Amsterdamse Tram Lines

Amsterdamse Tram Lines

Amsterdamse Tram Current Lines

As of 12 December 2021, the Amsterdam Tramway network was made up of the following lines:

• 1 – Muiderpoort Station – Weesperplein – Leidseplein – Surinameplein – Lelylaan Station – Osdorp De Aker (Matterhorn)
• 2 – Central Station – Leidseplein – Hoofddorpplein – Nieuw Sloten (Oudenaardeplantsoen)
• 3 – Van Hallstraat[a] – Museumplein – Ceintuurbaan – Muiderpoortstation – Flevopark
• 4 – Central Station – Frederiksplein – Station RAI
• 5 – Zoutkeetsgracht[a] – Leidseplein – Museumplein – Station Zuid – A.J Ernstraat – Amstelveen Stadshart
• 7 – Slotermeer – Mercatorplein – Leidseplein – Weesperplein – Alexanderplein – Azartplein
• 12 – Central Station – Leidseplein – Museumplein – Ceintuurbaan – Amstelstation
• 13 – Central Station – Rozengracht – Mercatorplein – Geuzenveld (Lambertus Zijlplein)
• 14 – Central Station – Dam – Plantage – Alexanderplein – Flevopark
• 17 – Central Station – Rozengracht – Kinkerstraat – Lelylaan Station – Osdorp (Dijkgraafplein)
• 19 – Sloterdijk Station – Leidseplein – Weesperplein – Alexanderplein – Watergraafsmeer – Diemen Sniep
• 24 – Central Station – Vijzelstraat – Ferdinand Bolstraat – Stadionweg – Amstelveenseweg – VUmc – De Boelelaan/VU
• 25 – Station Zuid – Sachalovlaan – Amstelveen Westwijk - Uithoorn Centrum
• 26 – Central Station – Rietlandpark – Piet Heintunnel – IJburg (IJburglaan)
• 27 (Only during the morning peak) – Surinameplein – Lelylaan Station – Osdorp (Dijkgraafplein)

Amsterdamse Tram Notes

a^ Jump up to:a b Since 19 August 2020, tram lines 3 and 5 have been diverted due to the renewal of the Bullebak bridge over the Brouwersgracht and construction at the Zoutkeetsgracht tram loop. During this period, line 3 has been diverted to the loop on Van Hallstraat at Westergasfabriek, normally the line 5 terminal, and line 5 has been diverted to a temporary crossover first at Eerste Marnixdwarsstraat then, since 29 August 2023, just before the Zoutkeetsgracht loop. These diversions were made because the bidirectional line 5 trams can switch ends at the temporary crossover while unidirectional line 3 trams could not.

Amsterdamse Tram Former Lines

The GVB may reassign a line number once used on a former line to a new, unrelated line. For example, in 2020, number 25 was assigned to tram line 25 (Station Zuid – Westwijk) which does not overlap with former line 25 (Centraal Station – President Kennedylaan), closed in 2013.

• Line 6 was used multiple times as an temporary rush hour tram service, most recently to supplement line 5 during the conversion of Metro Line 51 into tram line 25 (Station Zuid – Amstelveen Stadshart).
• Line 8 (Centraal Station – Nieuwmarkt – Waterlooplein – Weesperstraat – Rivierenbuurt) existed from 1905 to 1942. This tram ran through the old Amsterdam Jodenbuurt. This line number will most definitely never be used again since the line was used in the Second World War to transport deported Jews.
• Line 9 existed from 1903 until July 22, 2018, from Central Station to Diemen Sniep (until 1990 until Watergraafsmeer). This line has for most of its route been replaced by line 19, which instead of Central Station runs to Sloterdijk station, with on its way possibilities to transfer to several metro lines towards Central and South stations.
• Line 10 existed from 1900 until July 22, 2018, from Westergasfabriek to Azartplein. This line has for most of its route been replaced by lines 5 and 7.
• Line 11 first existed between 1904 and 1944 (Central Station – Weesperpoortstation - Muiderpoortstation) and was briefly reassigned to a different route from 1948 to 1955. In 1991 and in between 1996 and 2013 the number was also occasionally used for special routes during events and congresses in the city. From 1993 to 1996 line 11 was also used as a rush hour tram service (Central Station – Leidseplein – Surinameplein) to supplement line 1. This route was reopened on July 22, 2018, but closed again on March 23, 2020, due to declining ridership.
• Line 15 existed from 1913 to 1932, and from 1936 to 1937.
• Line 16 existed from 1913 until July 22, 2018, from Central Station to VU medical centre. The route was roughly parallel to that of line 24 and the newly opened metro 52, which is why this tram line was closed.
• Line 18 existed from 1913 to 1951 under two different routes.
• Line 20 existed from 1922 to 1932, from 1991 to 1993 (branch line), and as a Circle Tram from 1997 to 2002. During the entire period, there were successively three different tram lines with this number.
• Line 21 existed as a horse/tractor tram line (ex municipality of Sloten) from 1921 to 1925 and as an electric tramway from 1928 to 1931.
• Line 22 existed from 1921 to 1944 (Circle Line Central Station).
• Line 23 existed from 1921 to 1944 (Stadium transport to 1958).
• Line number 28 has never been used for a tram line in Amsterdam.
• Number 29 also hasn't been used before, but both number 28 and 29 do have their own colors in case they may get used in the future.
• The line number 30 is used informally by the Electric Tramway Museum Amsterdam (Haarlemmermeerstation – Amstelveen – Bovenkerk).
• Line S was a tram service in use in 1948 and 1949 to transport passengers between Central Station and the Amstelstation to make the Amstelstation more accessible after the war. This line did not have its own color and just had the letter S upfront.

