Tram route 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Locale | Antwerp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Termini |
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Stations | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Color on map | white text on dark pink background | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | tram | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
System | Antwerp tram network | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator(s) | De Lijn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rolling stock | PCC car (single and coupled), HermeLijn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | 27 October 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tram route 6 is a tram route in Antwerp between the Metropolis P+R in the northern Luchtbal suburb and the Olympiade P+R in the southern Kiel neighborhood, using the pre-metro network between stations Sport and Plantin. The route was officially opened on 27 October 2007 and is operated by the Flemish transport company De Lijn.
Tram route 6 begins at the Metropolis P+R next to the Metropolis cinema complex in the southern part of the Luchtbal suburb. The route then uses the Groenendaallaan and Delbekelaan, before arriving at the Gabriel Theunis bridge over the Albert canal. After crossing the canal, the route enters the pre-metro network, which it uses between Sport to the north and Plantin to the south. After coming above ground near the Charlottalei, it follows the Belgielei to the Harmonie park, and then the Jan van Rijswijcklaan to its terminus Olympiade in the Kiel neighborhood. [1]
Because of the large underground portion of the route, it is presented by De Lijn as a rapid tram route. Also, it is known and promoted as an "event route", because it connects various event hubs in the city, like the Kinepolis cinema, the sportpaleis stadion, Antwerp Central Station, the Antwerp zoo (and until 2017 Aquatopia), the UGC cinema, the Koningin Elisabethzaal, the diamond museum, the deSingel art centre and Antwerp Expo, where fairs are regularly held (most notably the annual Antwerp book fair). [2]
The original tram route 6, also known as the "port route", ran between the Stuivenberg hospital and the present day Bolivarplaats (at the time, still the site of Antwerp-Zuid station), using the Lange Beeldekensstraat, Diepestraat, Brouwersvliet to the quays at the river Scheldt, and then following the quays all the way to its southern terminus. In 1938, the tram route was replaced by a trolleybus route, having a depot in the Somméstraat. On 30 March 1964, this trolleybus route itself was replaced by a regular bus route. The original trajectory is now a part of circular bus route 30/34 (depending on the direction of travel). [3]
On Saturday 27 October 2007, a new tram route 6 was opened, functioning as a new north-south connection through the pre-metro network, where previously, all pre-metro lines ran between Linkeroever in the west, and either northern or southern Antwerp. Although the route added some new parts to the operational tram network in Antwerp, no new tracks or tunnels had to be built. The largest part of the trams route, between the Gasthuishoeve stop and Astrid, and between Diamant and the Olympiade terminus, were already being used by tram routes 2,3 (and partially 5 and 15). The part between the Kinepolis terminus and the Gasthuishoeve stop was not in use by a regular tram route before the opening of route 6, but was already built, and was used by trams when going to, or coming from the "Punt aan de Lijn" depot next to the Kinepolis complex. The small part of the pre-metro network between Astrid and Diamant stations, part of a railway triangle, was also already present, but was until then only used by trams when not in service. Also the turning loop at the Olympiade was already present. This meant that only small works had to be done at the stops to enable service on route 6. [4] After its opening, further works were executed at the Kinepolis and Olympiade turning loops. [5]
As a part of the Masterplan 2020, the route was extended to the newly built Luchtbal (Havanasite) P+R in the northern part of the Luchtbal suburb on 3 June 2017, using new tram tracks on the renewed Noorderlaan. [6] The trams had already stopped using the old Kinepolis turning loop on 5 November 2016, instead using a temporary loop at the nearby tram depot until the completion of the works. [7] The extension of route 6 to the Luchtbal P+R is a part of the larger Noorderlijn project, aimed at improving public transport in the northern parts of Antwerp, and also including the renewal and construction of tram tracks of the Frankrijklei and Italiëlei, the renewal of the Operaplein and tram extensions in the Eilandje neighbourhood. [8]
During the construction works concerning the elevation of the Gabriel Theunis bridge over the Albert Canal, tram traffic between Merksem and the Sportpaleis will not be possible. The elevation of the bridge to a height of 9.1 m is necessary to allow bigger ships on the canal, as a part of a general program to increase the share of water transport and lower that of road cargo transport in the congested Antwerp region. Works were originally planned to start in 2014, but due to delays only started in April 2019. Planning is now for the bridge to be delivered in April 2021. [9]
In 2019, route 6 should be joined by a new tram route 1, between Metropolis and the Havana site, replacing bus route 23.
Also, plans are being studied to extend the route in the south to Wilrijk, and, via the Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), to the Drie Eikenstraat in Edegem. [10]
After its opening, tram route 6 was almost exclusively served by the more recent HermeLijn trams. After 1 May 2010, a lot of the Hermelijn trams were transferred to the busier routes 2, 8 and 11. At present, the line is serviced by both HermeLijn trams and PCC cars (single and coupled).
Transport in Belgium is facilitated with well-developed road, air, rail and water networks. The rail network has 2,950 km (1,830 mi) of electrified tracks. There are 118,414 km (73,579 mi) of roads, among which there are 1,747 km (1,086 mi) of motorways, 13,892 km (8,632 mi) of main roads and 102,775 km (63,861 mi) of other paved roads. There is also a well-developed urban rail network in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Charleroi. The ports of Antwerp and Bruges-Zeebrugge are two of the biggest seaports in Europe. Brussels Airport is Belgium's biggest airport.
Berchem is a southern district of the municipality and city of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. Berchem is located along the old Grote Steenweg that has connected Brussels to Antwerp for several centuries; the town borders the districts of Deurne, Borgerhout, Wilrijk and Antwerp and the municipality of Mortsel. Berchem itself consists of three quarters, Oud Berchem, Groenenhoek and Nieuw Kwartier.
