Trams in Lisbon

Lisbon tramway network

Two Remodelado trams on line 28.
Operation
Locale Lisbon, Portugal
Horsecar era: 1873 (1873)–1902 (1902)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
(to 1888)
900 mm (2 ft 11 7⁄16 in)
(from 1888)[1]
Propulsion system(s) Horses
Experimental steam
Electric tram era: since 1901 (1901)
Status Open
Routes 27 (maximum)
5 (present)
Operator(s) Carris
Track gauge 900 mm (2 ft 11 7⁄16 in)
Electrification 600 V DC overhead lines
Depot(s) Santo Amaro
Amoreiras (to 1981)
Arco de Cego (1902-1996)[2]
Route length 76 km (47 mi) (maximum))[1]
26 km (16 mi) (present)
Website Carris (Portuguese) (English)

The Lisbon tramway network (Portuguese: Rede de eléctricos de Lisboa) serves the municipality of Lisbon, capital city of Portugal. In operation since 1873, it presently comprises five urban lines.

History

Map of Tram tracks in Lisbon (network of 2011 in red)

The first tramway in Lisbon entered service on 17 November 1873, as a horsecar line. On 30 August 1901, Lisbon's first electric tramway commenced operations. Within a year, all of the city's tramways had been converted to electric traction.

Up until 1959, the network of lines was further developed, and in that year it reached its greatest extent. At that time, there was a total of 27 tram lines in Lisbon, of which six operated as circle lines. As the circle lines operated in both clockwise and anticlockwise directions, each with its own route number, it is more correct to speak of a total of 24 tram routes, all of them running on 900 mm (2 ft 11 7⁄16 in) narrow gauge tram lines.

The construction of the Lisbon Metro and the expansion of the bus system began the slow decline of the network.

Current network

The current lines are:

The five remaining lines only operate in the southern centre and west of the city. Despite the relevant tourist attraction, those lines are still very important because of sections of the city's topography that can only be crossed by small trams. Tram 15 also connects the entire western river front of the city to the centre and allows a better flow of passengers with the bus system towards an area that still is not served by the metro.

Although reports prepared by both the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and the Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich concluded that the network should be retained and even extended, the process of decline has continued. However, some work has recently been done on preparing the Carmo–Campolide line for reopening.

Rolling stock

The vehicles used are:

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Luso pages, Lisbon Trams, Part Two: Trams of The Past.
  2. ↑ Luso pages, Lisbon Trams, Part One: Trams of Today.

Books

  • King, B R; Price, J H (1995). The Tramways of Portugal (4th ed.). London: Light Rail Transit Association. ISBN 0-948106-19-0. 
  • Tavares Dias, Marina (2001). História do eléctrico da Carris: The history of the Lisbon trams. Lisboa: Quimera. ISBN 972-589-066-3.  (Portuguese) (English)

Website

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This article is based upon a translation of the German language version as at March 2011.

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