A BLT tram in Basel.
|
|||
Operation | |||
---|---|---|---|
Locale | Basel, Switzerland | ||
Open | 6 May 1892 | ||
Status | Operational | ||
Lines | 12 | ||
Operator(s) |
|
||
Infrastructure | |||
Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge | ||
Electrification | 650 V DC | ||
Statistics | |||
Track length (double) | 77 km | ||
|
|||
Website | Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (German) |
The Basel tramway network (German: Basler Strassenbahn-Netz) is a network of tramways forming part of the public transport system in Basel, a city in Switzerland, and the Swiss part of its agglomeration. It consists of 13 lines. Due to its longevity (the network is now more than a century old), it is part of Basel's heritage, and, alongside the Basel Minster, is one of the symbols of the city.
The trams on the network are operated by two transport providers: Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (Basel Transport Service) (BVB) and Baselland Transport (BLT). Both operators are part of the integrated fare network Tarifverbund Nordwestschweiz (TNW), which in itself is part of the three countries-integrated fare network triregio.
BVB is owned by, and operates in, Basel-Stadt, the small canton comprising the city of Basel and two smaller municipalities, both situated right of the Rhine. Its green trams operate mostly in the city, although the termini of its lines 3 and 6 are in the more rural canton of Basel-Land, whilst line 8 terminates across the frontier in Germany.
BLT is owned by Basel-Land, and its yellow and red trams operate in the outer suburbs to the south of Basel, and at one point pass through the territory of France. However, the three lines it operates, lines 10, 11 and 17, all also run over BVB track in central Basel. In addition line 14, while owned by BLT, is operated by BVB well into Basel-Land.
The first line of the Basel tramway network was opened on 6 May 1895. It followed the route Centralbahnhof–Marktplatz–Mittlere Brücke–Aeschenplatz–Badischer Bahnhof.