Main line 3 (Munich subway)

Course of the third main line of the Munich U-Bahn
(blue and orange = lines U4 and U5)

The main line 3 of the Munich subway is the last made of three original routes in the metro network of the Bavarian state capital Munich . It runs mainly in a west-east direction and is currently used by the two underground lines U4 and U5. It branches east of the Isar and is then only served by one line on each of the two strands. The main route 3 has a total length of 18.3 kilometers and 22  underground stations . It runs exclusively in the Munich city area and up to 300 meters at the southeast end in the Neuperlach district completely in the tunnel .

In addition, the U7 reinforcement line has been operating on the Innsbrucker Ring - Neuperlach Zentrum section since December 12, 2011 and only runs during rush hour.

Construction of the third trunk line began in 1977. In March 1984, the first section between Westendstrasse and Karlsplatz (Stachus) was opened. After the first expansion in 1986 to Odeonsplatz, the current state of development was achieved in October 1988. Connections to the Munich-Pasing train station or to Freiham in the west and an extension of the U4 in the east to Englschalking are planned for the future .

history

Earlier planning

The first concept for a subway network in Munich that was ready to be implemented contained four main lines that were to be linked with each other and with the main line of the S-Bahn in the inner city area . The resolution for this concept from 1965 was revised on October 7, 1970. From this point on, the plans were reduced to three main routes. This should achieve higher efficiency and, at the same time, cost savings. Today's third main route therefore deviates in some parts of the original plan from the 1960s. The lines U5 and U9 were intended for operation.

The western part corresponds with a few small deviations to the courses actually built or planned today. In the center, however, other transfer relationships were planned than those implemented later. Although the change to the second trunk line was also to be made possible at the main train station , the subsequent Karlsplatz underground station was supposed to establish a connection to the fourth trunk line, which was no longer implemented. A link with Marienplatz station was planned immediately afterwards . This would have become the central transfer point between the S-Bahn and the first and second main line of the U-Bahn. The course that was ultimately implemented establishes the underground transfer connection at Odeonsplatz .

The current separation of the U4 and U5 at Max-Weber-Platz was part of the planning. However, the line planned at that time as U9 was to be led northwards via Arabellapark to St. Emmeram. A tour of the U5 towards the southeast via Ostbahnhof and Innsbrucker Ring, as it is today, was not planned. Instead, the line should go north past these and reach the Waldtrudering to the east .

The U5 should not be led to Neuperlach-Süd. For today's end point at the S-Bahn station of the same name, no subway connection was originally planned. Finally, the plans were adapted to the further urban development in the Neuperlach district . However, the realized section of the route there was first served by the U2 line as part of the second main route.

realization

Construction work between Lehel and Max-Weber-Platz

The Innsbrucker Ring - Neuperlach section was built from 1977 as a section of the second main line, which can still be recognized today by the red line in the stations. It was opened on October 18, 1980 and served by the then line U8 (Scheidplatz - Hauptbahnhof - Giesing - Innsbrucker Ring - Neuperlach).

The connection Westendstraße - Karlsplatz (Stachus) was realized as the first “original” section of the third trunk line . The U5 line has been running there since March 10, 1984, serving the important stations of the Hauptbahnhof and Theresienwiese . About two years later, Odeonsplatz was reached and a transfer option to the U3 and U6 was created.

To connect to the rest of the network and to the depot of the subway in Fröttmaning , an approximately 1.4 km long operating line was laid below the Theresienwiese . The single-track line extends from the route east of the Schwanthalerhöhe underground station and, coming from the north, joins the first trunk line, just before the Implerstraße underground station . It is still used today to transfer vehicles between the main routes. Booster trains can be kept ready on two sidings next to the route.

The gap between Odeonsplatz, Ostbahnhof and Innsbrucker Ring was started in 1982 and completed in 1988.

course

West (U5)

The U5 line begins at Laimer Platz underground station in the Laim district of the same name . You then follow Gotthardstraße eastwards and after 670 meters you will reach the Friedenheimer Straße underground station . This is characterized by its column-free platform area, which gives it a certain generosity and clarity. In the further course of Zschokkestrasse, the tunnel leads a further 791 meters to Westendstrasse underground station . This marks the end of the sole service by the U5 underground line. From here on, the U4 will be used, thus establishing parallel operation.

