Trams in Stockholm

Stockholm tramway network
Stockholm tramway network
	Old and new tram on Tvärbanan, 2010.
Operation
Locale	Stockholm, Sweden
Status	Operational
Routes	4 regular; 1 heritage line
Owner(s)	Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (Stockholm Regional Council)
Operator(s)	AB Stockholms Spårvägar; (lines 7, 7N & 21); Arriva; (lines 12 & 22)
Infrastructure
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Minimum curve radius	17.5 m (57.4 ft) (7, 7N); 25 m (82 ft) (12, 22)
Propulsion system(s)	Electricity
Electrification	750 V DC from overhead catenary
Stock	194
Horsecar era: 1877–1905
Status	Closed
Operator(s)	Stockholms Nya Spårvägsaktiebolag (SNS); Stockholms Södra Spårvägsaktiebolag (SSB)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Propulsion system(s)	Horses
First electric tram era: 1901–1967/1991
Status	Closed (urban network); /Open (suburban lines 12 & 21)
Operator(s)	SNS (1901–1917); SSB (1904–1918); AB Stockholms Spårvägar (SS) (1917–1966); Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL) (1967)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Propulsion system(s)	Electricity
Second electric tram era: since 1991
Status	In service
Owner(s)	Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (Stockholm County Council)
Operator(s)	AB Stockholms Spårvägar; (lines 7, 7N & 21); Arriva; (lines 12 & 22)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Propulsion system(s)	Electricity
Electrification	750 V DC from overhead catenary
Website	http://sl.se/en/Visitor/Plan-your-journey/ AB Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (in English)

The Stockholm tramway network forms part of the public transport system in Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden.

Beginning with horse trams in 1877, the Stockholm tram network reached its largest extent in 1946. Many of the former suburban tram lines became parts of the Stockholm Metro between the years 1950-1964. In September 1967, in conjunction with the Swedish switch from left-hand to right-hand traffic, the last parts of the once large inner city street running tram network were closed. What little remained of the former network following 1967 were isolated suburban feeder lines to the Metro.

However, in 1991 a 3 km (1.9 mi) long heritage line opened to the recreational area Djurgården; and in 2000, the non-radial half-circle line Tvärbanan opened with articulated low floor vehicles connecting an inner ring of Metro and commuter rail stations just outside the inner city proper, with subsequent extensions in 2003 and 2014; and in 2010 the heritage line was extended and converted to a regular service line.

History

The first tramway in Stockholm was opened on 10 July 1877 and was drawn by horses. A tramline run on steam-power opened in 1887. Stockholm's tram network was converted to electrical propulsion 1901-1905. An extensive network formed in the early 20th century. Trams were effectively replaced by the Stockholm Metro from 1950 onwards, and most tram lines were closed down by September 1967 due to the effect of Dagen H and replaced with buses (especially those in Stockholm proper), with the exception of two suburban tram lines, Lidingöbanan and Nockebybanan.

In 1991, one tram line, Djurgårdslinjen, was reopened as a heritage and tourist line. Since 2000, two more tram lines have been built, Tvärbanan (line 22), a peripheral line linking the southeastern suburb of Sickla with the northwestern suburb of Solna, and an extension of Djurgårdslinjen into the inner city Spårväg City (line 7). The Tvärbana was extended in 2013, and will be further extended in the future.

Current service

As of January 2023, the following lines provide service in the Stockholm metropolitan area:^[1]

Line	Name	Length	Stations	Route	Type
7	Spårväg City	3.5 km (2.2 mi)	11	T-Centralen – Waldemarsudde/Bellmansro	Tram
7N	Djurgårdslinjen	2.9 km (1.8 mi)	10	Norrmalmstorg – Waldemarsudde/Bellmansro	Heritage tramline
12	Nockebybanan	5.6 km (3.5 mi)	10	Nockeby – Alvik	Light rail
21	Lidingöbanan	9.2 km (5.7 mi)	14	Ropsten – Gåshaga brygga
30	Tvärbanan	18.2 km (11.3 mi)	25	Solna station – Sickla
31	Tvärbanan	4.1 km (2.5 mi)	6	Bromma Flygplats – Alviks Strand

While all tramlines run on standard gauge track and use the same overhead voltage (750 V DC), the cab signalling system for Lidingöbanan is different from the one for Tvärbanan, making rolling stock incompatible. The other tramlines (Nockeby and City/Djurgården) have no cab signalling requirement.