Barcelona Metro

The Barcelona Metro, opened in 1924, is an extensive network of electrically operated railways that run underground and above ground in the suburbs in the city center. The lines 6, 7 and 8 are from the company Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya ( FGC ), all other routes are operated by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona ( TMB). The metro lines of these two operators are supplemented by the underground in the city region is usually guided tram routes the Rodalies Barcelona.

Line network

The Barcelona Metro network consists of 11 lines, with a total of 124 km line length and 163 stations. The metro carries about 450 million passengers per year. The line 1 is on Iberian broad gauge, line 8 on meter gauge, the other lines are standard gauge.

History

On December 30, 1924, the first underground railway between Catalunya and Lesseps was opened. It had been built by the Gran Metropolitano de Barcelona. So got the line which is now the L3, her name " Gran Metro". Already 1 ½ years later, on June 10, 1926, another subway line between Bordeta and Catalunya was put into operation but which has been built and operated by the competing company Metropolitano Transversal. It transported mainly for the flow of visitors in 1929 taking place in Barcelona International Exhibition. The original reason for the construction of the line, however, was to establish a connection between two RENFE lines, which explains the choice of the Spanish track gauge of 1674 mm. Between University and Arc de Triomf there is a four-track section that is used by both the subway and on the RENFE. On December 19, 1926 Linienast the Gran Metro de Aragón (now Passeig de Gràcia ) by James I was put into operation. This part is now traversed by the separate line L4.

Until 1946, there were few openings of new lines due to the poor economy. In particular, the existing network was expanded. Since 1939 there was the Franco dictatorship in Spain, all Catalan names of the stations were removed, only Spanish names were to be seen there.

In 1951, the municipality of Barcelona, the two competing enterprises Gran Metropolitano de Barcelona and Metropolitano Transversal. The aim was to build a metro network, which should be the increasing ridership needs. By 1954, the L1 has been extended. She drives since May 15, 1954 by Santa Eulalia Fabra i Puig up after. Five years later, on July 21, 1959, the new subway line was opened between L5 and Sagrera Vilapicina. Actually, should the tunnel for the L2, which had been already built in the 30s, are used; However, they decided on a partial solution to the L5. This line was provided in contrast to the other, via overhead line power. Meanwhile, all the metro lines are converted to pantograph.

1961 joined the two companies together into one. In the following years and decades, the existing Metro network was expanded by extensions on. On 25 September 1995, however, the new L2 went between Sant Antoni and Sagrada Família in operation, their tunnel had been built partially in 1929. 2002 L2 took over the section of the L4 between La Pau and Pep Ventura. On December 14, 2003 was once again took on a new line, the L11, the traffic. It is called " Light Metro" (Metro lleuger ) designated and acts as a feeder to the L4. On the 2.1 km long, single-track tunnel section with a passing loop run two-car trains.

Construction and planning

In addition to the small net additions also have a line to be built from scratch. The L9/10 is with 42 km and 46 stations cross the city. This line, which is to be operated fully automatically, will have two branches, both in the southwest to the airport and Zona Franca ZAL and in the northeast to Badalona and Can Zam. A special feature of L9/10 is the double-deck tunnel, which means that only a large tunnel is built with two floors, where the trains. The first subsection of the L9 between Can Zam and Can Peixauet was opened on 13 December. The commissioning of the first section of the L10 ( Bon Pastor to Gorg ) was planned in March 2010. In the summer of 2010, the two lines had already reached the station La Sagrera, where a transition to the L1 and L5 is. Additional track pieces are under construction. At the Placa de Lesseps in the Gracia district there is a large pit of L9/L10. Here the link to the L3 is built.

Furthermore, the lines are still planned R3 and L13. R3 ( formerly L12) is similar to an S -Bahn and connect the center with the suburbs. The stations outside the core zone to be built in Barcelona existing lines are used. L13 L11 as a kind of "light metro " (Metro lleuger ) planned with three stations and as a feeder for L1 and L2 in Badalona.

Special

The stations are announced in the car by two different speakers. Here speaker A says first "Proxima estació " ( " Next Station"), speaker B the station name, then follow if necessary interchanges. The speaker pair A and B consists of a male and a female Part On most lines of Part A of a man, the Part B is spoken by a woman, on line 1, however, the situation is reversed. The interchanges are becoming popular by a man. Another peculiarity is that all U -Bahn trains are fully air conditioned.