Center (U4 and U5)

Yellow track ribbon

The Westendstraße station is an important transfer point and the starting point of the U4 at certain times of the day. The tram line 18 runs here, which leads to the Kleinhadern district and thus increases the catchment area of ​​the underground station. After 806 meters of tunnel directly under an industrial park, another transfer point is approached. The Munich Heimeranplatz station offers transfer possibilities to the S-Bahn lines S7 and S20 as well as the guidelines of the Bavarian Oberland Bahn . In addition, the middle ring , which is also located in a tunnel, is crossed here. The stations that now follow tie or tie two important venues in Munich. The Schwanthalerhöhe underground station (formerly the exhibition grounds) is approached after 671 meters along Heimeranstraße . Until the fair moved to Riem , this station assumed an important development function. The wall design is still reminiscent of this earlier role. Today the site has been redesigned as a residential and office area. The traffic center of the Deutsches Museum is also located in three former exhibition halls . The subsequent tunnel with a length of 927 meters crosses under the Theresienwiese . Halfway there is also a service track that connects to the first trunk line and has been supplemented by two sidings. This is important for easy accessibility of the workshop in Fröttmaning and to achieve a quick increase in vehicle capacities at major events at the Theresienwiese underground station . The structural design is reminiscent of a brewery cellar and thus establishes the connection to the annual Oktoberfest.

Odeonsplatz underground station

After a further 711 meters of tunnel, Munich Central Station South follows the Theresienwiese . To do this, it crosses under several building blocks without orienting itself on the existing course of the road. The station system is arranged parallel to the tracks of the railway. In addition to the possibility of changing to long-distance trains of Deutsche Bahn, regional and S-Bahn traffic, there is also a connection to the second main line of the Munich U-Bahn (U1 and U2). Its platform is rotated at a 90-degree angle and positioned below the platforms of the third main line. Below Bayerstrasse, the tunnel then continues 521 meters to Karlsplatz station . This bears the nickname Stachus, which popularly trumps the actual station name. The platform is 25 meters below ground level, making it the deepest in Munich's entire underground network. Its former importance as a major transfer point for the tram became the theme of the wall design of the subway station. Even today it is an important transfer station; because this is also where seven S-Bahn and six tram lines intersect.

Lehel underground station

Along Maximiliansplatz, the route continues 811 meters to Odeonsplatz underground station . This is located on the northern edge of Munich city center in the immediate vicinity of the Residenz and Hofgarten . This is where the U3 and U6 lines of the first trunk line cross. The changeover is not particularly generous with a narrow pedestrian tunnel, as this was not provided for in the original planning of the underground station. The link was actually planned at Marienplatz station. The station section of the U3 / U6 lines was completed in 1971, 15 years earlier.

Below Hofgartenstraße and the buildings around St. Anna Church, the tunnel continues to Lehel underground station, 933 meters away . In this, the above-ground museums are cited by numerous casts of sculptures. The route then continues below Gewürzmühlstraße. The tunnel then crosses under the Isar and the Maximilianeum to reach the Max-Weber-Platz underground station after 928 meters . Here the route, which previously consisted of two tracks, branches out to three, which lead to a central and a side platform. Both lines stop at a platform when going out of town, but at their own one when going into town. This prepares the upcoming separation of the U4 and U5 lines, which will take place behind the station. Before that, however, there is still the option of changing to a total of four tram lines.

