Tram Bochum / Gelsenkirchen

Tram Bochum / Gelsenkirchen
Line 306 at the terminus Bochum Hauptbahnhof
Basic information
Country	Germany
city	Bochum , Gelsenkirchen , Hattingen , Herne , Witten
opening	November 23, 1894
operator	Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen AG
Transport network	Rhein-Ruhr transport association
Infrastructure
Route length	86.2 km
Gauge	1000 mm ( meter gauge )
Power system	600 (750) volt DC overhead contact line
business
Lines	10
Line length	111.7 km
Clock in the peak hours	10/20 min.
Clock in the SVZ	15/30 min.
vehicles	34 NF6D , 13 M6S , 60  Vario webs
statistics
Residents in the catchment area	910 thousand
Route network 2020

The Bochum / Gelsenkirchen tram has been running in Bochum since 1894 and in Gelsenkirchen since 1895 . The route network also extends to the neighboring cities of Hattingen , Herne and Witten . It is operated by Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen AG (BOGESTRA), which is part of the Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association (VRR).

The tram was electric from the start . During the First and Second World Wars , traffic could only be maintained to a limited extent and in 1945 it was completely stopped for a good month. After it was put into operation again, however, the network no longer reached the scope of the 1930s. With the newly opened underground light rail , the tram should be shut down over the years. Ultimately, however, only two meter-gauge lines were replaced by a standard-gauge light rail, namely the 101 in Gelsenkirchen-Horst with the U 11 and the 305 from Bochum-Querenburg to Herne with the U 35 . The other tunnels are permanently used by the tram lines.

At the terminal stops, the direction of travel is usually changed in a butt track ; only in front of Wanne-Eickeler Hbf (line 306/316) there is a turning loop .

Since 2019, ten lines have been operating on a network of 86.2 kilometers. 11.7 kilometers run through tunnels in Bochum and Gelsenkirchen. Two tram lines (306 and 318) are served hourly by rail on weekends and before public holidays, even at night ; this corresponds to more than half of the Bochum route network.

history

1896-1907

The construction of the trams in Bochum and Gelsenkirchen goes back to the company Siemens & Halske AG , which opened the first tram route from Bochum to Herne with a length of 6.9 kilometers on November 23, 1894 . On November 3, 1895, the first 3.4 kilometer line was opened in Gelsenkirchen from the city center to Gelsenkirchen -Bismarck. On December 27th the line followed from Schalke via Gelsenkirchen and Wattenscheid to Zeche Holland with a length of 4.8 kilometers. The tram network in the cities of Bochum, Gelsenkirchen and Wattenscheid was already 15.1 kilometers long by the end of 1895.

The network grew rapidly over the next 10 years. The following sections were also added:

Opening date	route
February 14, 1896	Gelsenkirchen Zeche Holland - Zeche Centrum - Bochum district boundary
February 26, 1896	Schalke Markt - Schalke train station
March 1, 1896	Bochum-Kortländer - Bergisch-Märkischer Bahnhof
April 5, 1896	Bochum-Bongardstraße - Cannon workshop (of the Bochum Association)
April 23, 1896	Cannon workshop - Gelsenkirchen district boundary
October 20, 1896	Gelsenkirchen Neumarkt - tub
October 25, 1897	Gelsenkirchen Neumarkt - Steele
June 4, 1898	Steele - Spillenburg
June 22, 1898	Bergisch-Märkischer Bahnhof - Weitmar
August 3, 1898	Bochum-Bongardstrasse - Laer
4th October 1900	Steele - royal steele
February 22, 1901	Laer - Werne
June 24, 1901	Bismarck - Buer - Horst
August 21, 1901	Weitmar - Dahlhausen
October 1, 1901	Gelsenkirchen main station - Rotthausen
December 21, 1901	Laer - Witten
October 1, 1902	Linden - Hattingen
May 29, 1905	Spillenburg - Rellinghausen
June 9, 1905	Bochum - Wiemelhausen - Carl Friedrich Erbstollen colliery

Thus, after ten years, the network had a length of around 61 kilometers. Due to the rapid development of the network, which had been pushed through because of competition from other transport companies, numerous cars soon had to be reinforced and the network renovated. And although the number of passengers increased, this increase could not compensate for the investments in the route network. The network expansion quickly came to a standstill, and other transport companies built routes in Bochum and Gelsenkirchen. Since Siemens & Halske AG lost interest in the lines that were not or only little profitable, the cities of Bochum and Gelsenkirchen separated from the company at the end of 1907 and handed over management to Bogestra , which was founded in 1895 . Siemens & Halske AG remained the supplier of the vehicles for the next 15 years.

