| Basel tramway network | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 A BLT tram in Basel | |||
| Operation | |||
| Locale | Basel, Switzerland | ||
| Open | 6 May 1895 | ||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Lines | 12 | ||
| Operator(s) |
| ||
| Infrastructure | |||
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge | ||
| Electrification | 650 V DC[1] | ||
| Statistics | |||
| Route length | 128.5 km (79.8 mi) | ||
| |||
| Website | http://www.bvb.ch Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (in German) | ||
The Basel tramway network (German: Basler Strassenbahn-Netz) is a network of tramways forming part of the public transport system in Basel, Switzerland, and its agglomeration - it also reaches into adjacent suburbs in Germany and France. The only two other tramway networks to cross an international border are Geneva's and Strasbourg's tramways. The Basel tram system consists of 12 lines. Due to its longevity (the network is now more than a century old), it is part of Basel's heritage and, alongside the Basel Minster, is one of the symbols of the city.
The trams on the network are operated by two transport providers: Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (Basel Transport Service) (BVB) and Baselland Transport (BLT). Both operators are part of the integrated fare network Tarifverbund Nordwestschweiz (TNW), which in itself is part of the three countries-integrated fare network triregio.[2][3][4]
BVB is owned by, and operates in, Basel-Stadt, the small canton comprising the city of Basel and two smaller municipalities, both situated right of the Rhine. Its green trams operate mostly in the city, although the termini of its lines 3, 6, and 14 are in the more rural canton of Basel-Land, line 8 terminates across the frontier in Germany, and line 3 in France.
BLT is owned by Basel-Land, and its yellow and red trams operate in the outer suburbs to the south of Basel, and at one point pass through the territory of France.[5] However, the three lines it operates, lines 10, 11 and 17, all also run over BVB track in central Basel. In addition line 14, while owned by BLT, is operated by BVB well into Basel-Land.
- ^ Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz. Verlag Schweers + Wall GmbH. 2012. p. 62. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
- ^ Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland. Verlag Schweers + Wall GmbH. 2009. pp. 110–111. ISBN 978-3-89494-139-0.
- ^ "Tarifverbund Nordwestschweiz" (in German). Trarifverbund Nordwestschweiz. Retrieved 2014-11-05.
- ^ "triregio - grenzenlos mobil" (in German and French). triregio. Retrieved 2014-11-05.
- ^ "Geschichte (history)". Baselland Transport. Archived from the original on 18 May 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2010.