South-East (U5)

Waiting train of the U5 line in the Munich Neuperlach Süd station

The route of the U5, which swings to the south, crosses under the Haidhausen cemetery and Hypopark on its 1080 meter long route. It does not follow any existing road. Finally, at Munich East station there is again the option of changing to all seven lines of the S-Bahn main line, one tram and several bus lines. The tunnel then leads in a wide curve below an industrial and commercial area under Bad Schachener Straße to the Innsbrucker Ring underground station, 1.6 kilometers away . This has four tracks, as the U5 crosses here with the U2 line. The latter continues to the new exhibition center in Riem . Due to this meeting, the train station has a special feature: if the entire course of the U4 and U5 was previously accompanied by a yellow line, this will be the last time. On the platforms of the U5 the station name is still on a yellow background, on those of the U2 on a red background. Due to the former affiliation of the following route to the second main route and the resulting service by the U2 line, all station names and the remaining line bands are now written or designed on a red background.

This can first be seen in the Michaelibad underground station to the west. The 982 meter long route leads to him further below Bad Schachener Straße. Here, with the Ostpark, there is a large recreational and green area. On the subsequent 1.7 kilometer long tunnel section, this is crossed and the northern edge of Neuperlach is reached with the Quiddestrasse underground station . This is the longest underground route between two train stations in Munich. From here the tunnel below Thomas-Dehler-Straße leads directly to the center of Neuperlach, 778 meters away. The Neuperlach Zentrum underground station of the same name is dimensioned accordingly. With a wide platform and a generous mezzanine floor, it conveys the meaning above ground in the underground. Going south along the same street, the last underground underground station Therese-Giehse-Allee is reached after 764 meters . It is again in a purely residential area, bounded by several building blocks. As it continues, the tunnel swings to the southeast and the tracks reach the surface. Shortly before the entrance to the Neuperlach Süd train station , the route is raised in order to reach the platforms above Carl-Wery-Straße. Here there is a special feature in the Munich rapid transit network. The U5 shares a central platform with the single-track S-Bahn line Munich East - Kreuzstraße (2010: Line S7), which makes it easy to change trains directly from the U-Bahn to the S-Bahn; the underground trains in the direction of the city center can only be reached through the underpass. A few meters further south is the southern operating facility, a large above-ground storage facility.

North-East (U4)

Distribution level at Prinzregentenplatz underground station

While the U5 swings to the south behind the Max-Weber-Platz underground station, the route of the U4 is extended to the north. The tunnel runs under built-up blocks and after 791 meters reaches the Prinzregentenplatz underground station. The Prinzregententheater is located on the square of the same name . In the Bogenhausen district , the route now runs below Mühlbaurstraße for a further 838 meters to the north. There she reaches the underground station Böhmerwaldplatz, which is located diagonally under the Mittlerer Ring . Due to its location, the platform area is arranged in a curve. The tunnel then leads to Richard-Strauss-Straße underground station, which is just 552 meters further . The passenger disembarking here has a special situation. Because here the platforms are arranged to the side, one of only a few places in the Munich subway network. From here, the underground tunnel leaves the route below the street again, and it crosses under a few blocks to get to the temporary terminus, the Arabellapark underground station , 756 meters away . Shortly before, the tunnel changed direction and swung east again, below Englschalkinger Straße. The platforms here are arranged in a curve, similar to the situation two stations before.

business

Operation on the third main line is now handled by lines U4 and U5, as well as the reinforcement line U7. These lines operate a large part of the route in parallel. They share a total of 6.3 kilometers of route length and nine underground stations. With the branching of the lines only in the east, the main line in the Munich subway network is a specialty, because with the other two main lines a division of the lines at both ends and thus the presence of four different terminus stations is the rule.

U4

The U4 line has served a distance of 9.3 kilometers and a total of 13 underground stations since it was commissioned on October 27, 1988. This makes it the shortest of Munich's six underground lines. They were only named with the opening; the plans valid up to that point provided for a line U9. With the conversion that took place at that time, the decisions made in 1970 to forego a fourth trunk line were also taken into account in regular operations. Initially, the U4 was a little longer. Until 1999 it also served the section between Westendstrasse and Laimer Platz parallel to the U5. In the course of the opening of the exhibition line and the associated increased need for trains and strengthened by lower capacity utilization, the U4 was then shortened by two stations. In operation, so-called full trains are mainly used on the U4. These consist of four cars. Exceptions are special events and Friday afternoons with increased demand. In this case, so-called long trains with six cars are used. Long trains are also used in the rush hour during the holidays. These then only run every 10 minutes. Another special feature is the shortened operation in the evenings. From 8 p.m., the U4 only runs on the Odeonsplatz - Arabellapark section. The rest of the route is then only served by the U5. There is a slim connection at the Max-Weber-Platz underground station for direct transfers. In the past, the U4 was carried on to the Lehel underground station, as only there is a possibility to change direction. With the timetable change in December 2013, the U4 was extended in the evenings from Lehel underground station to Odeonsplatz. This meant that there was no need to change trains if you wanted to continue with the U3 / U6 from Odeonsplatz. With the timetable change in December 2015, the U4 line was again extended in the evening and has been running to Theresienwiese until around 1 a.m.