1908-1930

Explosive vehicle from 1914

In the years after 1905, numerous other companies opened tram routes in Bochum and Gelsenkirchen:

date	route	society
January 16, 1908	Herne - Höntrop	Municipal tram company, district of Gelsenkirchen
December 23, 1908	Bochum Canal Street - Kirchharpen and Gerthe	Kleinbahn Bochum-Gerthe-Harpen
December 20, 1909	Bochum - Castrop	Bochum-Castroper tram
April 1, 1909	Essen-Katernberg - Gelsenkirchen	South German Railway Company

In 1911 the Bogestra opened further routes. It followed:

Opening date	route
October 3, 1911	Gelsenkirchen Hans-Böckler-Strasse - Gelsenkirchen- Heßler
1913	Wiemelhausen - Bochum-Südbahnhof - Bochum- Grumme
1913	Gelsenkirchen Zeppelinallee - Trabrennbahn - Katernberg district boundary
July 25, 1913	Bochum cannon workshop - Eppendorf - border Oberdahlhausen
4th August 1913	Border Oberdahlhausen - Oberdahlhausen
December 6, 1913	Gelsenkirchen-Hessler - Horst (connection to the Recklinghauser tram )
May 16, 1914	Gelsenkirchen main station - Alma colliery - Günnigfeld border
1914	Gelsenkirchen Trabrennbahn - Essen border

The First World War prevented further expansion of the network. Due to the poor economic situation, the tram also participated in freight traffic in Bochum and Gelsenkirchen. In 1920 operations were temporarily closed. Only after the passenger numbers, which had always fallen before, began to rise again in 1924, was the expansion of the network continued.

Opening date	route
September 16, 1924	Höntrop - Günnigfeld - Ulrichstrasse
1924	Grumme - Constantin Mine

In 1925/1926 the depot in Gelsenkirchen was expanded and on April 3, 1928 the largest depot in West Germany with a capacity of 200 cars opened on today's Universitätsstraße in Bochum.

1931-1939

Former seat of the Westphalian tram in Gerthe-Hiltrop, most recently the main workshop

Line network in August 1939

On August 12, 1931, Bogestra took over the lines of the Westphalian tram that had become insolvent . This means that 79 km of the route as well as 76 multiple units and 19 trailer cars were transferred to the Bogestra. On September 15, 1933, the tram operation of the Hattinger Kreisbahn was also taken over by BOGESTRA.

At the beginning of 1938, after some lines had already been converted to omnibus traffic, the tram network comprised routes 195 km in length, as well as 266 railcars and 131 sidecars. In 1939 the lines from Horst- Mitte to Horst-Süd and from Schalke to Buer were transferred from the Vestische Kleinbahn to the Bogestra.

1940-1951

Line network in May 1949

Even during the Second World War , the tram was used for freight transport. There were also mail trips. A specially built operating track in Wattenscheid in 1942 was probably only used for postal traffic. The bombing raids on Bochum and Gelsenkirchen began in 1943 . This also led to destruction in the track network and in the vehicle fleet. Despite the damage, it was possible to maintain operations on numerous routes, so that even in 1944, 24 lines could still be operated independently and two lines together with the Vestische Kleinbahn. On November 4 and 6, 1944, both cities were the target of massive bombing raids, which killed around 2/3 of the tracks and half of the vehicle fleet. Until the invasion of the Allied troops on April 10, 1945, only a provisional operation could be maintained, which was then stopped for the time being.

On May 24, 1945, operations could be resumed on a 55 km route thanks to the deployment of personnel. In the period that followed, further lines were repaired and reopened, in May 1946 from Hattingen to Blankenstein , May 1947 from Bochum to Wanne-Eickel , in August 1948 from Bochum to Ehrenfeld and in 1950 to Grumme . At the end of 1950, a total of 27 lines were in operation again and the reconstruction could be considered complete. Line 8 ran from Recklinghausen to Blankenstein and, with a length of 31.4 km, was the longest continuous connection in the Ruhr area .

1951-1969

Remains of the turning loop on line 320 in front of the main train station in Witten have since disappeared

The route network and the vehicle fleet were modernized in large areas. So that the new vehicles could be used better, many lines were expanded to double tracks and some tracks - often with their own track structure - were moved from the side to the middle of the carriageway. Now less frequented routes have been converted to bus operation. The most important change in Bochum in the 1950s was the relocation of Bochum's main train station by approx. 800 m to the east, which also resulted in an adjustment of the tram network. The building of the Emil H. von Lienen vehicle factory at Wittener Straße 100, which was also responsible for some of the vehicle bodies, was taken over as the central workshops in 1957. On January 1, 1968, the era of mail delivery by tram ended.

