Trams in Bologna

The Bologna tramway network (Italian: Rete tranviaria di Bologna) was an important part of the public transport network of Bologna, Italy. It was established in 1880 and discontinued in 1963.[1]

On March 7, 2019, the mayor of Bologna revealed city plans to build a new tramway network. Construction is proposed to begin in 2022 with the first line expected to be operational by January 2026.[2][3]

Future network (2026?)
Trams in Bologna (2026?)
Overview
LocaleBologna, Italy
Transit typeTram
Number of linesFour lines are foreseen[4], of which one is under planning (as of 2019)[3]
Number of stations30 (line 1)[3]
Operation
Operation will start2026[3]
Technical
System length16.5 km (line 1)[3]
Track gauge1435 mm

The reintroduction of a tram network in Bologna is foreseen by the Piano Urbano della Mobilità Sostenibile (PUMS, Italian for Urban Sustainable Mobility Plan), adopted on 27 November 2018.[5][4] Bologna's PUMS plans the progressive replacement of the main urban bus and trolley lines by tram lines, to be implemented in two steps:

  • construction of the first tramway line (red line), from Borgo Panigale to CAAB, via Bologna Centrale railway station[3]
  • progressive construction of three further lines, formed as the combination of the radial branches of the current main bus and trolley lines: Casalecchio Garibaldi station-San Lazzaro di Savena station (blue line), Bologna Corticella station-Due Madonne/Via Larga (green line), Casteldebole railway station-Rastignano railway station (yellow line).[6][4]

As of February 2019, the technical and economic feasibility study for the first line is officially underway, by a temporary association of companies formed by Systra, Sotecni, Architecna, Studio Mattioli, Aegis and Cooperativa Archeologia.[7]

The timetable announced by the town administration for line 1 is as follows:[8][3]

  • 2019: information and involvement activities to support the construction of the tramway line
  • Autumn 2019: approval of the technical and economic feasibility project
  • Summer 2020: approval of the final project
  • Summer 2021: approval of the executive project
  • By December 2021: awarding of works
  • January 2022: start of the works
  • January 2026: start of the tramway line.

Line 1

Line 1 will have its western terminus at Borgo Panigale Terminal, where a 400-car parking lot is planned, joined with an interchange terminal with intercity bus services. In the opposite direction there will be a double terminus, at the CAAB and at the Michelino parking lot.[3]

Line 1 will feature 30 stops, for a total length of 16.5 km, of which 14.5 km with an overhead contact line; the 2-km tracks in the city center, from Porta San Felice to via Matteotti, won't feature any suspended power line, as the tram will be powered by batteries.[3]

The main attractors served by the line are Bologna Borgo Panigale railway station, the Maggiore Hospital, the city center, Bologna Centrale railway station, Bologna's Fiera District, the Pilastro district, the Faculty of Agriculture and the CAAB.[3]

Historical network (1880–1963)
Trams in Bologna (1880–1963)
Overview
LocaleBologna, Italy
Transit typeTram
Number of lines16 (maximum)
Operation
Began operation2 October 1880
Ended operation3 November 1963
Technical
Track gauge1445 mm
Electrification550 V DC (since 1904)
System map

The first plans for six horsecar lines were approved by the town council in 1877:[9]

  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Bologna Centrale railway station
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Porta San Felice
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Barriera Santo Stefano
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Porta Maggiore
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Porta San Mamolo
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Porta Saragozza.

Works on the first stretch, linking Bologna Centrale railway station to Piazza Maggiore, began in September 1880. Service began on Saturday, 2 October 1904.[9]

The first two electrified lines began operating on 11 February 1904.[9]

In 1953, it was decided that, starting from the following year, tramway lines would be gradually discontinued and transformed to bus and trolleybus lines. Service was officially discontinued on Sunday, 3 November 1963, when the last tramway service operated on the last remaining line to San Ruffillo.[9][1]

Tram Routes of the Old Network (1880-1963)

