Trams in Pyongyang
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Pyongyang Tram is a public
tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
system in
Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populat ...
, the capital of the
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
. The first line of the current system opened in 1989. There are currently four lines in operation.


Overview

Before the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
from 1950 to 1953, there were three tramway systems in the entire Korean Peninsula: one each in
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
,
Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, ...
and Pyongyang. However, the system in Pyongyang was discontinued after the war, largely due to the significant destruction of the city by US/UN bombing attacks. The remaining two in Seoul and Busan survived the war but were eventually discontinued too when motorcars became more common and a larger means of transport in
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
in 1968, thus leaving no tramway networks on the peninsula. During the
North Korean famine The North Korean Famine (), also known as the Arduous March or the March of Suffering (), was a period of mass starvation together with a general economic crisis from 1994 to 1998 in North Korea. During this time there was an increase in defec ...
, the service of tram lines became sparse, and often trams would not run due to the lack of drivers and shortage of electricity. Unlike South Korea, personal ownership of automobiles in North Korea is very rare. North Koreans, especially those living in Pyongyang and other major cities, rely mainly on
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, typi ...
. In Pyongyang, there are
trolleybus A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or trol ...
es ( the Pyongyang trolleybus system) and subways (the
Pyongyang Metro The Pyongyang Metro () is the rapid transit system in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. It consists of two lines: the Chollima Line, which runs north from Puhŭng Station on the banks of the Taedong River to Pulgŭnbyŏl Station, and the Hyŏksi ...
), with these two serving as its main forms of public transport. However, as trolleybus lines became gradually overcrowded, the city decided to re-open tram-lines. The first line was opened on 15 April 1991. A number of
Tatra T4 T4 is the name of a tram produced by ČKD Tatra. It is the narrower variant of the Tatra T3 model. A large number of cars was supplied to the GDR, the USSR, Romania and the former Yugoslavia using names T4D, T4SU, T4R and T4YU, respectively. Th ...
trams and its trailer B4 were bought from Dresden, Magdeburg and Leipzig in 1997–1998. From 14 October 2002, the section of Line 1 between P'yŏngyang-yŏk and Songyo was closed, as the bridge over
Taedong River The Taedong River (Chosŏn'gŭl: ) is a large river in North Korea. The river rises in the Rangrim Mountains of the country's north where it then flows southwest into Korea Bay at Namp'o.Suh, Dae-Sook (1987) "North Korea in 1986: Strengthenin ...
started to deteriorate, splitting Line 1 into two parts divided by the Taedong River. The section from Songyo to Songsin was eventually replaced by a trolleybus in 2014. The part crossing the bridge was replaced by a bus service. Demolition of the tracks between Songyo and Pyongyang Station was completed by 9 September 2003. In 2008, the City Transportation Company of Prague sold 20 used T3s to Pyongyang Public Transportation Enterprise together with a shipment of tram-rails. These trams were built ranging from 1967 for the
Tatra T3 The T3 is a type of Czech tramcar produced by ČKD Tatra. A late-2000s study conducted on the Prague tram system has shown 98.9% reliability, the best of the Prague tram system fleet. During its period of production between 1960 and 199 ...
in original modification, to 1987 for the T3SUCS modification. According to Ondřej Pečený, a spokesman for the City Transportation Company of Prague, these trams are in very good condition, and can run for at least two years without the need of a service. The tram cars were made by Tatra, a
Czechoslovak Czechoslovak may refer to: *A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93) **First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38) **Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39) **Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60) **Fourth Czechoslovak Repub ...
company, during that nation's socialist era. Various types are used, but there are currently no low-floor tram cars. After the closure of Songsin depot, an extension was added to Rangnang depot to house the trams transferred from that depot. Foreign tourists were previously not permitted to ride the tram lines, but some recent tours have started to include tramway rides (though rides are not shared with locals and are instead chartered, unlike the Pyongyang Metro). Due to the need for transport, tram drivers cannot afford to relax, even on holidays.


Lines

There are currently three lines in operation plus a meter gauge line operated by the military. As of 2006, the fare is ₩5 for any section. There are also coupon tickets (; ''sinae ch'ap'yo'') issued in the form of tickets inserted into the fare box.


Rolling stock

For the full list, see Trams and trolleybuses in North Korea Prior to 2018, the rolling stock used were the
Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...
n ČKD Praha Tatra T6B5K, Tatra T3/SUCS, Tatra T4D and B4D and KT8D5K in either red/white livery or blue/white. The Kŭmsusan line uses VBZ Be 4/4 Type Ib rolling stock on a different gauge of 1,000 mm, rather than 1,435 mm for lines 1–3. The Shenyang ST4 had been retired in 1999 due to their failing articulation joint and subsequently converted into Chollima-961/971 trolleybuses while it is possible others were sent to the Chongjin tram system where they received a new body at the Chongjin Bus Factory. According to a Czech reporter, 42 out of the original 45 KT8D5 trams still run. Despite sanctions limiting the supply of spare parts, trams operate with below average maintenance, though the more recent development of locally built electrical equipment and continued maintenance without a foreign supply of spare parts have raised suspicions in Czech media. In August 2018, following the introduction of new trolleybuses and metro cars, new partially domestically-produced tram cars were introduced in Pyongyang for the first time in about twenty years. The bodies were manufactured by Pyongyang Bus Repair Factory and named Thongil-181, on the chassis of the Tatra KT8D5K.


See also

*
Pyongyang Metro The Pyongyang Metro () is the rapid transit system in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. It consists of two lines: the Chollima Line, which runs north from Puhŭng Station on the banks of the Taedong River to Pulgŭnbyŏl Station, and the Hyŏksi ...
* Trams and trolleybuses in North Korea *
Transport in North Korea Transport in North Korea is constrained by economic problems and government restrictions. Public transport predominates, and most of it is electrified. Restrictions on freedom of movement Travel to North Korea is tightly controlled. The standard ...
*
List of tram and light rail transit systems The following is a list of cities that have current tram, tram/streetcar (including Heritage streetcar, heritage trams/heritage streetcars), or light rail systems as part of their regular public transport, public transit systems. In other word ...
*
Trolleybuses in Pyongyang The Pyongyang trolleybus system forms part of the public transport network of Pyongyang, the capital city of North Korea, and extends to some of its suburbs. History The first plans for a trolleybus network were proposed in 1957, though construc ...


References


Further reading

*Hayato Kokubu, ''Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō: Kitachōsen Tetsudō Jijō'' (; "Railway of the Dear Leader: The Railway Situation in North Korea"), 2007. ()


External links


Pyongyang Tram 360 degree Virtual Tour
{{Portal bar, North Korea, Transport Transport in Pyongyang Tram transport in North Korea Metre gauge railways in North Korea
Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populat ...