Hamburg U-Bahn

Infobox Public transit
name = Hamburg U-Bahn

---

imagesize = 70px
locale = Hamburg
transit_type = Rapid transit
began_operation = 1912
ended_operation =
system_length = km to mi|100.7|abbr=yes|precision=1
lines = 3
vehicles =
stations = 89
ridership =
track_gauge = RailGauge|sg (standard gauge)
reporting marks =
operator = Hamburger Hochbahn AG
owner = Hamburger Hochbahn AG

The Hamburg U-Bahn is a Rapid transit system serving the city of Hamburg, Germany. The system follows the Germany U-Bahn pattern of elevated trains. The network is interconnected with the city's S-Bahn system, which also has underground sections. It is operated by Hamburger Hochbahn AG and belongs to the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV). It was opened in March 1912 and comprises three lines with a length of convert|101|km|0|abbr=on in 2006.

History

In 1906 the Hamburg Senate awarded a contract for the Over- and Underground Rail to Siemens & Halske and AEG of Berlin. The first stretch was completed on 7 October 1906] .This was followed in 1911 with the founding of the "Hamburger Hochbahn Aktiengesellschaft" (HHA). Thus Hamburg became the third German city (after Berlin, 1902 and Schöneberg, 1910) to have a U-Bahn (then known as the High and Underground Railway (Hoch- und Untergrundbahn) as it is largely either elevated or in tunnels - not much at street level).

The construction of such a railway had long been discussed, meanwhile an elevated train was also considered. In 1906 a circular route was begun, connecting "Hamburg Hauptbahnhof – Berliner Tor – Barmbek (earlier spelling: Barmbeck) – Kellinghusenstraße – Schlump – Landungsbrücken (earlier designation: Hafentor) – Rathaus – Hauptbahnhof" with branches to the quarters of Eimsbüttel, Ohlsdorf and Rothenburgsort. On 15 February 1912 the first stretch of the future "Ringbahn" (Circle railway) between "Rathaus" station und "Barmbek" was inaugurated. The stretch included both underground and elevated sections.

Network development

By 1915 the Ringbahn and the three spurs, from "Kellinghusenstraße" to "Ohlsdorf", from "Schlump" to "Hellkamp" (today: disused stop between "Oster-" and "Lutterothstraße") and from main station to "Rothenburgsort" were completed. By 1934 the extensions from "Ohlsdorf" to "Ochsenzoll" ("Langenhorner Bahn"), from "Kellinghusenstraße" to "Jungfernstieg" (KellJung line) and the "Walddörferbahn" (Forestvillages line) from "Barmbek" to "Großhansdorf" and "Ohlstedt" were completed.

During the Second World War the subway was badly damaged. The stretch from "Hauptbahnhof" to "Rothenburgsort" was not repaired because the district passed through had been completely destroyed. It was five more years before the remaining network was once more intact.

Further additions to the network were made, starting in 1960. The KellJung line was extended via Meßberg to the main station. Later in 1962 the extension reached "Wandsbek-Markt" and in 1963 "Wandsbek-Gartenstadt". The total network length was convert|67.9|km|0|lk=on.

The building of a "Durchmesserstrecke" began in 1962. The first plan was to connect Billstedt with Stellingen. The Eimsbütteler branch formed the western part of the line. The branch was extended up to "Hagenbecks Tierpark" in 1966. The existing terminus at "Hellkamp" was withdrawn from service and a new station was built at "Lutterothstraße" further north.

The connection between Berliner Tor and "Horner Rennbahn" was opened in 1967. In the same year the eastern branch was extended to "Vierbergen" (now called "Legienstraße"). Further extensions took place in 1969 to "Billstedt" and in 1970 towards "Merkenstraße". The extension "Ochsenzoll – Garstedt" also came into service in 1970. Thus, the network total length reached convert|88.5|km|0|abbr=on.

A new core stretch of the line "U2", on the Ringstrecke between "Schlump" and Berliner Tor station became a direct connection through the city centre. Next to be brought into service were sections from "Hauptbahnhof Nord" to "Berliner Tor" (1968) and from "Schlump (unten)" to "Gänsemarkt" (1970), then the last section, with a new station at "Jungfernstieg" under the Binnenalster, in 1973. This station, as well as "Hauptbahnhof Nord", was developed as part of the "U4" line that was planned at that time.

In 1985 the section to "Hagenbecks Tierpark" was extended to "Niendorf Markt" and again in 1991 as far as "Niendorf Nord". In 1990 the extension to "Merkenstraße – Mümmelmannsberg" was opened. The most recent line extension was undertaken in 1996 between "Garstedt" and "Norderstedt Mitte". With that, the network reached its current status.

In 2005 the Hamburg U-Bahn had a length of some convert|100.7|km|0, of which convert|40|km|0|abbr=on are underground. It had 89 station stops.

Future development

Abandoned projects

The eastern branch of the "Walddörferbahn" was originally intended to end at the station "Beimoor", just to the north of "Großhansdorf", in order to connect a planned housing development to the local public transport system. As a consequence of World War II these plans were never realised.

