The Lugano tramway network ( it, Rete tranviaria di Lugano) was part of the

public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typi ...

network of

Lugano Lugano (, , ; lmo, label= Ticinese, Lugan ) is a city and municipality in Switzerland, part of the Lugano District in the canton of Ticino. It is the largest city of both Ticino and the Italian-speaking southern Switzerland. Lugano has a populat ...

, in the

canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ente ...

Ticino Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, for over half a century. Opened in 1896, the network was progressively replaced by the Lugano trolleybus system by 1959, with one independent line surviving until 1964. The main part of the network was operated by the ''Società luganese dei tramway elettrici'', which, after several subsequent name changes, is now known as the ''

Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi (TPL) is a public transport operator in and around the Swiss city of Lugano. Previously known as the Società luganese dei tramway elettrici, Tranvie elettriche comunali, Azienda comunale del traffico (ACT) and Azienda ...

''. However one route was independently operated as part of the Lugano–Cadro–Dino regional railway.

History

Lugano railway station Lugano railway station ( it, Stazione di Lugano) is the main railway station of the city of Lugano, in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The station is on the Gotthard railway and is also the terminus of the Lugano Città–Stazione funicular. The metr ...

first opened in 1874, and by 1882, Lugano was connected to the north over the

Monte Ceneri Pass Monte Ceneri is a mountain pass in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It connects the Magadino Plain and the Vedeggio Valley across the Lugano Prealps at an elevation of above sea level. It provides the most direct route between the cities ...

Bellinzona Bellinzona ( , , Ticinese ; french: Bellinzone ; german: Bellenz ; rm, Blizuna )is a municipality, a historic Swiss town, and the capital of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The town is famous for its three castles (Castelgrande, Montebell ...

, and the

Gotthard Rail Tunnel , it, Galleria del San Gottardo , other_name = , line = Gotthard Line , location = Traversing the Saint-Gotthard Massif in the middle of the Swiss Alps , coordinates = , os_grid_ref = , status = , system ...

beyond that. The first local transport need in the city was to link the station with the city, which was well above the city in its lakeside location. To that end, the

Lugano Città–Stazione funicular The Lugano Città–Stazione funicular, ''Funicolare Lugano Città–Stazione'', or ''Sassellina'', is a funicular railway in the city of Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The line's upper station is located within the main railway statio ...

was opened in 1886. However further economic development, not least because of the coming of the railway, led to Lugano spreading beyond its original lakeside core, resulting in further need for local transportation. The ''Società luganese dei tramway elettrici'' (Lugano Electric Tramway Company) was responsible for constructing the city's urban tramways, which went into service in 1896. Initially the trams were supplied with electricity at 400 V

three-phase Three-phase electric power (abbreviated 3φ) is a common type of alternating current used in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. It is a type of polyphase system employing three wires (or four including an optional neutral ...

AC. In 1910 the system switched to 1000 V DC. In 1911, the

Lugano–Cadro–Dino railway The Lugano–Cadro–Dino railway ( it, Ferrovia Lugano–Cadro–Dino; LCD) was a Swiss metre gauge suburban railway that linked the towns of Lugano, Cadro and Dino, in the canton of Ticino. The line was opened in 1911. It was long, and was ...

(LCD) opened its regional railway from Piazza Manzoni, on the

Lake Lugano __NOTOC__ Lake Lugano ( it, Lago di Lugano or , from la, Ceresius lacus; lmo, Lagh de Lugan) is a glacial lake which is situated on the border between southern Switzerland and northern Italy. The lake, named after the city of Lugano, is situated ...

waterfront. The first of the line, as far as the line's depot at Lugano La Santa, was laid in the street. In addition to its regional trains, the LCD operated an urban tramway service over these tracks, with tram cars running every 15 minutes. This tram service was independent of the earlier system, although the two systems' tracks did cross each other, and used the same gauge and electrification system. The ''Società luganese dei tramway elettrici'' was taken over by the city of Lugano in 1918 and the name changed to ''Tranvie elettriche comunali'' (Municipal Electric Tramways). At its peak, in 1927, the following municipal routes were operated: By the 1950s the decision had been taken to replace the municipal trams with trolleybuses. The first trolleybus route opened in 1954, and in the same year the ''Tranvie elettriche comunali'' changed its name to the ''Azienda Comunale del Traffico''. The trolleybus system progressively replaced the municipal tramway network, until the last lines were operated in 1959. The independent LCD tram line continued until 1964, when it was replaced by a municipal bus service. The LCD's regional trains continued to use the track until the line was curtailed to Piazza Indipendenza in 1967, and abandoned altogether in 1970.

References

External links

{{portalbar, Trains, Switzerland

Transport in Lugano Lugano, Trams in

History

See also

References

External links