The Antwerps Sportpaleis, also called Sportpaleis Antwerpen, Sportpaleis Merksem or simply the Sportpaleis, is an arena in Antwerp, Belgium. It is a multipurpose hall where concerts, sporting events, festivals and fairs are organized. The arena was built for sport, especially track cycling, but there is now little sport there, an exception being the Diamond Games tennis.
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.
Tramlijn 5 is a tram line operating between Amsterdam and Amstelveen in the Netherlands. Operated by the municipal transport company GVB, the route normally runs between Van Hallstraat in Amsterdam and Stadshart in the neighbouring municipality of Amstelveen. Tram line 5 connects several important areas of the city, including the Zuidas financial district and Leidseplein, and also provides a rapid tram route south of Amsterdam Zuid station to Stadshart, Amstelveen's town centre.
The Antwerp premetro tram route 3 is a tram route connecting Merksem with Melsele in the city of Antwerp. The route is operated by the Flemish transport company De Lijn and historically also by its Antwerp predecessor, MIVA.
The Antwerp tramway network is a network of tramways forming part of the public transport system in Antwerp, a city in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The network is operated by the Flemish region's transportation company De Lijn. As of April 2017, it featured fourteen lines, eight of which pass partially underground.
Antwerpen-Berchem railway station, officially Antwerpen-Berchem, is a railway station in Berchem, in the south of Antwerp, Belgium. The station opened on 1 March 1865 and currently serves railway lines 25, 27, 27A and 59.
Tram route 5 is a tram route in Antwerp running from Linkeroever to Wijnegem that is operated by the Flemish transport company De Lijn. The modern route was put into service on March 4, 2006, initially connecting Linkeroever with Deurne. The tram route uses the Antwerp pre-metro between the stations Van Eeden and Schijnpoort. On April 14, it was extended from the Wim Saerensplein in Deurne to the Wijnegem Fortveld terminus.
Tram route 8 is a tram route in Antwerp and nearby Wommelgem. The present day route was opened on 8 December 2019 connecting the Astrid premetro station with the Wommelgem Roundabout P+R. The route was the first to use the newly opened premetro tunnel under Borgerhout, called the Reuzenpijp, which begins at Astrid station and comes above ground just before the Muggenberg stop. It is promoted as a "fast tram" (sneltram) route, as most stations in the premetro tunnel have not (yet) been opened, allowing a 15-minute connection between the city center and the Wommelgem P+R.
Astrid is a station in the Antwerp premetro network that was opened on April 1, 1996. The station lies directly under the Koningin Astridplein on the Gemeentestraat side. The station is one of the two premetro stations in Antwerp servicing passengers from Antwerp Central Station, the other being Diamant, which lies to the south of Astrid. It is served by tram lines 8 and 10, who both terminate in this station.
Sport is an underground station in the Antwerp premetro network. The station was opened on April 1, 1996 as the last station on the northern premetro axis. At present, the station is served by tram routes 2, 3 and 6. Tram route 5 also passes through the northern premetro axis, but leaves the premetro tunnel via the Ten Eekhovelei exit between Schijnpoort and Sport. It does not stop at the Sport station, but has a stop called "Sportpaleis" at the Ten Eekhovelei.
Frederik van Eeden is an underground station in the Antwerp premetro network located in the Linkeroever suburb on the left bank of the river Scheldt. The station was opened on 21 September 1990, the same time as the Brabotunnel, linking the station with Groenplaats station and allowing trams in the premetro network to cross the river Scheldt. The station is located directly underneath the F. Van Eedenplein, named after the writer of the same name.
Tram route 9 is a route in the Antwerp tram network connecting the Eksterlaar neighborhood in southern Deurne with Linkeroever using the Antwerp premetro network between Plantin and Van Eeden stations. The present day route was officially opened on September 1, 2012, as part of a revision of the network map.
Schijnpoort is an underground station in the Antwerp premetro network. The station was named after the Schijnpoort gate, part of the Brialmont fortifications, which was demolished in 1970 when constructing the R1 ring road. It was opened in 1996 as part of the northern premetro axis and was originally only served by tram route 3. Currently, it is also serviced by tram route 5, tram route 6 and tram route 2.
Tram route 1 is a tram route in Antwerp (Belgium) connecting the Bolivarplaats in the Zuid neighborhood with the Havana site in the Luchtbal neighborhood to the North via the Leien and Noorderlaan.
Tram route 11 is an above ground tram route in the city of Antwerp, Belgium. It currently runs between the Antwerpen-Berchem railway station and the Melkmarkt in the city centre.
The Franklin Rooseveltplaats is a large square in the city of Antwerp, Belgium, placed at the crossing of the Leien and Turnhoutsebaan, and within walking distance of the Koningin Astridplein and Antwerp-Central station. The square functions primarily as the main bus station in Antwerp, which with its 28 platforms handles a large part of all bus transport in the city, as well as several tram routes.
Tram route 4 is an above ground tram route in the city of Antwerp, Belgium. The route runs between the Kioskplaats in the suburb of Hoboken in the South, and the Silsburg cemetery on the Deurne/Wommelgem border in the East. The present day itinerary is the result of the merger of the trajectory from the historic route 8 and that from the original route 4 in 2012.
Tram Route 10 is a tram route in Antwerp and nearby Wijnegem. Tram route 10 entered operation in 1873, making it one of the oldest tram routes still active in Antwerp, next to Tram Route 4 (Antwerp) and Tram Route 7 (Antwerp).