Stuttgart U-Bahn

Stuttgart is the capital of the German Bundesland [Baden-Württemberg] and has 550,000 inhabitants, with Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen AG serving an area where almost 900,000 people live. The city is spread out over several hills with the city centre in the valley. Therefore metro lines are classified as:

1) running along the main valley: U1, U14, U2

2) crossing the main valley north-south: U5, U6, U7, U15

3) crossing the main valley west-east: U4, U9

4) tangential lines (not passing through city centre): U3, U13, U8

The Stuttgart Stadtbahn is not a real metro, but a light rail system that's largely underground in the city centre, and which runs at grade with level crossings, though on a separate right-of-way, in other areas. Between 1966 and 1970 the first tunnel opened in the city centre along route U1 (Charlottenplatz - Marienplatz). Subsequently and until 1983 all city tunnels were completed. In the beginning all tunnels were used by existing tram lines (similar to the Brussels pré-métro), but in 1985 new Stadtbahn trains of the DT8 type started operating on the 8.1 km long route U3 in the south of the city between Plieningen and Vaihingen.The Stuttgart Stadtbahn uses standard European gauge (1435 mm), whereas the former tram system was narrow gauge (1000 mm). Along some routes therefore 3-rail tracks can still be seen, as well as some lower platform sections, which have become obsolete once line 15 had been upgraded to Stadtbahn operation. Along some routes (e.g. the panoramic route from Olgaeck to Ruhbank) will remain 3-track to allow special rides with heritage tramway vehicles.

Apart from the city tunnels, there are major tunnel sections on route U6 through Feuerbach in the north, and along route U5/U6 between Bopser and Degerloch. From this tunnel a southbound branch opened in May 1998, which is part of U7 to Heumaden and Ostfildern.

In Dec. 2007, the Stuttgart Stadtbahn network has a total length of 116 km (21 km in tunnel).

A special line in the Stuttgart rail network is line 10, a rack railway between Marienplatz (U1/14) and Degerloch (U5/6). This train has a special bicycle car so bikers don't have to climb up the steep hill.