Owner City of Poznań | Website MPK Poznań | |
 | ||
Number of lines 22Daytime: 20Nighttime: 1Tourist: 1 Began operation 30 July 1880 (horsecar)6 March 1898 (electric tram) | ||
Trams in Poznań is a tramway operated by Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne w Poznaniu Sp. z o.o. (Public Transport Company in Poznań Ltd.). It currently has 20 daytime lines, one night line, and one tourist line served by historical vehicles. The tram system consists of about 66 kilometres (41 mi) of route, operating on 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge track. With a few exceptions the tramlines operate on double tracks rail.
Contents
In local Poznań dialect trams are called bimby (pl.), bimba (sing).
Horse trams (1880-1898)
The idea of trams in Poznań was brought to fruition by two businessmen from Berlin: Otto Reymer and Otto Masch. After receiving concessions from the town authorities on 30 July 1880 they began running a horse tram in Poznań. On the next day the first regular line transported passengers from the main train station via ul. Św. Marcin/St. Martin Str., ul. Rycerska/Ritter Str. (today ul. Ratajczaka), Pl. Wilhelmowski/Wilhelms Platz (currently Plac Wolności) to Rynek/Ring (currently Stary Rynek English: Old Market). The route was soon lengthened from Rynek/Ring to ul. Butelska/Büttel Str. (now ul. Woźna), ul. Wielkie Garbary/Grosse Gerber Str. (currently ul. Garbary), Chwaliszewo to Ostrów Tumski. At the same time a branch was built via ul. Wiktorii/Victoria Str. (modern ul. Gwarna and ul. Mielżyńskiego), Plac Królewski/Königs Platz (currently Pl. Cyryla Ratajskiego), ul. Fryderykowska/Friedrich Str. (modern ul. 23 Lutego), Al. Wilhelmowskie/Wilhelms Al. (currently Al. Marcinkowskiego), ul. Seekta/Seekt Str. (modern ul. Solna) and Wolnica, ul. Małe Garbary/Kleine Gerber Str., ul. Szewska, ul. Szeroka/Breite Str. (currently ul. Wielka) to ul. Wielkie Garbary/Grosse Gerber Str. (modern ul. Garbary) where it joined the older route.
Despite the need for modern public transport in the city, after a few weeks the company found itself on the edge of bankruptcy. There were two reasons for this: firstly the branch route had too few passengers, and secondly all the signs in the trams were only in German, leading to a boycott by the Polish majority. The financially troubled company was bought by the Poznań Horse Railway Society (Polish: Poznańskie Towarzystwo Kolei Konnej, German: Posener Pferde-Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft), which obtained a concession and monopoly on tram transportation in the city. At that time there were only 20 cars in service.
In September 1880 the Society bought part of the site of the former train station in Jeżyce/Jersitz suburb, where a tram depot was built (currently it is the oldest tram depot still in service in Poland). In 1896 two new routes were built. The first ran from Rynek/Ring (now Stary Rynek), via ul. Wrocławska/Breslauer Str., Pl. Piotra/Peters Platz (now Pl. Wiosny Ludów), ul. Półwiejska to Brama Wildecka/Wilda Thor. The second went from the tram depot on ul. Gajowa, through ul. Zwierzyniecka/Zoologisher Str., ul. Jadwigi/Hedwigs Str. (modern ul. Kraszewskiego) to Rynek Jeżycki/Jersitz Markt, after one year extended via ul. Wielka Berlińska/Grosse Berliner Str. (modern ul. Dąbrowskiego) to the chemical factory on ul. Polna/Feld Str. Both routes were already built to carry heavier electric cars.
Electric trams
On 6 March 1898 horse trams were replaced by electric ones. At this time there were three lines:
In April a fourth line was added:
A ticket cost 10 or 20 pfennigs and after 11 pm the price was doubled.
In 1899 a second track was added to the routes on Rynek/Ring and ul. Wielka Berlińska/Grosse Berliner Str. (modern ul. Dąbrowskiego).
Before World War I the tram network was extended to the Municipal Slaughterhouse on ul. Wielkie Garbary/Grosse Gerber Str., to Plac Sapieżyński/Sapeicha Platz (today Plac Wielkopolski), to Brama Dębińska/Eichwald Thor (currently the intersection of ul. Strzelecka and Krakowska), to Śródka, Sołacz and Dębiec (to the Cegielski Factory). New routes were also built in the centre of the city, including overpasses over the railway tracks: Most Teatralny and Most Dworcowy.
Between the wars new routes were built to Golęcin, Dębiec (extension of existing tracks), Dębina (to the public beach on the bank of the Warta), Ogrody, Grunwald and Winiary. In this same period some routes in the narrow streets of the Old Town were closed. A planned route to Główna was cancelled due to the opening in 1930 of a trolleybus line there.
After WW II
During the battle of Poznań in 1945, most of the cars and tracks were destroyed. Tram transportation was partially restored two years after the war, in 1947, though only on the left bank of the Warta. The tracks in the old town were not rebuilt, but a new route was laid via Plac Bernardyński.
The first post-war tram on the right bank appeared in 1952, when the new Marchlewski Bridge was opened (now called Most Królowej Jadwigi).
In the following years new routes connecting different districts and bypassing the centre of city were built:
Also some lines to peripheral districts were built:
A revolution for public transport in Poznań was brought about by the opening in 1997 of the 6.1 km long Poznański Szybki Tramwaj (English: Poznań Fast Tram) route, nicknamed "Pestka" by locals. Currently there are several plans for extension of the network, at different stages of preparation. Of great importance for tram transportation in Poznań was the general strategy for city development from 1994. According to this document trams are to serve as the fundamental mode of transport in the city. Since then, during renovations of streets and traffic lights, trams have been given right of way at intersections.
On 14 August 2007 a long new route opened, as the first section of the so-called Ratajski Szybki Tramwaj (English: Rataje Fast Tram). The new route connects Plac Wiosny Ludów via ul. Podgórna, ul. Dowbora Muśnickiego, ul. Mostowa, Most św. Rocha and ul. Kórnicka to ul. Jana Pawła II.
In 2011, MPK decided to sell 40 type 105Na trams due to lack of space in the depots for this type of trams. In addition, 45 Solaris Tramino trams were ordered along with 7 Moderus Beta trams.
On 11 August 2012 the final section of the route to Franowo opened, connecting the area of the former terminus loop at os. Lech with a new loop in Franowo. Part of the route runs through the 800m Franowo tunnel. At Franowo there is also a large, modern depot.
On 1 September 2013 an extension of the PST route was opened which runs parallel to the railway line between Poznan Glowny station and Głogowska. This uses space that became available from the former platform 7 at the station.
Fleet
Historical fleet:
Cars awaiting renovation:
Retired cars:
Depots
This is the second largest tram depot in Poznan (after Franowo). It was built in 1907 and underwent modernisation between 1998 and 2000 in preparation for low floor trams. It is close to the tram stop Krauthofera.
This depot opened in 1980 at the Starołęka terminus.
This is the largest and newest depot in Poznan, opened on 11 May 2014. The depot has space for 100 trams.
The following depots have now closed:
Plans for further extension
Currently in Poznań there are several plans to extend the tram network; some of them are only planned, others are under construction: