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The Amsterdam Metro () is a
rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT) or heavy rail, commonly referred to as metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport that is generally built in urban areas. A grade separation, grade separated rapid transit line below ground su ...
system serving
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
,
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, and extending to the surrounding
municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
of
Diemen Diemen () is a town and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality with a population of in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is located approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Amsterdam's Amsterdam ...
and
Ouder-Amstel Ouder-Amstel () is a municipality in the Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the f ...
. Until 2019, it also served the municipality of
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of 95,996 as of 202 ...
, but this route was closed and converted into a tram line. The network is owned by the City of Amsterdam and operated by municipal public transport company Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf (GVB), which also operates trams, free ferries and local buses. The metro system consists of five routes and serves 39 stations, with a total length of . Three routes start at Amsterdam Centraal: Route 53 and Route 54 connect the
city centre A city centre, also known as an urban core, is the Commerce, commercial, Culture, cultural and often the historical, Politics, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely e ...
with the suburban residential towns of
Diemen Diemen () is a town and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality with a population of in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is located approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Amsterdam's Amsterdam ...
, Duivendrecht and
Amsterdam-Zuidoost Amsterdam-Zuidoost (; "Amsterdam-Southeast") is a borough (''stadsdeel'') of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It consists of four residential neighborhoods— Bijlmermeer, Venserpolder, Gaasperdam and Driemond—as well as the Amstel III/ Bullew ...
(the city's southeastern borough), while
Route 51 The following highways are numbered 51: Australia * Kamilaroi Highway * Plenty Road Cambodia *National Road 51 (Cambodia) Canada * Alberta Highway 51 (defunct) * Saskatchewan Highway 51 Cuba * Caimito–Salado Road (2–51) Finland * F ...
first runs south and then follows a circular route connecting the southern and western boroughs. Route 50 connects Zuidoost to the
Amsterdam-West Amsterdam-West () is a Boroughs of Amsterdam, borough (Dutch: ''stadsdeel'') of Amsterdam, Netherlands, to the west of the centre of the city. This borough was formed in 2010 through the merging of four former boroughs Amsterdam Oud-West, Oud West, ...
borough using a circular line, which it shares with Route 51. It is the only route that does not cross the city centre. A fifth route, Route 52, running from the
Amsterdam-Noord Amsterdam-Noord (; ) is a Boroughs of Amsterdam, borough of Amsterdam, Netherlands with a population of about 90,000. The IJ (Amsterdam), IJ, the body of water which separates it from Amsterdam-Centrum and the rest of the city, is situated southwes ...
(''north'') borough to
Amsterdam-Zuid Amsterdam-Zuid (; Amsterdam South) is a Boroughs of Amsterdam, borough (''stadsdeel'') of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The borough was formed in 2010 as a merger of the former boroughs Amsterdam Oud-Zuid, Oud-Zuid and Zuideramstel. The borough has almo ...
(''south'') via Amsterdam Centraal, came into operation on 21 July 2018. As opposed to the other routes, it runs mostly through bored tunnels and does not share tracks with any other route.


History


Planning history

The first plans for an underground railway in Amsterdam date from the 1920s: in November 1922, members of the municipal council of Amsterdam Zeeger Gulden and Emanuel Boekman asked the responsible alderman Ter Haar to study the possibility of constructing an underground railway in the city, in response to which the municipal department of Public Works drafted reports with proposals for underground railways in both 1923 and 1929. These plans stalled in the planning phase, however, and it took until the 1950s for the discussion about underground rail to resurface again in Amsterdam. The post-war population boom and increase in motorized traffic shifted the perception of underground rail transport in Amsterdam considerably: whereas in the 1920s, underground rail had been considered too expensive, halfway through the 1950s it was presented as a realistic solution to the problems caused by increased traffic. In 1955, a report published by the municipal government concerning the inner city of Amsterdam—known by the Dutch title ''Nota Binnenstad''—suggested installing a commission to explore solutions to the traffic problems Amsterdam faced. This commission, which was headed by former director of the department of Public Works J.W. Clerx, was subsequently installed in March 1956, and published its report ''Openbaar vervoer in de agglomeratie Amsterdam'' in 1960. The aldermen and mayor of Amsterdam agreed with the conclusion of the report of the Clerx commission that an underground railway network ought to be built in Amsterdam in the near future. In April 1963 they installed the ''Bureau Stadsspoorweg'' which had the task to study the technical feasibility of a metropolitan railway, to propose a route network, to suggest the preferred order of construction of the various lines, and to study the adverse effects of constructing a metro line, such as traffic disruption and the demolition of buildings. In 1964 and 1965, ''Bureau Stadsspoorweg'' presented four reports to the municipal government of Amsterdam, which were made available to the public on 30 August 1966. In March 1968, the aldermen and mayor of Amsterdam subsequently submitted a proposal to the municipal council of Amsterdam to agree to the construction of the metro network, which the council assented to on 16 May 1968 with 38 votes in favour and 3 against. Under the original plan, four lines were to be built, connecting the entire city and replacing many of the existing
tram A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...
lines. The following lines were planned: an east–west line from the southeast to the Osdorp district via
Amsterdam Centraal railway station Amsterdam Centraal station ( ; Railway stations in the Netherlands, abbreviation: Asd) is the largest railway station in Amsterdam, North Holland, the Netherlands. A major international Rail transport, railway hub, it is used by 192,000 passeng ...
; a circle line from the western harbor area to the suburban town of
Diemen Diemen () is a town and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality with a population of in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is located approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Amsterdam's Amsterdam ...
; a north–south line from the northern district via Amsterdam Centraal to Weteringplantsoen traffic circle, with two branches at both ends; and a second east–west line from Geuzenveld district to Gaasperplas. The system would be constructed gradually and was expected to be completed by the end of the 1990s.


