Belgrade tram system
Encyclopedia
The Belgrade tram system is a large network with 12 lines totalling 127.3 route km. It is operated with around 200 trams, including ČKD
Tatra KT4
, CAF
Urbos
, and DUEWAG
Be 4/6 vehicles. The first tram line was introduced in October 1892. In the late 2000s, complete reconstruction of the system started.
During 1904, electric trams replaced horse-drawn trams on the Kalemegdan – Slavija and Kafana Žagubica (Inn) – Električna centrala routes and in 1905 the last ones were replaced at Terazije
- Novo groblje
route. Apart from performing the function of public transport, “horse trams” were also a focus of great interest in Belgrade at the time and their striking image remained with their contemporaries for a long time.
Twenty years after the introduction of tram transport and 7 years after the electrification of the last line, in 1912 there were 8 tram lines in Belgrade on which a daily average of 24 tram motor cars and 12 trailers operated. That year 7.5 million passengers were transported.
and occupation of Belgrade left the electric power plant, electric network and, consequently, city tram transport in a very bad state. Soon after the liberation of the city in 1919, the Belgrade Municipality took over the system, which was previously private. Most of what was left from the pre-war period was worn out. It was replaced in stages, by 1932.
At the end of 1932, Belgrade had 65,5 km of tracks, of which 2/3 were double-track and 1/3 single-track ones. During 1931 and 1932 the following new lines were opened: Knežev spomenik – Dedinje, Slavija – Dušanovac, Terazije – Pašino brdo and Smederevski drum – Cvetkova mehana – Prištinska Street (today Cara Nikolaja II street).
In 1940, there were ten lines, and there were 104 trams all together. The system and city sustained heavy damage during World War II
. Bombing in 1941 destroyed 38 trams.
appeared. They fell through in 1982, as the city opted to expand the tram network instead. In 1985, the system was extended by 42 km, and the tram connected Novi Beograd, across the Sava River
.
In 1990 and 1991, the system reached its peak usage. This was to change, with the breakup of the former Yugoslavia
. Sanctions on Serbia resulted in funding being slashed drastically. Investments in the purchase of new vehicles, spare parts and maintenance of infrastructure were minimal. During 1996 and 1997, tracks were reconstructed in Bulevar revolucije
(from Cvetkova pijaca to Radio-industrija), as well as in Ruzveltova Street and Jurija Gagarina Street. The country was bombed in 1999, putting additional pressure on the system.
In the 2000s, funding for mass transit increased as the country slowly recovered. In 2004, some 150 trams were in service. Widespread reconstruction was announced approaching the end of the decade. Between 2005. and 2010. tracks were completely reconstructed and modernised in following streets: Treci bulevar, Milentija Popovica, Savska, Nemanjina, Bulevar kralja Aleksandra (from Vukov spomenik to Cvetkova pijaca), Pozeska, Bulevar vojvode Misica. Also,tracks on Autokomanda are reconstructed as well as Old Sava bridge (this bridge is used mostly by trams on lines connecting two parts of Belgrade).
CKD
A knock-down kit is a kit containing the parts needed to assemble a product...
Tatra KT4
Tatra KT4
Tatra KT4 is the name of an articulated tramcar developed by the Czech firm ČKD Tatra. The first pre-production vehicles entered service in Potsdam in 1975, with the first production vehicles in 1977. A total of 1747 units were built, with initial deliveries to East Germany and later The USSR and...
, CAF
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles is a rail equipment manufacturer based in Beasain in the Basque Country, Spain. Equipment manufactured by CAF includes light rail vehicles, rapid transit trains, railroad cars and locomotives, as well as variable gauge axles that can be fitted on any...
Urbos
Urbos
Urbos is a family of light rail vehicles built by CAF.There are three generations of Urbos:-Urbos 1:This series was only sold to Euskotren to operate tram services in Bilbao.- Urbos 2 :* Tranvía de Vélez-Málaga* Tranvía de Vitoria* Metro de Sevilla...
, and DUEWAG
DUEWAG
The DUEWAG AG was one of Germany's major manufacturers for rail vehicles. The business was sold in 1999 to Siemens transportation.- History :The company was founded in 1898 as Waggonfabrik Uerdingen AG in Uerdingen...
Be 4/6 vehicles. The first tram line was introduced in October 1892. In the late 2000s, complete reconstruction of the system started.
Lines
There are twelve lines in operation during the day, and two during night.- Line 2 (ring line): Pristanište – Vukov SpomenikVukov SpomenikVukov Spomenik or colloquially Vuk is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia...
– SlavijaSlavija (Belgrade)Slavija Square , officially Dimitrije Tucović Square , is one of the central town squares and an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia...
– Pristanište - Line 3: KneževacKneževacΚneževac is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Rakovica.-Location:Κneževac is located in the central part of the municipality...
– RakovicaRakovicaRakovica can refer to:* Rakovica, Belgrade, an urban neighborhood and a municipality of Belgrade, Serbia* Selo Rakovica, an urban neighborhood of Belgrade in the municipality of Voždovac* Rakovica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a village near Ilidža, Bosnia...
– Railway Station – Tašmajdan - Line 5: KalemegdanKalemegdanBelgrade Fortress , represent old citadel and Kalemegdan Park on the confluence of the River Sava and Danube, in an urban area of modern Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Stari Grad...
– Vukov spomenik – Ustanička - Line 6: Tašmajdan – Vukov spomenik – Ustanička
- Line 7: Blok 45 – Novi BeogradNovi BeogradNovi Beograd or New Belgrade is the most populous municipality that constitutes the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is a planned city, built in 1947 on the left bank of the Sava river which was previously an uninhabited area, opposite of the old Belgrade...