Lines in 1967 and 1969

line	Line route 1967	Line route 1969
1	Gelsenkirchen main station - Erle - Buer - Horst - Essen main station - Essen Rolandstrasse
2	Buer Rathaus - Schalke - Gelsenkirchen main station - Wattenscheid - Bochum main station - Opel factory 1
6th	Bochum Gerthe - Bochum main station - Wanne-Eickel main station
7th	Gelsenkirchen main station - Degenhardt - Essen main station - Essen Lührmannwald
8/18	Hattingen Reschop / Dahlhausen train station - Bochum town hall - Herne train station - Recklinghausen main train station
10	Witten main station - Bochum Laer - Bochum town hall - Wattenscheid-Höntrop
11/12	Annen Nordbahnhof - Witten - Heven - Herbede market
16	DO-Lütgendortmund market - Harpen Werner Strasse - Bochum main station	Harpen Werner Strasse - Bochum Central Station - Oberdahlhausen
17th	Gelsenkirchen main station - Feldmark - Essen main station - Essen Lührmannwald
20th	Oberdahlhausen - Bochum Town Hall - Abzw. Laer - Langendreer Bf.	-
28	Weitmar Blankensteiner Strasse - Bochum Town Hall - Riemke Church
30th	Wattenscheider Str. - Bochum Town Hall - Abzw. Laer - Diesterwegstr.	-

1. ^ Before 1967: "7" Bochum main station - Gerthe - Castrop-Rauxel and "6" Bochum main station - Wanne-Eickel main station.
2. ^ Before 1967: "17" Bochum main station - Harpen - Lütgendortmund market

1970-1999

On January 13, 1971, a line to the newly opened Ruhr University in the south of Bochum was put into operation. Since May 28, 1972, the line ended at the Nordbahnhof in Bochum and was extended to Hustadt on November 3 . At the same time, however, other routes were closed. The remaining lines were gradually expanded to double-track with a few exceptions.

In April 1971, under the symbol of the red point, there were track blockades and street demonstrations against the tariff increases for several days.

On November 22, 1973, two lines (8, 18) in Bahnhofstraße in Herne were relocated to Schulstraße, which was running parallel, due to the beginning of the light rail construction. In 1974, construction work began on laying the tram underground in Gelsenkirchen. In 1978, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia finally established binding guidelines for action. In addition to the expansion of the S-Bahn connections by the Deutsche Bundesbahn, these also envisaged light rail connections supported by the municipalities. As part of the Rhein-Ruhr urban railway network, three connections were planned in the Bochum / Gelsenkirchen area:

• Hattingen - Bochum - Gerthe - Castrop-Rauxel
• Recklinghausen - Herne - Bochum - Querenburg - Witten
• Gelsenkirchen-Buer - Alder - Gelsenkirchen - Wattenscheid - Bochum - Laer - Langendreer

Tram line 302 at the Gelsenkirchen Hauptbahnhof stop

In contrast to the meter- gauge tram lines, these lines should be operated on standard gauge with elevated platforms and the light rail car B on their own railway bodies. The first light rail section was opened in 1989 as U 35 between Bochum main station and Herne Schloss Strünkede. This was also the first cross-city underground tunnel in Germany. The extension from Bochum Hauptbahnhof via Ruhr University to Bochum Hustadt took place in 1993. The sections to Witten and Recklinghausen were not implemented by the respective municipalities for reasons of cost.

The following tunnel sections were built as part of the planned light rail network:

Opening date	Line (s)	Tunnel route
May 26, 1979	8/18	Ramp Bochum Bergmannsheil - main station
November 28, 1981	308/318	Bochum main station - ramp Ruhrstadion
September 1, 1984	127/301/302	Rampe Gelsenkirchen Rheinelbestraße - Ramp music theater
2nd September 1989	U35	Bochum Central Station - Herne Castle Strünkede
November 28, 1993	U35	Bochum main station - ramp waterway
May 29, 1994	301	Gelsenkirchen Neumarkt - Ruhr Zoo ramp
January 29, 2006	302/310	Ramp Bochum Jacob-Meyer-Straße - Ramp Lohring
January 29, 2006	306	Ramp Bochum town hall - connection to the main train station

In addition to the U 35 standard-gauge line, these tunnels are used by the meter-gauge tram lines in what is known as the light rail advance service. On the surface, routes have already been prepared for light rail operations, for example line 310 on Essener Straße.

→ Main article : Bochum light rail

2000-2019

On July 4, 2004, the Essen city railway reached the Gelsenkirchen city area. Thus, in the Horst district there are three-rail tracks on a short shared section of 301 and U17 (today: U11). Continuous tram traffic between Gelsenkirchen-Buer and Essen has not been possible since then because of the different gauge.

Shell of the subway station Bochum Rathaus-Süd. Below you can see the tracks of lines 302 and 310. Across the bridge through the underground station, over which the vehicles of the line 306 drive today

On January 29, 2006, two new tram tunnels were opened in downtown Bochum. One tunnel crosses the city center in a west-east direction and takes lines 302 and 310. This 3 km long route has four train stations: Bochumer Verein / Jahrhunderthalle, Bochum town hall south, Bochum main station (shared platform with U35) and Lohring. This tunnel was actually intended for the previously planned U21 to Gelsenkirchen. Line 306 runs through the second tunnel from the town hall to the main train station. It has no other stations, but as a special feature it runs on a bridge structure through the town hall south train station and ends underground in the eastern track area (line 308/318) of the Bochum main train station underground station. Through a connecting curve (operating track) from the tunnel of the 302/310 at Bochum town hall, this tunnel also ensures that the Engelsburg depot can be reached from the tunnel of the line 308/318. With these two tunnels, the last trams also disappeared from downtown Bochum. On the surface, Massenbergstrasse, on which lines 302/306/310 previously operated, has been redesigned into a rail-free boulevard . However, bus lines 345 and 368 continue to operate there. In addition, line 336 has also been running on the boulevard since the official opening.