Design and construction

The first part of the original plan to be carried out was the construction of the ''Oostlijn'' (East Line), which started in 1970. The East Line links the city centre with the large-scale
Bijlmermeer The Bijlmermeer (), or colloquially the Bijlmer (), is a neighborhood in the Amsterdam-Zuidoost borough ( Dutch: ''stadsdeel'') in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The other neighborhoods in Amsterdam-Zuidoost are Gaasperdam, Bullewijk, Venserpolder and ...
residential developments in the south-east of the city. It opened in 1977. The East Line starts underground, crossing the city centre and adjacent neighbourhoods in the eastern districts until Amsterdam Amstel railway station, where it continues above ground in southeastern direction. At Van der Madeweg metro station, the line splits into two branches: the Gein Branch for Route 54 and Gaasperplas Branch for Route 53. Since 1980, the northern terminus for both routes is
Amsterdam Centraal railway station Amsterdam Centraal station ( ; Railway stations in the Netherlands, abbreviation: Asd) is the largest railway station in Amsterdam, North Holland, the Netherlands. A major international Rail transport, railway hub, it is used by 192,000 passeng ...
. Ben Spangberg, an architect from the
Government of Amsterdam A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a m ...
, was asked to design the stations on the line. After two years of work, he told that it was too much for one person, and was assigned to the project as well. Spangberg said that they avoided sharp corners and used smooth designs instead. He wanted to have elevators in all stations, but initially wasn't allowed due to cost issues and because
Nederlandse Spoorwegen (, , NS ) is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands. It is a Dutch state-owned company founded in 1938. The rail infrastructure is maintained by network manager ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003. Freight operato ...
didn't want to stay behind. After further discussions, the architects were permitted to design two elevator shafts, with only one of them active. Construction on the tunnels started while the stations were still being designed. The architects frequently visited the construction sites to instruct the workers to do something specific to allow for possible changes in the future. Most underground areas of the line were built by using long caissons. The caissons were built on the spot and lowered into their place by blasting away the soil beneath. This method required the demolition the houses above the tunnel. The Wibautstraat station and the tunnels near it were constructed differently, using the cut-and-cover method. During the construction of the metro tunnel, the decision to demolish the
Nieuwmarkt Nieuwmarkt (; ) is a square in the centre of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The surrounding area is known as the Lastage neighborhood. It is situated in the borough of Amsterdam-Centrum. The square is considered part of Amsterdam's Chinatown, next ...
neighbourhood in the city centre led to strong protests in the spring of 1975 from action groups consisting of locals and members of the highly active Amsterdam
squatting Squatting is the action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building (usually residential) that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. The United Nations estimated in 2003 that there wer ...
movement. Wall decorations at the
Nieuwmarkt metro station Nieuwmarkt is an underground metro station in the city centre of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Served by metro lines 51, 53, and 54 of the Amsterdam Metro, the station was constructed by sinking Caisson (engineering), caissons with a length of . Thi ...
are a reference to the protests, which are known as the Nieuwmarkt riots (''Nieuwmarktrellen''). Despite the protests, construction of the metro line continued but plans to build a highway through the area were abandoned. In addition, the original plans for an east–west metro line were cancelled. One of the sites where this line was to connect with the East Line had already been built underneath Weesperplein station. This lower level of Weesperplein station was never opened to the public, but its existence can still be noticed by the elevator buttons. Since the East Line was planned and built during the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, Weesperplein station also features a bomb shelter which has never been used as such.


