Transport Authority Amsterdam is commissioning authority for the realisation of the Amsteltram project, the first regional tramline in the Metropolitan area of Amsterdam. When completed, it is possible to travel from Uithoorn, a suburban town of 30.000 inhabitants some 10 kilometer south of Amsterdam to Amsterdam South station in little over half an hour. This will partly be designed as a light rail connection with new, comfortable and frequently running vehicles. The line will substitute several bus lines that, due to the increase of road traffic has become less dependable, time consuming and therefore less convenient for daily users.
The Amsteltram project consists of two parts: the refurbishment of the metro 51 Amstelveenlijn and the construction of an extension from the south of neighbouring Amstelveen by a new tramline to the village of Uithoorn. Refurbished from metroline to tramline The switch from a metro to a tram that runs to Amsterdam South is foreseen to go to Amsterdam South station where passengers can transfer to the metro network connecting them to different parts of the city and the suburban areas. From there connections by train in all directions or to urban and regional buses are available.
Main reason for this substitution is that the current metro on street level posed a danger for mostly cyclist and traffic on busy road crossings. The metro trains are less suitable to safely merge with regular road traffic. First regional tramline The Amsteltram will be the first tramline outside the Amsterdam city parameters and will be an impetus for passenger traffic in the south part of the metropolitan region as both the scope, travel times and comfort for the users will be significantly improved.
The consortium is now finishing the design and the Vervoerregio Amsterdam coordinates actions to make sure local procedures for the various zoning plans are duly passed. Vervoerregio is currently compiling a programme of requirements for the tendering by the future service contractor.
The Amsteltram will start operations staged. First on the route between South Station and Amstelveen in the course of 2020, on the second route that still needs to be built – from Amstelveen Westwijk to Uithoorn – the line will be ready to start service by 2023.
For information:
I.Bowem
https://www.amstelveenlijn.nl/english/