes all tram systems, past and present; cities with currently operating systems, and those systems themselves, are indicated in bold and blue background colored rows ...
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History of Amsterdam
Amsterdam has a long and eventful history. The origins of the city lie in the 12th century, when fishermen living along the banks of the River Amstel built a bridge across the waterway near the IJ, which at the time was a large saltwater inl ...
References
Footnotes
Bibliography
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External links
Geheugen van de Amsterdamse Tram (Memories of Amsterdam trams) – with many images.
Photos of the Amsterdam tram in the Image Bank, Amsterdamof the
Stadsarchief Amsterdam (Amsterdam City Archives)
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Amsterdam photo gallerya
Old tram map (circa 2012)
{{Urban public transport in the Netherlands
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
Rail transport in Amsterdam
Standard gauge railways in the Netherlands
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
600 V DC railway electrification
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...