1902 to 1910 Network
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Via Indipendenza-Bologna Centrale railway Station
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Piazza del Nettuno-Via Ugo Bassi-Via San Felice-Porta San Felice
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Via dell'Archiginnasio-Piazza Galvani-Via Farini-Via Santo Stefano-Località Lo Sterlino
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Via d'Azeglio-Palazzina
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Porta Saragozza
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Porta Zamboni-Sobborgo Sant'Egidio
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Porta San Vitale
  • Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Porta Lame
  • Porta San Felice-Scala
  • Porta Galliera-Stabilimento Tramways della Zucca

1910 to 1932 Network
  • 1 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Bologna Centrale railway Station
  • 2 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Via D'Azeglio
  • 3 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Via Saffi-Scala
  • 4 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Mazzini
  • 5 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Saragozza
  • 6 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Santo Stefano
  • 7 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-San Vitale
  • 8 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Zamboni
  • 9 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Lame
  • 10 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Zucca
  • 11 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Sant'Isaia
  • 12 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Castiglione

1932 Network
  • 1 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Bologna Centrale railway Station
  • 2 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Via D'Azeglio
  • 3 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Via Saffi-Scala
  • 4 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Mazzini
  • 5 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Saragozza
  • 6 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Santo Stefano-Sterlino-San Ruffillo
  • 7 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-San Vitale
  • 8 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Zamboni
  • 9 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Lame-
  • 10 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Zucca-Casaralta
  • 11 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Sant'Isaia-Littoriale
  • 12 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Castiglione-San Michele in Bosco
  • 15 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Corticella
  • 16 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Mascarella

Network as of 1943
  • 1 Piazza Galvani-Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Bologna Centrale railway Station
  • 2 Bologna Centrale Railway Station-Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Via d'Azeglio
  • 3 Via Montegrappa-Via Saffi-Scala
  • 4 Piazza Re Enzo-Via Mazzini
  • 5 Via Venezian-Porta Saragozza
  • 6 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Chiesanuova
  • 7 Via Venezian-Porta San Vitale
  • 9 Via Montegrappa-Porta Lame
  • 10 Piazza Galvani-Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Zucca-Casaralta
  • 11 Piazza Cavour-Porta Sant'Isaia-Littoriale
  • 13 Piazza Minghetti-Chiesanuova-San Ruffillo
  • 14 Piazza Galvani-Piazza Vittorio Emanuele-Ippodromo/Mercato Ortofrutticolo
  • 15 Piazza De Marchi-Corticella
  • 17/20 Funivia di San Luca-Piazza Malpighi-Via Roma-Bologna Centrale railway Station
  • 18 Piazza Malpighi-Littoriale-Casalecchio di Reno
  • 19 Piazza Malpighi-Littoriale-Casalecchio di Reno - Connected with Casalecchio-Vignola Railway

Network as of 1952

The post-Second World War period in Bologna caused the change of some road names and some routes merging with other ones. Piazza Vittorio Emanuele Became Piazza Maggiore. The tramway network served [San Lazzaro di Savena for the first time.

1960-1963 Network
  • 4 Via Orefici-Via Mazzini
  • 6 Piazza Minghetti-Chiesanuova
  • 7 Via Orefici-San Vitale
  • 13 Piazza Minghetti-San Ruffillo (as of 1963, this was the only operating route)
  • 20 Via degli Orefici-San Lazzaro di Savena

See also

References
  1. https://www.bibliotecasalaborsa.it/cronologia/bologna/1963/lultimo_tram
  2. 2019-03-13T08:00:00+00:00. "Four tram lines planned for Bologna". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  4. http://pumsbologna.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Relazione-1.pdf
  5. http://pumsbologna.it/documenti-di-adozione-2/
  6. "Trasporto pubblico metropolitano (TPM), ecco la rete integrata | Iperbole". Comune.bologna.it.
  7. "La rete tranviaria, una grande opportunità per la città | Iperbole". Comune.bologna.it.
  8. "Percorso di informazione e coinvolgimento a supporto della realizzazione della linea tranviaria". Partecipa.comune.bologna.it. 7 March 2019.
  9. Francesco Ogliari, Franco Sapi, Ritmi di ruote – Storia dei trasporti italiani volume 10°. Emilia-Romagna, Milano, 1969.

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