In 2006, however, the work along Dorstener Strasse, which among other things had the aim of accelerating and expanding the barrier-free stop of line 306, was also completed. With the completion of the route redevelopment in the Herne city area, vehicles of the type NF6D will occasionally be used on the Variobahn line . The latter type of vehicle led to a route interruption in Wattenscheid in 2015 .

From July 16, 2007 to August 31, 2008, the single-track route of the 318 between Hattinger Straße and Kesterkamp was replaced by a double-track. This section of the route was opened to traffic on September 1, 2008.

In August 2013, line 302 in Bochum between Elbinger Str. And Goldhammer Str. In the area of the Bochum-West motorway triangle was re-routed. A change in the travel time was not associated with this.

On October 15, 2017, the extension of the 302 from Laer with a newly built line on the Unterstraße, past Langendreer Markt to the Langendreer S-Bahn station , was opened after five years of construction. A branch from Langendreer Markt across the main road to Witten is currently under construction. In future, route 310 will take this route; the scenic section as an intercity tram through the Kaltehardt will be closed because the new route will make the center of the Langendreer district much better accessible.

Line network until December 14, 2019

Schematic route plan 2019

The following tram lines operated until December 14, 2019 in the area of ​​the cities of Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, Hattingen and Herne:

line	Line course	comment
107	Gelsenkirchen Hbf - Feldmark - Essen-Katernberg - Zeche Zollverein - Essen Hbf (- Bredeney)	Vehicle use by the Ruhrbahn , Bogestra only on Saturday mornings to the Trabrennbahn.
301	Gelsenkirchen Hbf - Bismarck - Buer - Horst
302	Gelsenkirchen-Buer town hall - Gelsenkirchen main station - Wattenscheid - Bochum main station - Laer Mitte - Langendreer (S)
306	Wanne-Eickel Hbf - Bochum Hbf	Also runs as a night express.
308	Gerthe Schürbankstraße - Bochum Hbf - Weitmar - Linden - Hattingen (Ruhr) center
310	Höntrop Church - Bochum Hbf - Witten Town Hall - Heven Dorf
318	( Gerthe Schürbankstraße -) Bochum Hbf - Weitmar - Linden - Dahlhausen train station.	From Gerthe only in the evening, on Sundays and public holidays and as night express.

Stadtbahnwagen M of the Ruhrbahn (formerly: EVAG)

The 107 line was to June 2015 meterspurigen M8 cars drive on (the special for the Southern Essen Linienast main station-Bredeney folding steps have to attend the local high platforms to keep as well as on street entrances and low platforms north Essen main station). Since June 2015, the railways from Gelsenkirchen have only been running to Essen Hbf and now mainly Essen M8D-NF2 low-floor multiple units are in use. Since the Ruhrbahn does not offer trams in Gelsenkirchen until around 6.30 a.m. on Saturday morning, BOGESTRA runs two early tours (four journeys) with its own railcars on the Gelsenkirchen main station-trotting track section during this time.

See also : culture line 107

The line 301 annually transports over 7.4 million passengers (2005). It is the only tram line that runs exclusively in the Gelsenkirchen city area. It runs for the first 4.8 km in the Stadtbahn tunnel Hauptbahnhof - Zoom Erlebniswelt (formerly Ruhr Zoo). In the further course on the surface, between Erle Forsthaus and Middelicher Straße, the route in the street area was expanded with side platforms (as paving of the sidewalk). Am Goldberg Place / Buer Rathaus leads about 100 meters by a pedestrian , and then later at the railroad crossing Buer South Station , the railway Wanne-Eickel - Dorsten to cross one track and at the same level. As a special feature, it runs in Horst between Buerer Straße and Schloss Horst together with the standard-gauge U11 of the Essen Stadtbahn on three- rail tracks . Since there is an electrical operating voltage of 750 volts in this area (as opposed to the 600 volts usually used in the network), only older M6S railcars that had been converted for this purpose could initially be used on this route ; the low-floor trams of type NF6D are only allowed to run to Buer Süd Bf, as there is a risk of derailment due to the single-wheel single running gear (EEF). In September 2008, the use of the Variobahn began on this line, which has completely replaced the high-floor M-cars on this line.