Later lines

In 1990, the ''Amstelveenlijn'' (Amstelveen Line) was opened, which is used for
Route 51 The following highways are numbered 51: Australia * Kamilaroi Highway * Plenty Road Cambodia *National Road 51 (Cambodia) Canada * Alberta Highway 51 (defunct) * Saskatchewan Highway 51 Cuba * Caimito–Salado Road (2–51) Finland * F ...
. Under a political compromise between the city of Amsterdam and the municipality of
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of 95,996 as of 202 ...
, the northern section of the line was built as a metro line while the southern section is an extended tram line. Therefore, Route 51 was originally referred to as a 'sneltram' (express tram) service, and the vehicles were manufactured to light rail standards. The changeover between
third rail A third rail, also known as a live rail, electric rail or conductor rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive or train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a track (r ...
and overhead tramline power took place at Zuid Station. From March 2019 onwards, the Amstelveenlijn as a ''sneltram'' ceased to exist, and is being replaced by a
tram A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...
line terminating at Zuid station, including a €300 million rebuild of the original line. For connection to the metro, passengers will have to transfer at Zuid station. Line number 51 was retained for a new circular line between Isolatorweg and Central Station. In 1997, the ''Ringlijn'' (Ring Line), which is used for Route 50, was added to the system. The line provides a rapid transit connection between the south and the west of the city, eliminating the necessity of crossing the city centre. In 2018, the ''Noord-Zuidlijn'' (North–South Line) was added to the network. The line provides a fast connection from the north of the IJ waterway to the south of Amsterdam.


Network

From 1997 to 2018 the Amsterdam metro system consisted of four metro routes. The oldest routes are Route 54 (from Centraal station to Gein) and Route 53 (from Centraal station to Gaasperplas). Both routes are using the ''Oostlijn'' (East Line) infrastructure, which was completed in 1977. Route 51 (from Centraal station to Amstelveen Westwijk), using part of the East Line as well as the ''Amstelveenlijn'' (Amstelveen Line), was added in 1990. Route 50 (from Isolatorweg to Gein) using the ''Ringlijn'' (Ring Line or Circle Line), which was completed in 1997, as well as part of the East Line infrastructure. A fifth line, Route 52 (from Noord station to Zuid station), was added to the network operating the ''Noord-Zuidlijn'' (North–South Line), which was completed and opened on 21 July 2018. There are 33 full metro stations, Since Route 52 on the new North-South Line opened, six additional stations and of route have been added to the metro system, yielding a new combined network length of . In 2019, sneltram Route 51 no longer operates into the metro network. The southern sneltram portion was closed for conversion to be incorporated into the tram network.


East Line (Routes 53 and 54)


Route

On 14 October 1977, the first metro train ran on the ''Oostlijn'' (East Line) from Weesperplein to
Amsterdam-Zuidoost Amsterdam-Zuidoost (; "Amsterdam-Southeast") is a borough (''stadsdeel'') of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It consists of four residential neighborhoods— Bijlmermeer, Venserpolder, Gaasperdam and Driemond—as well as the Amstel III/ Bullew ...
, with two branches respectively going to Gaasperplas (now Route 53) and Holendrecht (now Route 54). Spaklerweg station was completed as a shell, but opened later. On 11 October 1980, both routes were extended to
Amsterdam Centraal Station Amsterdam Centraal station ( ; Railway stations in the Netherlands, abbreviation: Asd) is the largest railway station in Amsterdam, North Holland, the Netherlands. A major international Rail transport, railway hub, it is used by 192,000 passeng ...
, which is now their northern terminus. The Gein Branch was extended in the southern direction on 27 August 1982, when the section between Holendrecht and Gein was completed. Spaklerweg station was then opened. In some plans for the Gein Branch, an extension to
Weesp Weesp () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and an urban area in the Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of Amsterdam in the Provinces of the netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands. It had a populati ...
and
Almere Almere () is a Planned community, planned List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Flevoland, Netherlands across the IJmeer fro ...
was being considered. According to the most recent regional planning study, that now seems unlikely.