– Railway Station – Tašmajdan – Vukov spomenik – Ustanička - Line 7L: Blok 45 – Novi Beograd – Railway Station – Tašmajdan
- Line 9: Blok 45 – Novi Beograd – Railway Station – Slavija - BanjicaBanjicaBanjica is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is divided between the Belgrade's municipalities of Savski Venac and Voždovac .- Location :...
- Line 10: Kalemegdan – Slavija - Banjica
- Line 11: Blok 45 – Novi Beograd – Kalemegdan TEMPORARILY OUT OF SERVICE
- Line 12: Banovo BrdoBanovo BrdoBanovo Brdo, , is a neighbourhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Čukarica.Banovo Brdo generally stretches along the Požeška street, the main street connecting the central parts of the Belgrade with the southwestern boroughs and suburbs and itself is...
– Railway Station – Slavija – Omladinski Stadion - Line 13: Banovo Brdo – Railway Station – Novi Beograd - Blok 45
- Line 14: Banjica – Slavija – Vukov spomenik - Ustanička
From 1892 to WWI
On the 14th of October 1892, the first tram line in Belgrade was opened. It went from Kalemegdan to Slavija. The first electric line was introduced in 1894. Then for about 10 years, from the end of 1894, there were no works on modernization and widening of the tram system. It was not until 1903, when the operations related to the construction and exploitation of tram transport and electric lighting were passed, that the electrification of tram lines sped up.During 1904, electric trams replaced horse-drawn trams on the Kalemegdan – Slavija and Kafana Žagubica (Inn) – Električna centrala routes and in 1905 the last ones were replaced at Terazije
Terazije
Terazije is the central square and an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in the Belgrade municipality of Stari Grad.- Location :...
- Novo groblje
Novo groblje
Novo groblje is a cemetery complex in Belgrade, Serbia. It is located in Ruzveltova street in Zvezdara municipality. The cemetery was built in 1886 as the third Christian cemetery in Belgrade. The newly developed cemetery in that period had no chapel or church...
route. Apart from performing the function of public transport, “horse trams” were also a focus of great interest in Belgrade at the time and their striking image remained with their contemporaries for a long time.
Twenty years after the introduction of tram transport and 7 years after the electrification of the last line, in 1912 there were 8 tram lines in Belgrade on which a daily average of 24 tram motor cars and 12 trailers operated. That year 7.5 million passengers were transported.
Between WWI and WWII
World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and occupation of Belgrade left the electric power plant, electric network and, consequently, city tram transport in a very bad state. Soon after the liberation of the city in 1919, the Belgrade Municipality took over the system, which was previously private. Most of what was left from the pre-war period was worn out. It was replaced in stages, by 1932.
At the end of 1932, Belgrade had 65,5 km of tracks, of which 2/3 were double-track and 1/3 single-track ones. During 1931 and 1932 the following new lines were opened: Knežev spomenik – Dedinje, Slavija – Dušanovac, Terazije – Pašino brdo and Smederevski drum – Cvetkova mehana – Prištinska Street (today Cara Nikolaja II street).
In 1940, there were ten lines, and there were 104 trams all together. The system and city sustained heavy damage during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Bombing in 1941 destroyed 38 trams.
Post-WWII
The system was steadily rebuilt after World War II. In 1955 there were eight lines with 162 trams. In the 1970s plans to build the Belgrade MetroBelgrade Metro
The Belgrade Metro is a planned rapid transit system in Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia. Belgrade is one of the few remaining large European capitals with a population of a million or more that has no such system...
appeared. They fell through in 1982, as the city opted to expand the tram network instead. In 1985, the system was extended by 42 km, and the tram connected Novi Beograd, across the Sava River
Sava River
The Sava is a river in Southeast Europe, a right side tributary of the Danube river at Belgrade. Counting from Zelenci, the source of Sava Dolinka, it is long and drains of surface area. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia, along the northern border of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and through Serbia....
.
In 1990 and 1991, the system reached its peak usage. This was to change, with the breakup of the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. Sanctions on Serbia resulted in funding being slashed drastically. Investments in the purchase of new vehicles, spare parts and maintenance of infrastructure were minimal. During 1996 and 1997, tracks were reconstructed in Bulevar revolucije
Bulevar kralja Aleksandra
Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra , with length of 7,5 kilometers, is the longest street entirely within the urban limits of Belgrade, capital of Serbia...
(from Cvetkova pijaca to Radio-industrija), as well as in Ruzveltova Street and Jurija Gagarina Street. The country was bombed in 1999, putting additional pressure on the system.
In the 2000s, funding for mass transit increased as the country slowly recovered. In 2004, some 150 trams were in service. Widespread reconstruction was announced approaching the end of the decade. Between 2005. and 2010. tracks were completely reconstructed and modernised in following streets: Treci bulevar, Milentija Popovica, Savska, Nemanjina, Bulevar kralja Aleksandra (from Vukov spomenik to Cvetkova pijaca), Pozeska, Bulevar vojvode Misica. Also,tracks on Autokomanda are reconstructed as well as Old Sava bridge (this bridge is used mostly by trams on lines connecting two parts of Belgrade).
See also
- Belgrade MetroBelgrade MetroThe Belgrade Metro is a planned rapid transit system in Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia. Belgrade is one of the few remaining large European capitals with a population of a million or more that has no such system...
- List of rapid transit systems
- List of town tramway systems in Europe
External links
- BelgradeMaps.com - Belgrade public transport maps
- Belgrade Tram System map