Variobahn on line 302 in Lohring underground station

The line 302 is the Gelsenkirchen main line connecting the two centers Old Town and Buer directly. It runs on the surface between the Musiktheater and Buer Rathaus stops on independent tracks on the median of four-lane main roads (Flora- / Kurt-Schumacher-Str.) And has priority at the traffic lights. This track was built for the 1974 World Cup. Between Kennedyplatz and Grenzstr. as well as in the area of ​​the Schalker Meile it runs on a grass track . As a rule, low-floor trams ( Variobahn ) are used, which allow largely stepless access to low platforms. However, the Emscherstraße and Veltins-Arena stops do not have a lift. Passengers will be referred to the Willy-Brandt-Allee station near the stadium . This is related to the location on the canal bridge on the edge of an industrial area and weak demand or possible destruction: This line is of particular importance as a feeder to the Veltins-Arena . In order to cope with the high demand at events, there is a three-track parking facility north of the Veltins-Arena stop, a single control track to the south and the platforms have two tracks in each direction. The route between the main train station and Buer town hall was expanded on the occasion of the 2006 World Cup . In detail, these were the following measures:

• Renewal of the catenary and power supply to the electricity needs of NF6D- tractions to cover
• Lowering of the elevated platform at Gelsenkirchen Hauptbahnhof so that two double trains can stop one behind the other
• New software for train protection in tunnels to increase the number of trains.
• Conversion of the Veltins-Arena stop with generous roofing and construction of a third control track north of the stop

To the south this line runs through Ückendorf in the street area (partly on the side). From there it runs, often without its own track structure, via Wattenscheid and Bochum main station in the direction of Laer Mitte and Langendreer. In Bochum, the 302 is only made barrier-free between the Dannenbaumstraße and Jacob-Mayer-Straße / Jahrhunderthalle stops and in Wattenscheid Mitte on August-Bebel-Platz and on Freiheitstraße . In the Gelsenkirchen tram tunnel, mobile phone network reception has been technically supported since mid-2006.

From February to August 11, 2015, line 302 was divided due to technical problems with the NF6D cars: trains from Buer ended at August-Bebel-Platz in Wattenscheid, those to Laer started two stops earlier. Both parts of the line overlapped on the section Lohrheidestrasse - August-Bebel-Platz in order to get to the interim stop Freiheitstr. to enable a direct and barrier-free change.

The line has been running to Langendreer Bahnhof since October 5, 2017 . The first section of the Langendreer's development by rail is now in operation.

Between February and July 2018, the timetable frequency between Gelsenkirchen main station and Buer Rathaus was compressed to a 5-minute cycle on an experimental basis during rush hour , in connection with the reduction of fine dust . The project was put on hold at the start of the NRW summer school holidays. The clock compression, modified somewhat, is also offered in the rest of the year.

Variobahn on line 306 in the Bochum Hauptbahnhof underground station

The line 306 has long been considered decommissioning candidate and was practically driven for wear. However, this changed with the start of construction work on the third and last tunnel section. Extensive modernization measures were also required on the surface of the 306. Among other things, a greater distance between the tracks was necessary so that even more modern and longer low-floor wagons could meet without any problems. All stops were made barrier-free. The construction work in the north of Bochum and in Wanne-Eickel was completed in August 2009. Since then, it has also been possible to use the low-floor trams on this route. The average speed of the line is to be increased from 14 km / h to 19 km / h. This makes the connection between Bochum and Wanne-Eickel more attractive and reaches more passengers. Individual journeys in professional and stadium traffic will be extended to the Vonovia Ruhrstadion stop .

Variobahn on line 308 in the Bochum Hauptbahnhof underground station

The line 308 extends from Hattingen about Linden, Weitmar, Bochum main station to Gerthe. In the inner city of Bochum, it runs underground from the ramp at Bergmannsheil to the ramp at Rewirpowerstadion . In the north-eastern section, the route runs on its own track. There and on the tunnel route, the stops are barrier-free. In the south-western area (Weitmar, Linden) the line runs almost exclusively on the road and there are only a few barrier-free stations. A few years ago, the route was partly equipped with traffic light priority circuits, as well as stop lights that block the traffic behind the approaching tram for individual traffic. There are five stops in Hattingen. The last section from the Hattingen Ruhr Bridge to the Hattingen Mitte terminus runs on its own track. During the stadium traffic, some trains are driven in double traction, but only in the Bergmannsheil – Rottmannstraße section. The regular and the other coaches used for reinforcement drive individually as usual. The emergency vehicles will be held in the stadium during an event as follows: Between the Nordbad and Handwerksweg stops , the track in the south direction will be blocked and used as a siding. The scheduled trams will be single-tracked past the other track via two track changes. Until 2008, the emergency vehicles were parked on the site of the former main workshop in Gerthe. However, the new owner wanted to use the site for other purposes, so a new solution had to be found. In addition to the current variant, a new construction of siding in the median of Harpener Hellweg on the former route to Harpen was also up for debate. However, this plan was discarded in favor of the siding in Hiltrop.

