Antwerp Pre-metro

The Premetro Antwerp is part of the ÖPNVs of Antwerp. As Premetro (light rail, nl: sneltram ) while the underground section of the cluster of ten lines tram network of the city is called. The operator De Lijn.

Two sections run in the city center underground. The lines 2 ( Linkeroever - Groenplaats - Hoboken ) and 3 /5 ( Zwijndrecht Linkeroever - Groenplaats - Merksem or Wim Saerensplein ) serve eleven underground stations. The stops Van Eeden, Groenplaats, Meir and Opera ( Teniersplatz ) be approached jointly by the three lines. The above-ground tram lines are usually performed separately from normal traffic on separate paths.

In the original plan in the early 1970s, the fully underground network was applied to a length of 15 km and 22 stop points. But due to financing difficulties exist today only two sections. It is operated by the train operating company De Lijn. The first section was opened on May 25, 1975 between stops Groenplaats and Diamond ( Centraal station) with a length of 1.3 km. Further expansion took place in 1980, 1990 ( with the stop Van Eeden ), 1996 ( with stops Astrid, Elizabeth, trade, Schijnpoort and sports) and most recently in 2006 ( with the above-ground stop Sportpaleis ) in the northeast of the network ( lines 3 and 5 ).

Specifications

The total length of the underground network is 8.1 km with eleven stops in the city center. The track width of the tracks is 1000 mm, the platforms have a length of 95 meters. The cycle time is four to six minutes during rush hour and eight to 15 minutes outside. The service runs from 04:30 clock to 01:00 clock.

Further expansion

In 2004 it was decided with the Pegasus - plan the construction of a new underground line from west to east. Interchange points the previous line will be the stations Astrid and Opera.