U5

Since the last extension, which was completed on October 27, 1988, the U5 line has served a distance of 15.4 kilometers and a total of 18 underground stations. Of this, almost 300 meters of the route and a train station are above ground. In operation, so-called long trains with six cars are usually used on the U5. As a result, all three types of coaches on the Munich underground run here. The existing train stations are served during operating hours without exception.

U7

Since December 12, 2011, the U7 reinforcement line has been running from Westfriedhof to Neuperlach Zentrum during rush hour on school days . At Innsbrucker Ring it turns from trunk line 2 to trunk line 3 and runs on the route of the U5 to Neuperlach Zentrum. In operation, so-called full trains with four cars are usually used on the U7, which is why only car types A and B operate.

Earlier lines

Other lines were already operating on sections of trunk line 3 or a different service was planned. The south branch between Innsbrucker Ring and Neuperlach Süd originally belonged to the second trunk line. The plans for a total of eight underground lines led to the fact that the U8 line ran on this section between October 18, 1980 and October 27, 1988. The change of the line names that followed made the U8 into the U2, which up until the opening of the line to the Neue Messe in Riem on May 29, 1999, maintained double service with the U5. As a result, the U8 line was introduced. This took over the previous route of the U2 and carried out repeater trips according to the timetable during rush hour . In 2006 the independent line was given up.

Planning

Bf. Pasing, goal of further expansion plans

There are variants for all current line ends to extend them. However, the chances of realizing these planned projects are only possible with two variants. An extension at the southern end of the U5 via Neuperlach Süd in the direction of Ottobrunn was discussed in the planning phases, but not pursued further. The same applies to an extension of the U4 in a westerly direction. Here, a branch into the Blumenau was considered. According to the planning, this would have taken place behind the Willibaldstrasse underground station. The original plans of the 1960s saw this branch as the main route; a connection to the Pasing station was not planned at the time. Instead, the following extensions are discussed and already planned.

Pasing and Freiham

The U5 line ends so far in the Laimer Platz underground station. In the third medium-term program for the construction of the underground, an extension to the Munich-Pasing station is planned. The route would run entirely in the tunnel. This would follow Gotthardstrasse and receive a subway station of the same name at Willibaldstrasse. Behind it, the route would swivel north and cross an allotment garden area. Behind the Westbad, the tunnel would reach Am Knie and pass the second underground station, Am Knie. To the north, the route then swings parallel to the S-Bahn route in order to reach the provisional end point, the Pasing station. A further extension of this route via the Westkreuz train station in the direction of the new Freiham district in the west of Munich was also discussed. In January 2011, the Munich CSU campaigned for a kind of subway ring closure between the current terminus Laimer Platz and Moosach via the Pasing train station and the planned stop at the Untermenzing S-Bahn station.

Construction of the 3.8-kilometer section from Laimer Platz to Pasing is scheduled to begin in 2021 and will take six to eight years. After that, construction of the 4.5 kilometer long section from Pasing to Freiham is to start, which is expected to go into operation in 2035 at the earliest.

