| Hanover Stadtbahn | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Overview | |||
| Locale | Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany | ||
| Transit type | Light rail (Stadtbahn) | ||
| Number of lines | 12 (with 1 weekend express night and 2 special lines)[1] | ||
| Number of stations | 201 (including 19 underground stations)[2] | ||
| Website | www | ||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | 29 September 1975[3] | ||
| Operator(s) | üstra Hannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe AG | ||
| Number of vehicles | 289[2] | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 121 km (75 mi)[2] | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Electrification | 600 V DC overhead | ||
| |||
Hanover Stadtbahn is a light urban rail transport (Stadtbahn, lit. 'city railway') system in the city of Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony, Germany. It opened on 29 September 1975,[3] gradually replacing the city's tramway (Straßenbahn) network over the course of the subsequent 25 years. As of 2024[update], the Hanover Stadtbahn system has 12 main lines[1] (lines 1–11 and 17), one weekend express night line (line 10E), and two supplemental lines (lines 16 and 18),[1] serving 201 stations (including 19 underground and 124 high-platform stations),[2] operating on 121 kilometres (75 mi) of route.[2] The system is run by üstra, which was originally an abbreviation for Überlandwerke und Straßenbahnen Hannover AG. In 2007 Hanover Stadtbahn transported 125 million passengers per year.[3][needs update]
Three types of light rail cars operate on the system: the TW 6000, built from 1974 to 1993, the TW 2000 (the so-called Silberpfeil, lit. 'silver arrow'), built from 1997 to 1999, and the TW 3000, which was first introduced into A line service in 2015. The system is used extensively, especially during trade shows on the Hanover fairground like CeBIT and the Hannover Messe. It makes up for more than 60% of the GVH transport association's total traffic, spanning over four cities and two counties. Hanover Stadtbahn is complemented by the Hanover S-Bahn, a suburban heavy rail network that links the outlying suburbs and towns, as well as Hanover Airport, to the city centre.
- ^ a b c "Linienplan Stadtbahn Hannover" [Hanover Stadtbahn Map of Lines] (PDF) (in German). üstra. December 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d e "Stadtbahn" (in German). üstra. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ^ a b c "Einsteigen: Die Stadtbahn" [Boarding: The Stadbahn] (PDF) (in German). üstra. August 2008. Retrieved 5 October 2013.[permanent dead link]