Trams in Graz

Graz tramway network
Variobahn at Kaiser-Josef-Platz (2020)
Operation
LocaleGraz, Styria, Austria
StatusOperational
Lines6[1]
Owner(s)City of Graz
Operator(s)Holding Graz (since 2007 (2007))
Infrastructure
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Minimum curve radius17,5 m
Electrification600 V DC
Depot(s)Remise I (Alte Poststraße),
II and III (Steyrergasse)
Stock86[2]
Statistics
Route length70.4 km (43.7 mi)[2]
Stops95
Average speed70 km/h (43 mph) max.
201253.56 million[2]
Horse tram era: 1878–1899
Owner(s) Grazer Tramway
Operator(s) Grazer Tramway
Propulsion system(s) Horses
Electric tram era: 1899 (1899)–present
Status Still running
Operator(s) Holding Graz (since 2007 (2007))
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Propulsion system(s) Electricity
Electrification 600 V DC
Overview
Map of the Graz tram network, 2021.
Websitehttp://www.holding-graz.at/linien.html Holding Graz Linien (in German)
Historical Line 2 (Circle line)
Hauptbahnhof - Hauptbahnhof
Overview
Native nameLinie 2 (Ringlinie)
Termini
  • Hauptbahnhof
  • Hauptbahnhof (until 1962)
    Keplerbrücke (until 1963)
    Wormgasse (until 1971)
Stations17 (1899-1953)
18 (1954-62)
14 (1962-63)
12 (1963-71)
Color on mapred (until March 25, 1911 (1911-03-25))
History
OpenedAugust 21, 1888 (1888-08-21) as horse tramway
July 24, 1899 (1899-07-24) as electric tramway
ClosedDecember 31, 1953 (1953-12-31) connection Hbf
June 5, 1962 (1962-06-05) Keplerstraße
November 14, 1963 (1963-11-14) Wickenburgg.
January 17, 1971 (1971-01-17) remaining parts
Technical
Line length6.0 km (3.7 mi)
Route map

km
Tracksheme 1950
0,0/~6,0
Südbahnhof (Hauptbahnhof) 1
5 to Eggenberg, 7 to Wetzelsdorf
→ from 1953 on separate stops at Hbf
0,3
Annenstraße 1
5,7
Babenbergerstraße
0,6
Esperantoplatz 1 5 7
5,5
Marienplatz
5,4
right mill canal
5,0
Lendplatz
3 to Gösting
0,9
Roseggerhaus
1 5 7, 3 to Krenngasse
0,9
mill canal Elisabethstraße
1,3
Südtirolerplatz 1 5 7
1,4/4,6
Mur
4,5
left mill canal (until 1977)
terminus from 1962
4,5
Schloßbergplatz/Keplerbrücke
4 to Andritz
1,7
Hauptplatz 1 4 5 7
4,1
Grabenstraße
3 to Gösting, 6 to Puntigam
2,2
Jakominiplatz 1 3 4 5 6 7
4 to Liebenau, 5 to Zentralfriedhof
3 to Krenngasse, 6 to St. Peter
terminus from 1963
3,9
Wormgasse
2,6
Kaiser-Josef-Platz 1 7
3,7
Geidorfplatz
2,8
Rechbauerstraße 1 7
3,3
Zinzendorfgasse
until 1971
1 to Mariatrost, 7 to St. Leonhard/LKH

The Graz tramway network is a network of tramways forming an important part of the public transport system in Graz, which is both the capital city of the federal state of Styria, Austria, and the second largest city in Austria.

In operation since 1878, the network presently has six daytime lines, and five evening and Sunday lines. As of 2012, the Graz tram network ran on an almost 60 kilometres (37 mi) of route, and served 53.56 million passengers.[2] It is operated by the Graz Linien division of Holding Graz, the city owned utility company who also operate the city's bus network and the Schlossbergbahn funicular railway. The trams form part of the styrian integrated fare system which covers all modes of public transport in Graz and Styria.