An M6 in the current livery on line 310 at Bochum main station

The line 310 comes from Witten, where she served 15 stations and the local city center with the pedestrian area of the town hall crosses. Between Laer Mitte and Wattenscheider Str. It compacts the 302, but continues to the final stop Höntrop Kirche. In Langendreer, Laer and on the western section to Höntrop there are several sections of the route with their own railway body. Barrier-free access is very rare, however, and route 310 cannot do this anyway due to the use of high-floor wagons. The tunnel under Bochum's city center has been in operation in Bochum since January 29, 2006. Lines 302 and 310 run underground between the stops Freilrafendamm and Jacob-Mayer-Straße / Jahrhunderthalle .

The relocation via Langendreer-Mitte instead of Kaltehardt and thus the discontinuation of one of the last interurban tram sections in the Bogestra network is scheduled for December 2019. Then low-floor wagons are used here. Another section exists on the same line between Witten city center and Heven.

NF6D on line 318 in Dahlhausen

The line 318 comes from Bahnhof Bochum-Dahlhausen and compressed between Linden Mitte and Bochum Hauptbahnhof the timetable of the line 308. In the off-peak time, the 318 to Gerthe center extended, there to be able to offer a 15-minute intervals. In the morning school traffic, the 318 is also extended and then ends in Hiltrop at the Nordbad stop .

Line network

The following tram lines have been operating in the area of ​​the cities of Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, Hattingen, Herne and Witten since December 15, 2019:

line	Line course	comment
107	Gelsenkirchen Hbf - Feldmark - Essen-Katernberg - Zeche Zollverein - Essen Hbf (- Bredeney)	Vehicle use by the Ruhrbahn, Bogestra only on Saturday mornings to the Trabrennbahn.
301	Gelsenkirchen Hbf - Bismarck - Buer - Horst
302	Gelsenkirchen-Buer Rathaus - Gelsenkirchen Hbf - Wattenscheid - Bochum Hbf - Laer Mitte (- Langendreer (S) )	Section Buer Rathaus to Laer Mitte every 7/8 minutes, Laer Mitte to Langendreer (S) every 15 minutes.
305	Höntrop Church - Bochum Hbf - Laer Mitte - Langendreer (S)	Only Monday to Saturday during the day.
306	Wanne-Eickel Hbf - Bochum Hbf	Also runs as a night express.
308	Gerthe Schürbankstraße - Bochum Hbf - Weitmar - Linden - Hattingen (Ruhr) center
309	Bochum-Langendreer (S) - Witten Papenholz - Witten Town Hall - Heven Dorf	SEV between Langendreer (S) and Heven Dorf until autumn 2020, only runs Monday to Saturday in the HVZ / NVZ.
310	Höntrop Church - Bochum Hbf - Laer Mitte - Langendreer (S) and Witten Papenholz - Witten Town Hall - Heven Dorf	SEV between Langendreer S and Heven Dorf probably until autumn 2020, until then individual bus trips early in the morning and late in the evening over the (old) Kaltehardt line.
316	( Wanne-Eickel Hbf -) Bochum Hordeler Str. - Bochum Hbf (- Gerthe Heinrichstr.)	Only goes to peak hours.
318	( Gerthe Schürbankstraße -) Bochum Hbf - Weitmar - Linden - Dahlhausen train station.	From Gerthe only in the evening, on Sundays and public holidays and as night express.

Since the 2019/20 timetable change on December 15, 2019, Bogestra has expanded its range of services to include lines 305 , 309 and 316 and increases the frequency of many trams, so that in the Bochum and Gelsenkirchen urban areas during rush hour a tram runs every 7.5 minutes on average. In practice, this 7½-minute rhythm is run as a seven-eight-minute cycle to avoid half-minute departure times. Line 305 strengthens line 310 between Höntrop and Langendreer and line 302 between Wattenscheider Str. And Langendreer every 30 minutes during the day. Line 309 is expected to create a direct connection between the Langendreer S-Bahn station and Heven Dorf from autumn 2020, thus strengthening line 310, which will create a 15-minute cycle between Langendreer Markt and Heven Dorf. The new tram line to be built for this purpose is not expected to be completed until autumn 2020, so there will be rail replacement services with buses between Bochum Langendreer S and Witten Heven Dorf until then. Line 316 reinforces line 306 (mainly only in Bochum city area) and lines 308/318 on the section from Bochum main station to Gerthe.