By the time work was abandoned, the station shell had already been finished and tracks had been laid the whole way. Today the remains of the station are used as a winter home for bats in the middle of a dry grass biotope.

Plans for a fourth line have been discussed since the 1970s. In those days it was planned for the line to lead from City Nord and Uhlenhorst via the city centre and Altona to Lurup and Osdorfer Born. In order to link the green-field housing development at Osdorfer Born to the rest of the city as quickly as possible, a limited service on the stretch between "Altona" und Osdorfer Born was planned. Until the connection with the rest of the network was ready, it was intended to transport trains with flatbed trucks for maintenance in the service depot Barmbek. Platforms and track beds for this stretch were completed in the stations Hauptbahnhof-Nord and Jungfernstieg. Preparations for tunnel constructions were made in the area of Hamburg-Altona railway station and under the motorway A 7 in Bahrenfeld. In preparation for the junction with the U1, an extra platform was built at the station Sengelmannstraße. All these constructions remain unused to this day. The northern platform area at Hauptbahnhof Nord is currently used for the art installation "Sterne" by Raimund Kummer and Stefan Huber. Here several concrete stars lie over the whole platform area as if they had fallen from the sky.

Projects in progress

Another project was presented in 2002. According to current plans from the beginning of 2008, the new line U4 will connect HafenCity (2 Stations) with the city centre. The new line will meet the U2 at Jungfernstieg and together they will continue via Hauptbahnhof and Berliner Tor onto the Billstedter line, along which the U3 currently runs.

The U3, still beginning in Barmbek, will then traverse the complete ring line, thereby taking over the stretch between Berliner Tor and Barmbek, which is currently served by the U2. In order to realise a problem-free service to the west of Berliner Tor, a redesign of the current track layout is necessary. An originally planned grade separated crossing of the two lines must be realised, which was left undone due to cost. Trains coming from the city centre will leave the ring at Barmbek and continue via the viaduct stretch to the end stations. One branch leads via the Walddörferbahn to Wandsbek-Gartenstadt, a stretch currently served by the U2. The other branch leads via a new stretch to Steilshoop and Bramfeld (4 to 5 Stations). More detailed plans were begun in 2003. The new line will open to transport in 2011 at the earliest.

Network routes overview

The Hamburger Hochbahn plc comprises 3 U-Bahn lines:The line names "U1" und "U2" were introduced with the timetable change on 22 May 1966, the name "U3" followed on 2 January 1967. Until the completion of the direct inner-city stretch, the future "U2", on 3 June 1973, the partial services on the already completed eastern ("Hauptbahnhof Nord - Berliner Tor (- Barmbek)" since 29 September 1968) and western ("Schlump - Gänsemarkt" since 31 May 1970) sections were known as "U21" and "U22" respectively.

U4 project

In 2011 the Hamburger Hochbahn and the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund are planning to open the new line U4. There had been an ongoing discussion about the costs and the benefit of this line, but the government of Hamburg decided to build it nevertheless. The underground line will be dug using the same machinery as for the building of the new tunnel of the Elbe tunnel. [Website U4 project, see external links]

tations

U-Bahn stations at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof

Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is not only a central junction with the mainline railway, but also, due to the confluence of three U-Bahn lines and the S-Bahn station, an important interchange for suburban public transport.

Tunnels for the underground railway were constructed at the same time as the Hauptbahnhof itself. The tunnels run under the mainline tracks, which are themselves below street level. The current U3 stops at this station, which, for more clarity, is now known as "Hauptbahnhof Süd". There is also an underground pedestrian tunnel parallel to the U3 line tunnel, which, until its closure in 1991, allowed a quick connection to the mainline platforms.

The unusual width of the vaulted station is due to the fact that it originally housed 4 tracks; the Rothenburgsort line, which was destroyed in World War II and never rebuilt, used to begin here. The tunnels for the U1 were driven under the mainline railway next to the U3 tunnels in 1959. The platform for the U1 lies directly next to the U3 and is accessible via the same station entrances.

The opening of the line U2 lead to the construction of a further underground station "Hauptbahnhof Nord" to serve it. The station is convert|30|m|0 below the surface; in the direction of the Jungfernstieg station, the tunnels pass under the "Aussenalster", an artificial lake. The two outer platforms remain unused since their construction and were originally intended for a planned U-Bahn line between Altona/Lurup and Winterhude/City-Nord. According to current plans, the unused platforms will be used for the new line U4, which is scheduled to connect to the quarter HafenCity via Jungfernstieg by 2011.

ervice information

Services operate with a 5 or 10 minute frequency with the exception of some peripheral stretches that have a 20 minute frequency. Since the timetable change in December 2004 the U-Bahn operates an all-night, 20 minute service on Friday and Saturday nights.

ee also

*S-Bahn Hamburg
*AKN railways plc

References

External links

* [http://www.hochbahn.com/ Hamburger Hochbahn official website] Operator of the Hamburger U-Bahn
* [http://www.hochbahnbuch.de Die Geschichte der Hamburger Hochbahn] Book by André Loop
* [http://www.u4-hamburg.de/main.htm Current and historical Plans for the U4]