Bielefeld Stadtbahn

Bielefeld Stadtbahn
Overview
Locale	Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Transit type	Light rail (Stadtbahn)
Number of lines	4
Number of stations	62
Annual ridership	32.77 million (2012)
Website	moBiel
Operation
Began operation	1991
Operator(s)	moBiel
Number of vehicles	76
Technical
System length	36.9 km (22.9 mi)
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Average speed	22.6 km/h (14.0 mph)
System map

The Bielefeld Stadtbahn is a metre gauge light rail (i.e. Stadtbahn) network in the German city of Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The system does include some segments built to rapid transit standards. It is operated by moBiel, a subsidiary of the Bielefeld municipal authority (Stadtwerke), and integrated in the Westfalentarif transport association. It served 32.77 million passengers in 2012.

History

The old tram (Straßenbahn) network was rebuilt into a three-line Stadtbahn (light rail) network between 1978 and 1991, with the official inauguration of the Stadtbahn in 1991. A fourth line was built to the university area and added to the network in 2002. Until 31 July 2021 four more supplemental lines were operated, which are now labeled with the normal line numbers. At the 1st of August 2021 the tram lines 3 & 4 changed its destinations. Line 3 ends at Dürkopp Tor 6, Line 4 in Stieghorst.

Operations

Hours of operation and frequencies

Trains run until 1 a.m. every day, with service starting at 4:30 a.m. every weekday, at 6:00 a.m. on Saturdays, and at 8:30 a.m. on Sundays and public holidays. Trains run every 5–10 minutes during the day and at least every 15 minutes late night and Sundays. On weekend nights, there is an hourly service, so there is a proposal for 24-hour service.

Lines

The Bielefeld Stadtbahn is made up of four lines, with a total track length of 66.3 kilometres (41.2 mi). The mainline network operates over a total route length of 36.9 kilometres (22.9 mi), serving 62 stops, of which seven are underground stations.

Line	Route
1	Schildesche – Hauptbahnhof – Jahnplatz – Bethel – Brackwede – Senne
2	Altenhagen – Milse – Baumheide – Hauptbahnhof – Jahnplatz – Sieker
3	Babenhausen-Süd – Hauptbahnhof – Jahnplatz – Dürkopp Tor 6
4	Lohmannshof – Universität – Hauptbahnhof – Jahnplatz – Sieker Mitte – Stieghorst

Future service

In 2013 the municipal council decided to build a new Line "5" from the Kunsthalle Bielefeld via Jahnplatz and Kesselbrink to Heepen, with an opening planned for 2019. However, a citizens initiative voted against proceeding with this extension in 2014.

Gallery

• 
  Wittekindstraße station
• 
  Jahnplatz station
• 
  Hauptbahnhof station
• 
  Hauptbahnhof station
• 
  M8D typical rolling stock
• 
  Vamos multiple-unit rolling stock
• 
  Tram in 1961

References

Bibliography

• Schwandl, Robert (2012). Schwandl's Tram Atlas Deutschland (in German and English) (3rd ed.). Berlin: Robert Schwandl Verlag. pp. 14–15. ISBN 9783936573336.

External links

• moBiel - official site (in German)
• Track plan of the Bielefeld Stadtbahn