In addition, the line numbers are highlighted in color for better differentiation on stop signs and signposts in the light rail area to enable easier orientation.

vehicles

Type	Construction year	Vehicle numbers	comment
M6S	1976-1977	301-333	partly already retired. DÜWAG high-floor city ​​railway car, type M, 600/750 volt direct current operating voltage.
M6C	1981-1982	334-355	partly already retired. As before, 600 volts DC operating voltage.
NF6D ( MGT6D )	1993-1994	401-442	DÜWAG low-floor wagons (low-floor share about 2/3); Due to axle cracks in the single wheel chassis (see MGT6D # problems ) the speed was limited to 30 km / h on January 28, 2015. All axes are successively exchanged. The first vehicles with new axles will be in use from March 30, 2015. But even after the replacement, the maximum speed remains limited to 50 km / h due to the design defects. Therefore, the vehicles will be replaced by new trains from 2016. In April 2017, car 441 was sold to the Łódź tram , where it will be tested; if the experience is positive, all remaining cars of this type may be taken over by Łódź.
Variobahn	2008-2011	501-530	1st delivery series, completely delivered. Low-floor train from Stadler Rail .
Variobahn	2013-2015	531-545	2nd delivery series, ordered in 2010, delivery 2013–2015.
Variobahn	2016–	101-142	3rd delivery series, ordered in August 2015, delivery since 2016. 42 vehicles + 8 options.

• 

  KSW No. 96
  Wattenscheider Strasse

• 

  GT6 No. 29
  Bongardstrasse

• 

  M6S No. 321
  Ruhrstadion tunnel ramp

• 

  NF6D No. 423
  Wattenscheider Strasse

• 

  Variobahn No. 502
  (1st delivery series)
  Dorstener Straße

• 

  Variobahn No. 539
  (2nd delivery series)
  Dahlhausen station

• 

  Variobahn No. 111
  (3rd delivery series)
  Wittener Straße

Depots

Engelsburg depot

Engelsburg depot (Bochum)

On the site of the former Engelsburg colliery , west of Bochum city center, the Engelsburg depot was opened on Essener Strasse on August 1, 2005 after a construction period of around three years. On the 102,000 m² site there is a 40 × 220 m storage hall for 55 low-floor trams , the central workshop, the building yard and the energy center for the meter-gauge trams. The former building yard in Hamme, the main workshop in Gerthe and the car shed on Universitätsstrasse were merged into one location. Overall, the construction of the facility cost 69 million euros, 90% of which was taken over by the federal and state governments . This sum also included an ecological compensation area of ​​around 86,000 m² and a comprehensive concept for the use of rainwater and the recovery of washing water. Around 85% of the water consumed on the site is cleaned and reused. A previously unknown tunnel has been retained in its current form, as it has developed into a refuge for bats over the years when the former colliery area between Donezk-Ring , Engelsburger Strasse, Essener Strasse and Goldhammer Bach lay fallow . The official opening took place on September 18, 2005 with an open day, which around 80,000 visitors used to take a look at the new depot.

Josef Franke's depot in Gelsenkirchen

Gelsenkirchen depot

The tram depot and the workshop for the sub-network in Gelsenkirchen are close to the city center on Hauptstrasse 55. The Gelsenkirchen depot was officially reopened on May 18, 2003 after a three-year renovation period. Parts of the historical facade have been preserved, the newly built carriage hall offers space for 35 low-floor trams.

Future development

originally planned "Netz 2o2o" (2020)

Line 310 terminates at Heven

Bahnhofstrasse in Witten with tracks on line 310

Type M6 railcar in Lohring station

308/318

Two extensions are being discussed for lines 308/318, one in Gerthe by approx. 920 m to Cöppencastrop , and the other in Dahlhausen along a new development area by a few hundred meters to the street Am Ruhrort or the main entrance of the railway museum . The two single-track sections on the 308/318 between Gerthe Mitte and the current terminus at Schürbankstrasse and between Linden Mitte and Dahlhausen train station are also to be expanded to double-track in the long term. A first section between the Linden Mitte and Zentrum Augusta Linden stops was opened to traffic again on September 1, 2008 after a construction period of over a year.

306

Furthermore, the Bochum council factions of the SPD and Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen agreed in their coalition agreement 2004 to continue building line 306 to Harpen. An evaluation of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in the IGVP is not yet available for this project. In contrast, the measures to modernize and accelerate line 306 in Bochum and Herne urban areas have been completed. The former single-track section of the line on Riemker Straße has also been expanded to double-track.

302

For Gelsenkirchen, the extension of line 302 from Buer Rathaus to the S-Bahn station Gelsenkirchen-Buer Nord was part of the 1998 public transport requirement plan of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. A corresponding council decision by the city of Gelsenkirchen was repealed in 2002, so that implementation is no longer to be expected.

301

In contrast, the low-floor expansion of line 301 on Horster Strasse with the elimination of the single-track level crossing at Buer Süd Bahnhof is being pursued.

310

In the integrated transport planning of the state, a re-establishment of the old route as an extension of line 310 from Heven to Herbede has been assessed. However, there were also opposing considerations to shut down the section between Witten-Bahnhofstrasse and Heven Dorf. In the meantime, the city of Witten and the Ennepe-Ruhr district, as responsible authorities, have decided to renovate.

