Düsseldorf Strassenbahn and Stadtbahn, Germany

Düsseldorf is the capital of Germany's most populous state, Nordrhein-Westfalen. Located on the right (east) bank of the Rhein, the city is close to the country's traditional industrial heartland, the Ruhr.

Since 1980, this area's transport purposes has been provided by the public transport association Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR).

Over a century in operation, Düsseldorf transport operator Rheinische Bahngesellschaft AG (Rheinbahn) is a member of this association, which also embraces the area's intensive network of Deutsche Bahn heavy rail services.

One of Germany's leading business centres, Düsseldorf’s modern economic success is largely based upon administrative and service industries. Having a large trade fair site (Messe), Germany's third-busiest airport and with the river and adjacent Altstadt (reconstructed old town area) representing a year-round tourist magnet, Düsseldorf has supported its success with a comprehensive and evolving public transport operation.

INFRASTRUCTURE

At the eastern edge of the city centre, the vast Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof features long distance IC / ICE as well as S-Bahn services. Stops for the Rheinbahn-operated tram and Stadtbahn routes are outside the station.

These visually and technically similar operations share some tracks, distinguished by signage, ‘U’ route prefixes and differences in operating distances, for example to the separate cities of Duisburg and Krefeld.

Rheinbahn began its first project in 1973, setting 1,435mm tracks below the streets using cut-and-cover techniques. Light rail vehicles remain a prominent feature of Düsseldorf’s roads, with a mix of reserved track and on-street running.

Dating from 1988, the main four-track tunnel beneath the city carries Stadtbahn services north-west from the Hauptbahnhof towards the junction for the Krefeld / Neuss and Duisburg lines near Heinrich-Heine-Allee on the edge of the Altstadt. The most recent tunnel section was that between the Hauptbahnhof and Oberbilk on U74/77, opened in 2002.

ROLLING STOCK

Düsseldorf's transport managers have used local suppliers for many years. The operational fleet is composed of the products of Düwag, formed in 1935 from Waggonfabrik Uerdingen AG of Uerdingen (Krefeld) and Düsseldorfer Waggonfabrik, latterly Siemens and Vossloh-Kiepe. Platform height differences on the system are accommodated through retractable steps.

Low-floor operation began in 1996 with the delivery of NF6-type trams, although a substantial fleet of earlier high-floor types and trailers remain in service.

The Silberpfeil (Silver Arrow) styling and colour scheme that is specific to Rheinbahn began with the 100% low-floor NF10 from 2000, at 40m the system's largest vehicles.

Some of these features continue with the most modern vehicles, the five-section NF8U, Silberpfeil II, delivered in 2006-2007. The designation indicates Niederflur U-Bahn, a low-floor design for in-tunnel operation.

A winner of an international design award and with options for more to join Rheinbahn, the NF8U’s distinctive flared ends allow for bogie movement on tighter curves. Like other Rheinbahn trams, it is a single ended, although coupled pairs will allow for Stadtbahn operation. As the NF8U has become available in advance of the line for which it was intended, they have been put into service on surface route 715.

SIGNALLING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Signals for light rail operations are coordinated with road traffic signals for the many crossings on the Stadtbahn. Real time indicators are especially relevant in Düsseldorf due to the widespread use of common tracks by several different routes.

Vehicles are also fitted with passenger information systems. As is widespread in Germany, travellers around Düsseldorf benefit from multi-mode ticketing at city, tariff union and regional levels.

THE FUTURE

Featuring in the German Public Passenger Local Transport Federal Programme for 2001-2005, a planned major project is the construction of the long-envisaged Wehrhahn line. This will connect Wehrhahn on existing tram routes and an S-Bahn stop north of Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof, with Bilk to the south, also an S-Bahn interchange.

The line will be approximately 3.6km long, with six sub-surface stations in the two-track tunnels and the two above ground terminals. Projected to cost €385m, construction should begin in late 2007/early 2008 with an opening due in 2014.

By realigning tram routes, the new line will reduce the number of changes needed via the Hauptbahnhof and give more interchanges in the central area.

Other expansion projects considered for the system include links to the university and the Hafen riverside area, a U77 extension to Benrath and a new river crossing that would form part of a city rail ring. A likely project is the completion of line U80 to give rail access to the Messe grounds via a 2.4km extension from the U78/79.

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