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This is the list of cities worldwide which have premetro systems. In other words: tram or light rail systems which are, or were, intended to be converted to full rapid transit systems.
| Location | Country | Relevant Wikipedia article | Years | Stations | System length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires |  Argentina | Subte de Buenos Aires (Line A) | 1913-1926 | — | — |
| Vienna |  Austria | Zweierlinie - U2 | 1966-1980 | 8 | 3.4 km (2.1 mi) |
| Line 64 - U6 | 1979-1995 | 3 | 0.8 km (0.50 mi) | ||
| Brussels |  Belgium | Brussels Metro Line 1/5 | 1969-1976 | — | — |
| Brussels Metro Line 2/6 | 1970-1988 | — | — | ||
| Rio de Janeiro |  Brasil | Rio de Janeiro Metro (Line 2) [14] [15] | 1983-1998 | — | — |
| Nuremberg |  Germany | Nuremberg Metro (U1) [16] | 1970-1981 | 2 | 1.0 km (0.62 mi) |
| Rome |  Italy | Rome Line C | 2006-2008 | 2 | — |
| Oslo |  Norway | Oslo Metro [17] | 1928-1966 | 2 | 2.0 km (1.2 mi) |
| Stockholm |  Sweden | Stockholm Metro [18] [19] | 1933-1950 | — | — |
| Boston |  United States | MBTA Blue Line | 1904-1924 | 4 | 1.6 km (1.0 mi) |
| New York | Steinway Tunnel [20] | 1907 | — | 2.6 km (1.6 mi) |
Light rail is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology while also having some features from heavy rapid transit.
The Brussels Metro is a rapid transit system serving a large part of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It consists of four conventional metro lines and three premetro lines. The metro-grade lines are M1, M2, M5, and M6 with some shared sections, covering a total of 39.9 kilometres (24.8 mi), with 59 metro-only stations. The premetro network consists of three tram lines that partly travel over underground sections that were intended to be eventually converted into metro lines. Underground stations in the premetro network use the same design as metro stations. A few short underground tramway sections exist, so there is a total of 52.0 kilometres (32.3 mi) of underground metro and tram network. There are a total of 69 metro and premetro stations as of 2011.
Poznań Fast Tram is a 8.1 km (5.0 mi) stretch of grade-separated tram/light rail line of the tram system in Poznań, Poland. The tracks are set in a cutting or on an overpass, switches allowing to drive on adjacent tracks. The stops, resembling railroad stations, have a different color scheme each. This tram line was created as an alternative to a more expensive metro. The PST, opened in 1997, links the densely populated northern districts of Winogrady and Piątkowo with the city center.
Urban rail transit is a wide term for various types of local rail systems providing passenger service within and around urban or suburban areas. The set of urban rail systems can be roughly subdivided into the following categories, which sometimes overlap because some systems or lines have aspects of multiple types.
Various terms are used for passenger railway lines and equipment; the usage of these terms differs substantially between areas:
The Brussels tramway network is a tram system serving a large part of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It is the 16th largest tram system in the world by route length, in 2017 providing 149.1 million journeys over routes 140.6 km (87.4 mi) in length. In 2018, it consisted of 18 tram lines. Brussels trams are operated by STIB/MIVB, the local public transport company.
The Coast Tram is a light rail service connecting the cities and towns along the Belgian coast between De Panne, near the French border, and Knokke-Heist, near the Dutch border. At 67 kilometres (42 mi) in length, it is currently the world's longest metre gauge tram line, and the second-longest light rail service in the world after the A Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system, as well as one of the few interurban tramways in the world to remain in operation. The line is fully electrified at 600 V DC.
Stadtbahn is a German word referring to various types of urban rail transport. One type of transport originated in the 19th century, firstly in Berlin and followed by Vienna, where rail routes were created that could be used independently from other traffic.
Premetro is a type of light rail transit. Here infrastructure is gradually built with the goal to use rapid transit trains in the distant future, but using trams or light rail vehicles preliminary in the meantime. This infrastructure consists of tunnels and/or viaducts, so vehicles have no conflicts with other traffic. To achieve that these rapid trains will be able to use the infrastructure, wider curves and lesser grades need to be designed and built.
The Antwerp Premetro is a network consisting of lines 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 15 of the Antwerp Tram system. It is a metre gauge system which runs underground in the city centre and further out on surface lines, which are mostly separated from motor vehicle traffic. The network is operated by De Lijn.
The Métro Léger de Charleroi is a 33-kilometre (21 mi) light rail network in Belgium. The system consists of a loop line around central Charleroi and three branches towards the suburbs of Gilly, Anderlues and Gosselies. Another branch to Châtelet was partially built, never entered service, but will finally do so in 2026.
A medium-capacity system (MCS), also known as light rapid transit or light metro, is a rail transport system with a capacity greater than light rail, but less than typical heavy-rail rapid transit. MCS trains are usually 1 to 4 cars. Most medium-capacity rail systems are automated or use light-rail type vehicles.
The history of rapid transit began in London with the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, which is now part of the London Underground, in 1863. By World War I, electric underground railways were being used in Athens, Berlin, Boston, Buenos Aires, Budapest, Glasgow, Hamburg, Istanbul, Liverpool, New York City, Paris, and Philadelphia.
The Brussels Premetro is a network consisting of lines 4, 10, 7 and 25 of the Brussels Tram system. It is a standard-gauge system which runs in underground sections in the city centre and further out on surface lines. The network is operated by STIB/MIVB, the local public transport company.
The Premetro is a 7.4-kilometer long (4.6 mi) light rail line that runs along the outskirts of Buenos Aires, connecting with the Buenos Aires Underground line E, at Plaza de los Virreyes station and then to General Savio, with a short branch to Centro Cívico. It opened in 1987 and is operated by Metrovías. Originally, the Premetro was to include many more lines, but shortly after the privatisation of the railways the projects were postponed and never materialised and only "Premetro E2" was built.
Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT) or heavy rail, commonly referred to as metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport that is generally built in urban areas. A grade separated rapid transit line below ground surface through a tunnel can be regionally called a subway, tube, metro or underground. They are sometimes grade-separated on elevated railways, in which case some are referred to as el trains – short for "elevated" – or skytrains. Rapid transit systems are railways, usually electric, that unlike buses or trams operate on an exclusive right-of-way, which cannot be accessed by pedestrians or other vehicles.
Light rail is a commonly used mode of public transit in South America. The term light rail was coined in 1972 by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration to describe new streetcar transformations which were taking place in Europe and the United States. The Germans used the term Stadtbahn, which is the predecessor to North American light rail, to describe the concept, and many in UMTA wanted to adopt the direct translation, which is city rail. However, in its reports UMTA finally adopted the term light rail instead.
Semi-metro is a form of urban rail transport in which trams run partly on a conflict-free track, by using tunnels and viaducts. These stretches of track are designed to function like a regular metro or rapid transit line. Semi-metro lines run with tram cars because they are usually developed from an existing tram network. Semi-metro is a concept also known as a subway–surface line/system, tram subway line/system, trolley subway system or a hybrid streetcar / light rail line)
Antwerpen rail network is a typical premetro network.
The Charleroi Metro is a typical prémétro network, i.e. trams that run underground in the city centre and on viaducts or separate right-of-way through outer parts (similar to German Stadtbahn systems).
BART would own the subway and designed Muni's level to be convertible to BART trains in the future if needed.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Such eventual upgrading of tram subways to Metro operation was widely advocated at this period, but conversion of Line 1 of the Brussels system in 1976 was the first after 1950 (in Stockholm) to actually take effect.