Langendreer market branch

Since autumn 2012, a new route from Crengeldanz via Langendreer to Laer with a branch to the Langendreer S-Bahn station has been under construction, which will be served by lines 310 and partly 302 after completion. The section along Bochumer Strasse in Witten will also be expanded to two tracks. A double-track expansion of the short section on Herbeder Straße is also planned.

vehicles

In March 2008, the delivery of 30 new low-floor trams of the Stadler Variobahn type began, which are to replace some of the type M light rail vehicles . These vehicles are used on lines 301 (Gelsenkirchen) and 306 (Bochum / Herne). The use of the Variobahn on the 310 with a corresponding increase in stock is planned, but only after extensive renovation work on the line in the Langendreer and Witten area.

On March 6, 2015, the Bogestra Supervisory Board decided to purchase 42 new low-floor multiple units - plus an option for eight more. After the tender had been carried out, the Stadler Variobahn was ordered in August 2015 . They should be furnished according to a new seating concept and also receive more robust impact protection. They are to completely replace the NF6D railways , which are now susceptible to damage, by 2020.

Summary

The plans for a standard-gauge light rail network from the 1970s will very likely no longer be implemented for reasons of cost. The U 35 will thus remain the only standard gauge line. The meter-gauge lines on the surface are being expanded and, as far as possible, should offer level entry into the low-floor trams through platforms.

See also

• Stadtbahn Bochum and Stadtbahn Essen (with line U11 in GE-Horst )

literature

• Hellmut Hartmann: Tramways in the Ruhr Area - The network that connects 20 cities , Düsseldorf 1975, pp. 16–31, ISBN 3-87094-312-2 .
• Dieter Höltge: Trams and light rail vehicles in Germany, Volume 4 Ruhrgebiet EK-Verlag, Freiburg i.Br. 1994, ISBN 3-88255-334-0 .
• Andreas Halwer: The history of line 310 (= Verkehrshistorische Arbeitsgemeinschaft BOGESTRA [Hrsg.]: Time travel through BOGESTRA-Land . The history of line 310, no. 1 ). DGEG Medien , 2016, ISBN 978-3-946594-03-1 .

Web links

Commons : Bochumer Straßenbahn  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Commons : Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahn  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Official website of the operator Bogestra
• Mobility portal of the Eastern Ruhr Cooperation (KÖR) - Bus-und-Bahn.de
• gleisplanweb.de
• Closure dates of tram routes in Bochum and Gelsenkirchen
• Tram-Germany - BOGESTRA fleet lists with pictures and information of the trams and light rail vehicles
• Remnants of disused tram lines (currently offline)
• Videos with trips on lines 305, 306 and 310
• Private website

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://tramtracks.de/bochum_westkreuz.htm  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ↑ ^{a b c d} Flyer on NE in Bochum ( Memento from September 18, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF)
3. ↑ With the 302 through the heart of the Ruhr area, WAZ July 31, 2018
4. ↑ https://www.waz.de/staedte/bochum/erste-strassenbahn-302-nnahm-kurs-auf-bochum-langendreer-id212141975.html
5. ↑ [1] "better air" on bogestra.de
6. ↑ [2] Every 5 minutes over the channel on gelsenkirchen.de
7. ↑ https://www.waz.de/staedte/gelsenkirchen/gelsenkirchen-und-die-zukunft-des-fuenf-minuten-takts-id214837199.html
8. ↑ https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/_meta/aktuelles/artikel/34624-5-minuten-takt-wird-fortgefuehrt
9. ↑ https://www.waz.de/staedte/bochum/erste-strassenbahn-302-nnahm-kurs-auf-bochum-langendreer-id212141975.html
10. ↑ We'll take you there. |. Retrieved October 3, 2019 . 
11. ↑ Line map | We bring you there. Retrieved October 18, 2019 (German). 
12. ↑ Bogestra: MPK Łódź buys an NF6D, 35 more as an option www.drehscheibe-online.de, April 4, 2017
13. ↑ Engelsburg image brochure (PDF; 1.75 MB) Retrieved on April 14, 2013.
14. ^ Christoph Groneck: Projected tram route to the Ruhrpark shopping center. (PDF) Master's thesis by the transport planner and editor-in-chief of the newspaper “nachrichtenblatt - information on transport policy in the Rhineland” Dr.-Ing. Christoph Groneck. Archived from the original on March 16, 2014 ; Retrieved September 25, 2014 . 
15. ↑ Gelsenkirchen printed matter 99-04 / 4279
16. ↑ Press release of the city of Gelsenkirchen Tuesday, August 28, 666/2007
17. ↑ http://www.bogestra.de/fileadmin/dam/pdf/Linie_310/Linie_310_Bochum.pdf
18. ↑ https://www.waz.de/staedte/bochum/strassenbahn-310-faehrt-frueh towards-2018-bis-nach-witten- id211659291.html
19. ^ [3] , Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (WAZ), Bochum, August 29, 2015.

Coordinates: 51 ° 28 ′ 27.1 ″  N , 7 ° 13 ′ 30.1 ″  E