Amsterdamse Tram Line Colours

Upon the electrification of the Amsterdam Tramway network, all tram lines were given a line number and a line colour. The latter designator is a square logo next to the line number, so that people who cannot read the line numbers can still recognise the line. The tram stop signs also display the line colours, as did the early twentieth century horse tram lines. Line colours have been used in other cities in the Netherlands (The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht), but outside Amsterdam the colours have since been removed.

The Amsterdam line colours consist of combinations of one or two colours (red, green, yellow, blue and white). Not all colour combinations are permitted: for example, green-blue and yellow-white are not used, due to the lack of contrast. The square plane can be split horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

The belt lines 3, 7, 9 and 10 were given a line colour in one colour: yellow, blue, green and red, respectively. The radial lines usually had line colours divided into two. Later, new line colours divided into three fields (using a total of two colours) were introduced. Lines 7 and 13 have different combinations again. Line 7 is blue, but for clarity two horizontal white stripes are added. Line 13 is white, but has a pattern of blue squares added. Line 22 (originally 19) (Circle Line Centraal Station) was the only line using the colour pink.

Under the current system, there are 38 colour combinations. In the 1980s, never used combinations were assigned to the nonexistent lines 27, 28, 29 and 30 and to the metro line numbers 50 and 58. Today, the line colours are still used. They are located next to the line number on the front of the trams and light rail vehicles (and also on light rail vehicles running on metro lines 50, 51, 53 and 54).

Amsterdamse Tram Headquarters and Depots

The AOM's original headquarters was located at Stadhouderskade 2. In 1923, the GTA set up a new headquarters in the Amsterdam School style building at the corner of the Overtoom and Stadhouderskade 1. In 1983, the GVB moved to Scheepvaarthuis (also in Amsterdam School style, completed 1913) at Prins Hendrikkade 108. In 2004, the GVB moved again, to a modern office building at Arlandaweg 100, near Sloterdijk station.

For the operation of Amsterdam's trams, there are two main depots: Havenstraat (Oud-Zuid), which was opened in 1914, and Lekstraat (Rivierenbuurt), built between 1927 and 1929 in Amsterdam School style. On 12 July 2010, the management of the two depots was merged. Lekstraat depot is now only used for storage, and the daily maintenance of all trams is now carried out at the Havenstraat depot.

Line 26 uses the IJburgstalling, a tram storage yard on Zeeburgereiland in the IJburg district of Amsterdam. Located along tram line 26 near the Bob Haarmslaan stop, the yard was built especially for line 26, partly because of lack of space in the Lekstraat depot, and partly to shorten turnaround times. The yard opened in May 2005, and was reopened on 28 September 2020 after a renovation to handle coupled pairs of trams and to increase its capacity from 18 to 32 trams.

Line 25 uses the Legmeerpolder tram storage yard located south of the Westwijk tram stop, the line 25 terminal in Amstelveen. Opened in August 2020, the yard has capacity for 36 trams.

Since 1996, the main Amsterdam Tram workshop has been in Diemen-Zuid. It is connected to the network by a kilometre of single track from the Diemen Sniep terminus of line 19. Previously, it had been housed from 1902 in Tollensstraat (Oud-West).