The Tramway Museum Graz, at the terminus of line 1 in Mariatrost, holds many exhibits relating to the system.[3]

History

[edit]
The first electric tram in 1899

The first trams to run in Graz were horse trams in private ownership, with service commencing in 1878. The lines were electrified from 1899. In 1939, the tram network was acquired by the city.[3]

In 1941, the narrow gauge electric railway that had linked Graz with the suburb of Mariatrost since 1898, was converted to standard gauge and became part of the tram network. The resulting long outer section of tram route 1 still retains many light railway features, with its off-street routing and long stretches of single track.[3][4]

Graz trams in 1977
Subsurface tramstop at Graz main railway station from 2012

The Graz tram network reached a peak in 1950. Growing car ownership, and the growth of residential areas in outer reaches of the city not served by the trams, led to a fall in tram usage and eventually, after 1950, the closure of several tram routes. The city introduced trolleybuses in 1941 to serve the outer areas of the city, but these were replaced by motor buses by 1967.[3]

In the 1990s, with the city's narrow central streets proving ill-suited to large quantities of private car traffic, the city adopted a policy of improving and expanding public transport, with modernisation and extension of the tramway. The area around Jakominiplatz was developed as the main tram and city bus interchange from 1995, whilst extensions to Puntigam, Liebenau/Murpark and St Peter followed in 2006 and 2007.[3]

In 2001, Graz was the launch customer for the Bombardier Transportation's Cityrunner design, with the acquisition of 18 27 m (89 ft) long five-section trams. These were the city's first 100% low-floor trams, although the concept was introduced in 1999 by the fitting of new low-floor centre sections to 12 existing trams.[3]

In 2007, Graz ordered 45 Stadler Variobahn trams for delivery between 2009 and 2015. These vehicles proved controversial, with complaints over noise and vibration levels. Initially confined to the north–south axis lines 4 and 5, the trams started operating on the east–west axis in 2013, after modifications and imposition of a speed limit.[3][5]

In 2012, new tram tunnels were built to serve the city's main railway station (Graz Hauptbahnhof), which was previously the terminus of two tram lines and some distance from the main westbound tram route. Trams on the main line now stop in a new subsurface tram station in the station forecourt area. This allows the station to be served by four of the city's six lines.[3]

In 2016 a new extension of line 7 in order to serve the new medical campus of the University of Graz in Stiftingtalstraße was constructed and opened to the public on 11 September 2016. The line was extended by one stop from the previous terminus at St. Leonhard.[6]

Operation

[edit]
Line 1
Eggenberg/UKH - Mariatrost
Overview
Native nameLinie 1
Termini
  • Eggenberg/UKH
  • Mariatrost
Stations32
Color on maplight blue
History
Current route sinceSeptember 10, 1990 (1990-09-10)
Technical
Line length11.2 km (7.0 mi)
Route map