Architecture

A notable part of the East Line infrastructure is a dual metro overpass on the Gaasperplas Branch in the
Bijlmermeer The Bijlmermeer (), or colloquially the Bijlmer (), is a neighborhood in the Amsterdam-Zuidoost borough ( Dutch: ''stadsdeel'') in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The other neighborhoods in Amsterdam-Zuidoost are Gaasperdam, Bullewijk, Venserpolder and ...
district between Ganzenhoef and Kraaiennest stations. This long colonnade contains two single crossovers, each consisting of 33 pillars carrying long beams. The center-to-center distance between the two overpasses is . This exceptional height was necessary because the metro had to bridge the main thoroughfares in the Bijlmermeer district which were built on a system of raised embankments and viaducts. The stations, the infrastructure and the Diemen-Zuid maintenance facility of the East Line were designed by Ben Spängberg and Sier van Rhijn, two architects at the former Public Works Department of the City of Amsterdam. Their designs in
Brutalist Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the b ...
style are characterized by large-scale application of bare concrete and excessive space in the underground station halls. It also included a sophisticated use of colour. For example, the red colour of the train doors in the original design was also used at major facilities such as billboards, gates, elevator doors, bins, and the platform signage. For the design of the entire East Line Spängberg and Van Rhijn received Merkelbach Award in 1979. The East Line was also awarded the ''Betonprijs'' (Concrete Award) in 1981, which is commemorated by the award plaques in the concourses of Centraal station and Gein station. As part of the city's policy that one percent of construction budgets for public works had to be spent on art, all stations on the ''Oostlijn'' have been decorated by different artists. In addition, the western wall of the tunnel was painted with lines and patterns which altered between the two stations, providing passengers with a fascinating view during the ride. Over the years, these decorations have completely been covered with graffiti. Some of the station artworks have also disappeared. Plans to remove all artworks as part of the large-scale renovation of the East Line tunnel in 2012 were altered after citizens' protests stating their historical significance.


Renovation

Over the years, several stations along the East Line were expanded or renovated. Since 2003, the metro station at
Amsterdam Centraal station Amsterdam Centraal station ( ; Railway stations in the Netherlands, abbreviation: Asd) is the largest railway station in Amsterdam, North Holland, the Netherlands. A major international Rail transport, railway hub, it is used by 192,000 passeng ...
has been continuously under construction in order to accommodate the new North–South Line station. As part of commercial development of the area surrounding the
Amsterdam Arena The Johan Cruyff Arena ( ; officially stylised as Johan Cruijff ArenA) is the main stadium of the Dutch capital city of Amsterdam and the home stadium of association football, football club AFC Ajax, Ajax since its opening. Built from 1993 to ...
football stadium, which included a new major business and shopping district, the Bijlmer Arena station was substantially enlarged in order to handle the increasing number of passengers. The new station, designed by Grimshaw and Arcadis Articon Architects, opened in 2007 and was shortlisted for the
Stirling Prize The Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize is a British prize for excellence in architecture. It is named after the architect James Stirling, organised and awarded annually by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The ...
of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Another East Line station, Kraaiennest on Route 53, was reconstructed and upgraded in 2013 as part of the major urban renewal efforts in the
Bijlmermeer The Bijlmermeer (), or colloquially the Bijlmer (), is a neighborhood in the Amsterdam-Zuidoost borough ( Dutch: ''stadsdeel'') in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The other neighborhoods in Amsterdam-Zuidoost are Gaasperdam, Bullewijk, Venserpolder and ...
district. The station designed by Maccreanor Lavington features a stainless steel facade with a floral design, which, according to the architects, "allows the station to be a lantern for the local neighbourhood, creating a sense of warmth on street level and creating an instantly recognisable feature for the station" at night time. The design was awarded the 2014 EU
Stirling Prize The Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize is a British prize for excellence in architecture. It is named after the architect James Stirling, organised and awarded annually by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The ...
. A major overhaul of sixteen East Line stations was announced in June 2014. The renovation works taking place from 2015 until 2017 should bring more light and space to the stations. By removing paint layers on the walls, the original
Brutalist architecture Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by Minimalism (art), minimalist constructions th ...
will become more pronounced. In addition, disused ticket offices are to be removed and lighting and signage will be improved.