Amsterdamse Tram Rolling Stock

Amsterdamse Tram Capacity

Series      sit/stand      Length      Width      Weight      Number      Built      Delivered      In operation
(in service)

• Series 11G built by BN

901-920
bidirectional trams
officially retired 14 June 2021 52/76 25.9 m (84 ft 11+5⁄8 in) 2.35 m (7 ft 8+1⁄2 in) 38 tonnes 20 (0) 1989–1990 1990–2021

• Series 12G built by BN

817-841
all retired by 2 January 2021 51/90 25 (0) 1990–1991 1991–2021

• Series 13G Siemens Combino

C1: 2001–2130, 2145-2151
C1A: 2131-2144 (with ATB for the Piet Heintunnel) 55/76 29.2 m (95 ft 9+5⁄8 in) 2.4 m (7 ft 10+1⁄2 in) 36 tons 151 (151) 2001–2005 2002–present

• Series 14G Siemens Combino

bidirectional trams
C2A: 2201-2204 52/99 4 (3) 2002

• Series 15G CAF Urbos 100

bidirectional trams
R-net livery: 3001-3025
blue-white livery: 3026-3063 50/125 30 m (98 ft 5+1⁄8 in) 39 tonnes 72 (72) 2019–2022 2020–present

15G Trams

The 15G trams were needed to replace the 30-year old 11G and 12G trams. The trams have couplers to operate on the Amsteltram and IJtram lines (numbered 25 and 26 respectively), and be bidirectional and low-floor. The materials in the new trams were expected to be 92 percent recyclable.

Amsterdamse Tram Development

On 11 November 2016, GVB contracted with the Spanish manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) to build and deliver 63 new trams with an option for 60 more. In July and August 2017, a full-size mockup of the new tram was displayed at the Lekstraat depot to solicit comments from the public. At the end of 2018, CAF built the first tram and began testing it on its own 350-metre test track. A tram simulator was installed at the Havenstraat depot in order to tram 300 GVB operators. At 02:45 on the morning of 26 April, the first 15G tram arrived at the Diemen workshop.

To satisfy legal requirements, there had to be 3 phases of testing: 1) operating around the Diemen workshop grounds, 2) on the tram network when no other trams were running and 3) between other trams on the network. Winter testing was done at a facility in Minden, Germany. On 13 July 2020, a permit was issued to commission the 15G. On the night of 28/29 May 2019, the 15G made its first test trip over the tram network. Nightly sound tests were performed between 29 July and 15 August. Starting 19 September, carrying sand bags, the tram made test runs on the tram network while other trams were in regular service.

In May 2020, the GVB ordered 9 additional trams from CAF, with all 72 trams to cost 209.1 million euros. In 2020, despite a COVID-19 lockdown for several months of all non-essential businesses in Spain, CAF put in extra effort to deliver the last 15G on schedule. Between 30 November and 12 December 2020, there were training runs using coupled 15G trams. On 13 December 2020, coupled pairs of 15G trams went into service on the Amstelveen line (a.k.a. Amsteltram, line 25), these trams were in R-net livery. At the end of March 2021, 15G trams appeared in the blue and white GVB livery. The 72nd 15G tram was received on 11 April 2022.

The GVB still has the option to purchase 53 more 15G trams from CAF. The extension of the IJtram (line 26) between Centrumeiland en Strandeiland will require 13 extra trams, and a new tram line between Station Sloterdijk and Zuid railway stations (along bus line 15) will be require 11 more.

Amsterdamse Tram Problems

On 18 August 2020, there were complaints of screeching wheels when a 15G tram went around the Azartplein turning loop. To solve the problem, the GVB implemented a GPS-controlled greasing mechanism mounted on the tram to apply a thin layer of oil to the wheels.

There was a partial derailment soon after the 15G trams went into service. Trams were not communicating properly with the switch systems. Initially, on-site maintenance staff were required to correct the problem. Until there was a permanent solution, track-side control boxes were installed so that tram operators could step outside and insert a key in the box to set switches and signals.

In October 2021, there were complaints that the extendable wheelchair ramp was too slanted, too short or had a kink in it. This rendered the ramp unusable for certain wheelchair types, and required assistance. However, the trams had no conductor on board to assist. As of May 2022, the GVB was awaiting a solution from the manufacturer.

Trams in Amsterdam Overview

Amsterdamse Tram Locale: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdamse Tram Horsecar era: 1875–1906/1916
Amsterdamse Tram Electric Tram era: since 1900
Amsterdamse Tram Status: Operational
Amsterdamse Tram Lines: 14
Amsterdamse Tram Operator(s): Gemeentetram Amsterdam (GTA) (1900–1942)
Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf (GVB) (since 1943)
Amsterdamse Tram Track Gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Amsterdamse Tram Propulsion System(s): Electricity
Amsterdamse Tram Electrification: 600 V DC from overhead catenary
Stock 200
Amsterdamse Tram Track Length (single): 200 km (120 mi)
Amsterdamse Tram Route Length: 95 km (59 mi)
Amsterdamse Tram Stops: 500
Amsterdamse Tram Revenue: 113.5 million