km
Göstinger Straße
0,0
Eggenberg/UKH
(emergency hospital)
380
0,4
Alt-Eggenberg
376
0,5
Baiernstraße
0,8
Schloss Eggenberg
369
0,8
Schloßstraße
1,2
Auster Sport- und Wellnessbad
(public pool "Oyster")
366
1,5
Vinzenzgasse
365
1,7
Georgigasse
365
1,7
Alte Poststraße
1,7
Georgigasse
365
2,0
turnaround Laudongasse
(Laudongasse)
365
2,2
Asperngasse
(Access to Hbf S 1-S 7)
365
2,2
6 to Smart City
364
2,4
4 to Reininghaus, 7 to Wetzelsdorf
2,5
Köflacher Gasse/PVA Park and Ride 4 6 7
( S 61 S 7)
362
2,5
← Köflacher Gasse/→ Waagner-Biro-Straße
2,7
Sublevel section local transport hub Hauptbahnhof
2,7
364
2,9
Hauptbahnhof 4 6 7 S 1-S 7
357
3,0
← Eggenberger Gürtel/→ Bahnhofgürtel
3,1
sublevel section ramp
3,1
Annenstraße
3,3
Esperantoplatz/Arbeiterkammer 4 6 7
355
3,3
← Idlhofgasse/→ Hans-Ressel-Gasse
3,6
Roseggerhaus 4 6 7
351
3,6
← Elisabethinergasse/→ Volksgartenstraße (line planned)
3,6
right to river Mur mill canal
3,8
construction of city center relief route (until 2025)
350
4,0
Südtirolerplatz/Kunsthaus 4 6 7
350
4,1
← Grieskai/→ Lendkai
4,1
Mur
Erzherzog-Johann-bridge
351
4,1
← Marburger Kai/→ Franz-Josef-Kai
4,3
3 5 to Andritz
350
4,4
Hauptplatz-Congress 3 4 5 6 7
350
Herrengasse (pedestrian zone)
4,9
← Johanneumring/→ Opernring
4,9
4 to Liebenau/Murpark, 5 to Puntigam
351
4,9
Jakominiplatz 3 4 5 6 7 (23)
351
5,0
turnaround Radetzkyspitz/relief route
352
5,0
3 to Krenngasse, 6 to St. Peter
352
5,0
turnaround Steirerhof
352
5,3
Kaiser-Josef-Platz/Oper 7
355
5,3
← Kaiser-Josef-Pl./→ Franz-Graf-Allee
355
5,6
former Line 2 to Hauptbahnhof (closed 1971)
5,6
Maiffredygasse 7
358
5,9
Lichtenfelsgasse/Kunstuniversität 7
360
6,2
Merangasse 7
364
6,2
Merangasse
364
6,2
Merangasse 7
364
6,4
Reiterkaserne 7
367
6,4
7
6,6
Tegetthoffplatz
367
6,6
Elisabethstraße
6,6
Tegetthoffplatz
367
6,9
Lenaugasse
369
7,3
Kroisbach
7,3
Turnaround Hilmteich
374
7,4
Hilmteich/Botanischer Garten
375
7,4
Schubertgasse
375
7,8
Schönbrunngasse
379
8,1
Mariatroster Bach
8,2
Hilmteichstraße/Mariatroster Straße
384
8,2
Mariagrün
(former light rail route)
384
8,8
Kroisbach
389
8,8
Reifentalgasse
389
8,8
Kroisbach
389
8,9
Mariatroster Bach
9,3
St. Johann
394
9,3
Freihofanger
394
9,3
St. Johann
394
Mariatroster Bach 2x
9,8
Rettenbach
400
9,8
Rettenbacher Straße
400
9,9
Mariatroster Bach
402
10,0
Wagnesweg
403
10,0
Wagnesweg
403
10,2
Waldhof/Rettenbachklamm
405
10,2
Hans-Mauracher-Straße
405
10,2
Waldhof/Rettenbachklamm
405
10,3
Rettenbach
10,6
Teichhof
412
10,6
Teichhofweg
412
10,9
Tannhof
415
10,9
Tannhofweg
415
11,0
Turnaround Mariatrost
11,2
Mariatrost Park and Ride
417
Connection to museum
Tramway Museum Graz
418
Mariatrost Basilica
Altstadtbim: riding is free in this segment
single track/track entanglement between halts
Line 3/(23)
Andritz - (Jakominiplatz) - Krenngasse
Overview
Native nameLinie 3/(23)
Termini
  • Andritz
  • Krenngasse
Stations19/7
Color on maplight green/purple
History
Current route sinceJuly 11, 2020 (2020-07-11)
Technical
Line length6.5 km (4.0 mi)
Route map