Amstelveen Line (former route 51)


History

Following the Nieuwmarkt Riots in 1975, the next major expansion of the metro network into the bordering city of
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of 95,996 as of 202 ...
was politically sensitive. When the decision was made to begin construction of the ''Amstelveenlijn'' (Amstelveen Line) in 1984, it was originally considered an express tram service rather than a fully-fledged metro route. On 1 December 1990 the section running from Spaklerweg to Poortwachter Station in
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of 95,996 as of 202 ...
was completed. As the sensitivity surrounding the metro expansion waned in the 1990s, the route was increasingly being referred to as a metro service. On 13 September 2004 an extension to Amstelveen Westwijk was completed. Originally, the entire route of the Amstelveen Line from Spaklerweg, where it connects with the East Line, to
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of 95,996 as of 202 ...
was to be powered via overhead wiring. Eventually, it was decided to use a
third rail A third rail, also known as a live rail, electric rail or conductor rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive or train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a track (r ...
between Spaklerweg and Zuid station in order to be able to increase metro service on this section of the line during exhibitions at the
RAI (), commercially styled as since 2000 and known until 1954 as (RAI), is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many terrestrial and subscription television channels a ...
convention centre, and overhead wiring on the southern section into
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of 95,996 as of 202 ...
. The line was officially opened on 30 November 1990, replacing the overcrowded bus route 67. The equipment, lightrail series S1 and S2, was built between 1990 and 1994 by Belgian manufacturer BN in Bruges. From 1994, a total of 25 light rail vehicles was in operation. Since the extension to Westwijk in 2004, a number of S3 series trains are sometimes used on this route, raising the total number of vehicles available to 29. Shortly before the opening, two lightrail vehicles had collided during trial runs, which reduced the number of vehicles available for the route to 11. Because of the lack of equipment and startup problems, the route was initially operated with limited service. In February 1991 heavy snowfall, continuing technical problems and equipment shortages led to the decision to limit the route to the route between Centraal Station and Zuid Station for nearly seven months, with replacement bus services on the remaining route into
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of 95,996 as of 202 ...
. In 2018, after the completion of the ''Noord-Zuidlijn'' (North–South Line), there would be no more room at Amsterdam Zuid station for Route 51 to continue as express tram service into
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of 95,996 as of 202 ...
. According to a long-term regional planning study of 2011, the ''Amstelveenlijn'' was to be upgraded to a fully-fledged metro service. On 12 March 2013, however, the regional council of the City Region of Amsterdam decided that Route 51 would be replaced by an improved express tram service running from Westwijk to Zuid Station and a separate metro service running from Zuid Station and Amstel Station. Passengers from
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of 95,996 as of 202 ...
would then be required to change at Zuid Station to the metro route for
Amstel The Amstel () is a river in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It flows from the Aarkanaal and Drecht in Nieuwveen northwards, passing Uithoorn, Amstelveen, and Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, to the IJ in Amsterdam, to which the rive ...
or to the new Route 52 for Centraal Station. It was also decided that Tram Route 5 would run between
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands, with a population of 95,996 as of 202 ...
and
Westergasfabriek The Westergasfabriek is a former gasworks in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, now used as a cultural venue. History In the 19th century the Imperial Continental Gas Association (ICGA) built four coal gas plants in Amsterdam: the Eastern Gas Factory, ...
. Conversion of the southern section of the Amstelveen Line to tram operation started in 2016. On 3 March 2019, the Amstelveen branch (the hybrid metro/tram line) was cut from route 51 as the tunnel connecting the metro line with the tram network had to make way for an underground section of the A10 motorway. In December 2020, the Amstelveen Line would become tram line 25.


Route

From Centraal Station to Amsterdam Zuid station, Route 51 ran as a full metro service and had no at-grade intersections. The light-rail vehicles on the line were powered by a
third rail A third rail, also known as a live rail, electric rail or conductor rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive or train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a track (r ...
with the line being suitable for wide trams. The BN vehicles, however, had a width of which was the maximum width on the southern section of the line between Zuid Station and Westwijk. In order to bridge the gap between the trains and the platforms in northern section, the vehicles were equipped with retractable footboards at the doors. In addition, the vehicles were equipped with pantographs in order to retrieve power from the overhead wiring on the southern section. From Zuid Station to Westwijk, the route operated as an express tram service. On the northern half of this section, Route 51 shared tracks with Line 5 of the tramway, with dual height platforms provided at the stops shared by both lines. Since 3 March 2019, the Amstelveen section of route 51 has been discontinued. Line 51 was upgraded to a full metro line and now runs between Central Station and Isolatorweg. Since December 2020, tram line 25 has been serving the route from Zuid Station to Westwijk.