Englschalking

Englschalkinger Str., Near Fideliopark

In the east, the U4 currently ends in the Arabellapark underground station. Directly behind the station is a 600 meter long tunnel. So far, a parking facility has been housed there. However, this was built for an extension to the Englschalking S-Bahn station. The Cosimapark underground station is to be built shortly after the end of the tunnel. The rest of the route would follow Englschalkinger Strasse and reach the further stop Fideliopark at the intersection with Ostpreußenstrasse. In the further course, the U4 would then create a transfer option to the S-Bahn line S8 at the S-Bahn station. This network expansion by 1.6 kilometers, like the route to Pasing described above, is also part of the 3rd medium-term program for the Munich subway construction.

However, low utilization of the U4 and the scarce financial resources have led to these plans being postponed. Instead, other variants are being investigated. These include the construction of a tram line between Arabellapark and Englschalking instead of the underground extension and the omission of the Cosimapark station, one of the two planned intermediate stations.

As part of the local transport offensive of the city of Munich in January 2018, the planning of the U4 to Englschalking was confirmed. A continuation to the Messestadt Riem with one or two stops in the new development area east of the S8 route was explicitly left open . A stop at the S-Bahn station in Riem would also create a connection to the S2, which will be extended to the airport in the future and thus create a connection between the airport and the exhibition center with a one-time changeover.

Trivia

With the Munich subway, the lines always have a north end (start of the line) and a south end (end of the line), which results from the track connection to the technical base in Fröttmaning and the lack of possibility for triangular trips or other turns in the route network. The north end of the U4 is the Westendstraße underground station , the south end of the Arabellapark underground station . This means that the U4 is the only line on which the operational north end is more south than the operational south end.

Additional information

See also

• Main line 1 (Munich subway) - Another main line of the Munich subway
• Main line 2 (Munich subway) - Another main line of the Munich subway
• List of Munich subway stations - overview of all subway stations of the Munich subway
• MVG - operating company of the Munich subway
• MVV - Transport and Tariff Association, of which the Munich subway is a part

literature

• Friedhelm Blennemann: U-Bahn and light rail in Germany. Planning, construction, operation . alba, Düsseldorf 1975, ISBN 3-87094-304-1 .
• Christoph Hackelsberger, Stefan Müller-Naumann: Subway architecture in Munich . Prestel Verlag, Munich 1997, ISBN 3-7913-1827-6 .
• Fritz D. Kegel: U-Bahns in Germany. Planning, construction, operation . alba, Düsseldorf 1971.
• Holger Junghardt, Wolfgang Pischek: The Munich subway. Underground through the Bavarian capital . 2nd Edition. Munich 2002, ISBN 3-7654-7194-1 .
• Florian Schütz: Munich subway album. All Munich underground stations in color . Robert Schwandl Verlag, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-936573-19-0 .

Web links

Commons : Main route 3  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Munich express route map (PDF; 221 kB)
• Description of the U4 on u-bahn-muenchen.de
• Description of the U5 on u-bahn-muenchen.de

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Friedhelm Blennemann: subways and light rail in Germany · planning construction operation . alba, Düsseldorf 1975, ISBN 3-87094-304-1 .
2. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p} Florian Schütz: Munich U-Bahn Album: All Munich U-Bahn stations in color . Robert Schwandl Verlag, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-936573-19-0 .
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Christoph Hackelsberger, Stefan Müller-Naumann: U-Bahn architecture in Munich . Prestel Verlag, Munich 1997, ISBN 3-7913-1827-6 .
4. ↑ ^{a b} U4 , on u-bahn-muenchen.de
5. ^ U-Bahn: Improvements to U4 and U6 from www.muenchen.de, accessed on December 13, 2017.
6. ^ Fritz D. Kegel: U-Bahn in Germany. Planning construction operation. alba, Düsseldorf 1971.
7. ↑ State Capital Munich - Building Department: Laimer Platz to Pasing (U4 / 5-West) ( Memento from October 23, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
8. ↑ State Capital Munich Editor: U5 West. Retrieved December 22, 2019 . 
9. ↑ State capital Munich - Building Department : Arabellapark to Englschalking (U4-Ost)
10. ↑ City Council Munich: Local traffic offensive: Munich City Hall presents billion-euro projects
11. ↑ sueddeutsche.de: Munich wants to spend 5.5 billion euros on the expansion of local transport

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