km
Andritzer Reichsstraße
0,0
Andritz 5
Andritzer Hauptplatz
363
0,4
Grazerstrasse 5
360
0,8
67a Grabenstraße
358
1,0
Körösistraße
358
1,0
Maut Andritz 5
358
1,0
Theodor-Körner-Straße
358
1,5
Robert-Stolz-Gasse 5
357
1,7
Grabengürtel
1,8
Carnerigasse 5
355
1,8
Carnerigasse
355
2,1
Seniorenzentrum 5
354
2,4
Hasnerplatz/Pädagog. Hochsch./tim 5
352
2,7
Lange Gasse 5
351
2,7
Körösistraße
351
3,1
← Keplerstraße/→ Wickenburggasse
352
3,1
Keplerbrücke 5
352
3,4
Schloßbergbahn 5 Schloßbergbahn
353
3,6
Schloßbergplatz/Murinsel 5 Schloßberglift
351
3,8
1 4 6 7
to Hauptbahnhof
350
3,9
Hauptplatz-Congress 1 4 5 6 7
350
Herrengasse (pedestrian zone)
4,7
← Johanneumring/→ Opernring
352
turnaround Radetzkyspitz (23)
4,7
4 to Murpark, 5 to Puntigam
352
0,0/4,8
Jakominiplatz 1 4 5 6 7 (23)
352
0,0/4,8
Opernring/Gleisdorfer Gasse
352
0,0/4,8
1 to Mariatrost 7 to LKH MED UNI/Klinikum Nord
352
0,1/4,9
turnaround Steirerhof
352
0,4/5,2
Dietrichsteinplatz
352
0,4/5,2
6 to St. Peter
354
0,4/5,2
Dietrichsteinplatz 6 (23)
354
0,7/5,5
Mandellstraße
357
0,7/5,5
Mandellstraße (23)
357
0,9/5,7
Rechbauerstraße (23)
360
1,2/6,0
Herz-Jesu-Kirche (23)
361
1,5/6,3
Schillerplatz (23)
365
1,6/6,4
Merangasse
365
Schillerplatz
1,7/6,5
Krenngasse (23)
365
Krenngasse
Altstadtbim: riding is free in this segment
Double km-numbers starting at Jakominiplatz: Line (23)
Line 4
Reininghaus - Liebenau/MURPARK
Overview
Native nameLinie 4
Termini
  • Reininghaus
  • Liebenau/MURPARK
Stations24
Color on maplight brown
History
Current route sinceNovember 26, 2021 (2021-11-26)
Technical
Line length8.5 km (5.3 mi)
Route map

km
0,0
Reininghaus
358
0,1
Domenico dell'Allio Allee
0,3
Wetzelsdorfer Straße
360
0,3
Jochen-Rindt-Platz
360
0,3
Southwestern line (planned)
360
0,8
Reininghauspark/tim
364
1,1
Reininghausstraße
365
1,2
Reininghausstraße - Alte Poststraße crossroads
1,3
360
1,8
7 to Wetzelsdorf
365
1,8
Alte Poststraße 7
365
1,9
Remise III (Alte Poststraße) depot
364
2,0
Eggenberger Straße
exit only
364
2,2
1 to Eggenberg/UKH, 6 to Smart City
364
2,3
Köflacher Gasse/PVA 1 6 7
364
2,3
← Köflacher Gasse/→ Waagner-Biro-Straße
364
2,4
Sublevel section local transport hub Hauptbahnhof
361
2,4
360
2,6
Hauptbahnhof 1 6 7 S 1-S 7
357
2,7
← Eggenberger Gürtel/→ Bahnhofgürtel
2,7
sublevel section ramp
2,7
Annenstraße
3,0
Esperantoplatz/Arbeiterkammer 1 6 7
355
3,0
← Idlhofgasse/→ Hans-Ressel-Gasse
3,3
Roseggerhaus 1 6 7
355
3,3
← Elisabethinergasse/→ Volksgartenstraße (line planned)
3,3
right side of river Mur mill canal
3,5
construction of relief route (complete 2025)
351
3,7
Südtirolerplatz/Kunsthaus 1 6 7
354
3,8
← Grieskai/→ Lendkai
3,8
Mur
Erzherzog-Johann-bridge
353
3,8
← Marburger Kai/→ Franz-Josef-Kai
4,0
3 5
to Andritz
357
4,0
Hauptplatz-Congress 1 3 5 6 7
357
Herrengasse (pedestrian zone)
4,4
← Johanneumring/→ Opernring
4,4
1 3 6 7
towards east
353
4,5
Jakominiplatz 1 3 5 6 7 (23)
354
4,5
Turn Johanneumring/relief route and turn Steirerhof
354
4,6
track switch Jakoministraße
355
4,9
Grazbachgasse
5,0
Finanzamt 5
351
5,2
Steyrergasse 5
350
5,2
Remise I and II (Steyrergasse) depot
350
5,2
Steyrergasse 5
349
5,4
Jakominigürtel/tim 5
349
5,4
5
to Puntigam
348
5,6
Stadthalle
347
5,7
Fröhlichgasse/Messe
345