Tramways in Strasbourg
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| Overview | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Native name | Tramway de Strasbourg | ||
| Owner | CUS | ||
| Locale | Strasbourg, Alsace, France | ||
| Transit type | Tram | ||
| Number of lines | 6 | ||
| Number of stations | 72 | ||
| Daily ridership | 300,000 (2010) | ||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | 1994 | ||
| Operator(s) | CTS | ||
| Number of vehicles | 94 | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 57.5 km (35.7 mi) | ||
| No. of tracks | 2 | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
| Electrification | 750 V DC Overhead line | ||
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The Strasbourg tramway (French: Tramway de Strasbourg), run by the CTS, consists of six tramlines, A, B, C, D, E and F that operate in the city of Strasbourg in Alsace, France. The first tram line in Strasbourg, which was originally horse-drawn, opened in 1878. After 1894, when an electric powered tram system was introduced, a widespread network of tramways was built, including several longer distance lines on both sides of the Rhine. The decline of the tramways system began in the 1930s, and ended with the retirement of the service in 1960 in parallel to the closure of many such systems in France and the rest of the world. However, a strategic reconsideration of the city's public transport requirements led to the reconstruction of the system, a development whose success led to other large French cities reopening their tramways, such as Montpellier and Nice. Lines A and D were opened in 1994, lines B and C were opened in 2000, line E was opened in 2007 and line F was opened in 2010. It is regarded as a remarkable example of the tramway's rebirth in the 1990s. Together with the success seen in Nantes since 1985, the Strasbourg experiment resulted in the construction of tramways in multiple other French urban areas, and the expansion of tramway systems remains an ongoing project in Strasbourg and throughout France.
The first tram line in Strasbourg, which was originally horse-drawn, opened in 1878. After 1894, when an electric powered tram system was introduced, a widespread network of tramways was built in the largest city of Alsace, including also several longer distance lines on both sides of the Rhine. The decline of the tramways system began in the 1930s, and ended with the retirement of the service in 1960. After a long drawn out communal political decision process, the tram was reintroduced in 1994. As part of the redevelopment of the city, a track of a total 33 km distance was built, on which 5 tram line services have been developed.
On 5 April 1877 the Strasbourg Horse Railway Company ("Straßburger Pferde-Eisenbahngesellschaft") was founded, and the name changed on 25 April 1888 to the Strasbourg Tramway Company ("Straßburger Straßenbahngesellschaft"). Since May 1897, the AEG electrical manufacturing company was the main shareholder. In 1912 the company was transferred to the possession of the city of Strasbourg. When Alsace became part of France in November 1918, the name of the company was translated into French, "Compagnie des tramways strasbourgeois“ (CTS). In this form it still exists today.
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