Trams in Luxembourg

An Urbos3 tram, operational since Dec. 2017, at Luxexpo stop.

The first generation of trams in Luxembourg ran from 1875 to 1964, before being withdrawn from service and the tramways removed. A second generation of trams began operational service in December 2017, along a new route that will, by 2021, run from Luxembourg Airport to the Cloche d'Or business district.

Contemporary and future usage

Map showing the planned route of the new tramline from Luxembourg airport to Cloche d'Or
Planned route of the new tramline (in french).

Luxembourg is in the process of reintroducing trams to its transport infrastructure. Construction work begun on a new tram depot on the edge of the Grünewald Forest and the Kirchberg district of Luxembourg City in January 2015,[1] with the first tracks being laid in July 2016.[2] The tramline, when fully operational, will have 24 stations connected by 16 km of tracks and have a capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.[3] Trams provided by the Spanish company CAF[4] began trials on the first phase of the route in July 2017.

In operation as of 10 December 2017, the first phase of the route sees trams run from the depot, along Avenue J.F. Kennedy, past the European quarter, the location of many EU institutions, to the Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge. Here, a new funicular railway has been opened allowing passengers to descend to Pfaffenthal-Kirchberg railway station for access to national and international heavy rail services running through the Pfaffenthal valley.[5][6] [7]

The second phase, due to be completed by August 2018, will see tram services extend across the Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge to Place de l'Étoile in the Limpertsberg district.[8] The third phase, to be completed between 2019 and 2020, will see trams extend onto the Hamilius bus interchange in the historical Ville Haute district, across the Adolphe Bridge and on to Luxembourg railway station for interchanges between national and international heavy rail services, before terminating in Bonnevoie.[9] Work to widen and re-enforce the Adolphe Bridge, first opened in 1903, to accommodate the tram was completed in July 2017, with a new cycle and pedestrian lane suspended beneath the existing bridge.[10]

The fourth and final stage of the route, due to be completed in 2021, will see tram services extend southwestwards from Bonnevoie to Howald, terminating at the new business district in Cloche d'Or. Concurrently, the tramline will also extend eastwards from the tram depot in the Kirchberg district to Senningerberg before terminating at Luxembourg Airport.[9]

Historical usage and museum

The last of the first generation of tramways in Luxembourg, seen here in 1964.

Luxembourg's first horse-drawn tram line began operations in 1875 running through Luxembourg City along a 10 km line. Electrification followed in 1908. The original track followed a route from Luxembourg railway station through the city centre to Limpertsberg. It was extended to various parts of the city until 1930 when the network covered 31 km. Several lines were closed at the beginning of the 1960s as buses replaced the trams. The last tram ran on the line to Beggen on 5 September 1964.[11] The country's other tram network designated Tramways Intercommunaux du Canton d'Esch served Esch-sur-Alzette and its surroundings from 1927 to 1956.[12]

A number of historic trams can be seen at Luxembourg City's tram and bus museum located on Rue de Bouillon in Hollerich. In particular, the museum exhibits two electric trams, two tram coaches, and a replica of a horse tram. There are also numerous models and photographs.[13]

Bibliography

  • Association des modélistes ferroviaires de Luxembourg (Walferdange): Les tramways de la ville de Luxembourg: T.V.L., Walferdange : A.M.F.L., 1986, 156p., Collection: Les chemins de fer luxembourgeois, Vol. 5.
  • Bohnert, Paul; Dhur, Raymond; Eck, Jules; Rauen, Prosper: De Minettstram: die Geschichte der interkommunalen Trambahnen im Kanton Esch, Düdelingen : Stadtverwaltung und Kulturkommission, 1985, 325p.
  • Hoffmann Jean-Paul, Dhur Raymond, Clesse René, Balthasar Marcel: Tramway Municipaux - De Stater Tram: die Geschichte des öffentlichen Personen-Nahverkehrs in der Stadt Luxemburg 1875-1993, Administration municipale, 1993, 259p.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hinger, Paul (2015-01-16). "Luxembourg City: Work begins on new tram depot". Wort.lu. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  2. ↑ "Kirchberg: Luxembourg City's first tram tracks laid". Wort.lu. 2016-07-21. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  3. ↑ "24 stations: Luxembourg's new tramway in figures". Wort.lu. 2015-04-10. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  4. ↑ "Delivery in February: Take a first look at Luxembourg's new tram". Wort.lu. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  5. ↑ "Pfaffentahl-Kirchberg route: Luxembourg's first funicular carriage arrives". Wort.lu. 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  6. ↑ Paulsberg, Linda (2017-05-02). "Chronicle.lu - Linda Paulsberg: the New Funicular Railway - a Railway First in Luxembourg". Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  7. ↑ "Next Wednesday: Luxembourg trams start running next week in test phase". Wort.lu. 2017-07-06. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  8. ↑ Pritchard, Heledd (2018-04-25). "Unions decry working conditions for tram staff". luxtimes.lu. Luxembourg Times. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  9. 1 2 "UNE RÉALISATION PAR ÉTAPES | Luxtram.lu – Un tram pour la Ville de Luxembourg". www.luxtram.lu (in French). Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  10. ↑ "September 17: Luxembourg City to open cycle bridge in 'world first'". Wort.lu. 2017-07-18. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  11. ↑ The Tramways of the City of Luxembourg. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
  12. ↑ The Tramways of the Canton d'Esch. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
  13. ↑ Tramways and Bus Museum of the City of Luxembourg. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
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