Yekaterinburg Metro

Infobox Public transit
name = Yekaterinburg Metro
Екатеринбургский метрополитен
"Ekaterinburgskiy metropoliten"


imagesize =
locale = Yekaterinburg
transit_type = Rapid transit
began_operation = 1991
ended_operation =
system_length = km to mi|8.6|abbr=yes|precision=1
lines = 1
vehicles =
stations = 7
ridership =
track_gauge =
reporting marks =
operator =
owner =

Yekaterinburg Metro ( _ru. Екатеринбургский Метрополитен) is a rapid transit system that serves the city of Yekaterinburg, Russia.

History

Yekaterinburg, formerly called Sverdlovsk, was always known as the informal capital of the Urals, a natural divide between Europe and Asia, between Siberia and the European Russia. The city grew very rapidly because it was an important industrial centre and a transport hub. Plans for a rapid-transit system began in the late 1970s, and in 1980 the construction began.

The city's uneven landscape, as well as its layout with a very dense city centre, prompted to combine deep and shallow stations. On 26 April, 1991, the sixth Metro of Russia and the thirteenth and the last Metro of the Soviet Union, which ceased to exist only a few months later, was finally opened to the public. However, the economic crisis of the early 1990s rocked the Metro very hard and the first stage encompassed only three stations. However, then Russian president Boris Yeltsin diverted funds to finish the started construction and by 1995 the Metro doubled in length (most notable reason for this was due to Yekaterinburg being the president's hometown). Since then, only one extension was made.

Timeline

Operation

The Metro is a typical Soviet design, which when completed will form a triangle from three lines intersecting in the city centre. Currently, the seven stations comprise km to mi|8.6|spell=Commonwealth of length and are split between deep and shallow. Of the latter, two are pillar-trispans and one is a single vault (built to Kharkov technology). The deep-level stations include one pylon, one column and two Leningrad-technology single vaults, although one was built to an indegious design making it appear as a single deck. Like all ex-Soviet Metros, the stations are elaborately decorated, although economic hardships prevented the full original designs to be implemented.

The Metro is served by one depot, Kalinovskoye, and 56 cars are assigned to it. The annual ridership is approximately 42.8 million people.

The Yekaterinburg Metro is a shortest metro (subway) in the world. In Russian - "Самое метровое метро в мире".

Future plans

The next opening will be two stations, Chkalovskaya and Botanicheskaya, which are expected to be in service in 2010. A third station, Bazhovskaya, will be finished at a later date.

External links

*en icon [http://www.urbanrail.net/as/yeka/yekaterinburg.htm Urbanrail]
*ru icon [http://ekbmetro.by.ru/ Popular site]
*ru icon [http://metroworld.ruz.net/others/ekb.htm Metroworld]
*de icon/ru icon [http://www.metrosoyuza.net/ Metrosoyuza]