Ring Line (Route 50)

Opened on 1 June 1997, the ''Ringlijn'' (Ring Line or Circle Line) is entirely built on embankments and viaducts, and has no level crossings. The line was initially for political reasons called "express circle tram", but since the opening of the Ring Line the transit service on the line is referred to as a Metro Route 50 (from Gein to Isolatorweg). Because it was originally considered a tram line, the light rail vehicle width of 2,65 meters was to be applied; the width that was also used on the Amstelveen Line. The new "trams" (Series M4 and S3) have retractable running boards to bridge the space between the vehicle and the platform at existing stations. Since Route 50 proved hugely popular, the express tram vehicles were insufficient to handle the number of passengers. Instead of ordering additional vehicles, in 2000 the city of Amsterdam decided to adjust the platforms at the stations between Amstelveenseweg and Isolatorweg, whereby the older rolling stock (M1, M2 and M3) serving on the East Line could also serve on the Ring Line. Such an operation was already taken into account during the construction of the stations.


North–South line (Route 52)

In 2002, the construction of the ''Noord/Zuidlijn'' (North–South line) was started. The new metro line is the first to serve the Amsterdam North district, via a tunnel under the IJ. From there, it runs via Amsterdam Centraal to Amsterdam Zuid, which is planned to become the second biggest transport hub in the city, after Amsterdam Centraal. The line includes a mixture of bored tunnels and immersed tunnels under the IJ. The construction programme experienced several difficulties, mainly at Amsterdam Centraal, resulting in the project running more than 40% over budget and the opening being delayed several times. The project initially had a budget of €1.46 billion, but after several setbacks the total cost estimate has been adjusted to €3.1 billion (at 2009 prices). The original planned opening was for 2011, but eventually the line was opened on 21 July 2018. The North–South line might be extended to
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Amsterdam Airport Schiphol , known informally as Schiphol Airport (, ), is the main international airport of the Netherlands, and is one of the major hubs for the SkyTeam airline alliance. It is located southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipal ...
in the future. In August 2014, it was announced that the line was to be equipped with 4G mobile phone coverage, to be funded jointly by the major mobile phone operators.


Planned expansion

The tram line to
IJburg IJburg () is a residential neighbourhood under construction in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is situated in the IJmeer and is being built on artificial islands which have been raised from the lake. The Haveneiland, Rieteilanden, Steigereiland and C ...
in the east was originally planned to be a metro line. For this reason, a short tunnel was constructed eastwards from Centraal Station underneath the railway lines. As this line was eventually constructed for tram services, the tunnel was abandoned, and there are plans to use it as part of a chocolate museum. There are still plans for the tram to IJburg to be upgraded to metro and connect to the nearby city of
Almere Almere () is a Planned community, planned List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Flevoland, Netherlands across the IJmeer fro ...
. On completion of the north–south metro line, Amsterdam Municipality announced it was analysing a possible east–west line at a projected cost of €7 billion. In January 2019, CEO of
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Amsterdam Airport Schiphol , known informally as Schiphol Airport (, ), is the main international airport of the Netherlands, and is one of the major hubs for the SkyTeam airline alliance. It is located southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipal ...
Dick Benschop announced that agreements had been reached to extend the north–south line to the airport and
Hoofddorp Hoofddorp (; ) is the main town of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands. In 2021, the population was 77,885. The town was founded in 1853, immediately after the Haarlemmermeer had been drained. Hi ...
. In June 2019, the province of North Holland outlined plans to extend the metro to
Zaandam Zaandam () is a city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is the main city of the municipality of Zaanstad and received City rights in the Netherlands, city rights in 1811. It is located on the river Zaan ...
and
Purmerend Purmerend () is a city and municipality in the west of the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The city is surrounded by polders, such as the Purmer, Beemster and the Wormer. Purmerend's population grew relatively slowly until the 1960s ...
along with Schiphol and Hoofddorp. A station box has already been constructed for a potential underground station in Sixhaven, on the north–south line between Noorderpark and Centraal, to be opened at a later date.


Technology


Rolling stock

As of January 2016, there are 90
electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number o ...
train sets in use within the Amsterdam Metro system. All use
standard gauge A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of . The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson), international gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge, normal gauge in Europe, and SGR in East Africa. It is the ...
track and operate on a 750 V DC
third rail A third rail, also known as a live rail, electric rail or conductor rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive or train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a track (r ...
electrification system.


M1/M2/M3

The original, first-generation fleet consisted of types M1, M2 and M3, designed as four-axle, two-car sets manufactured by the German firm
Linke-Hofmann-Busch Alstom Transport Deutschland, formerly Linke-Hofmann-Busch, is a German manufacturing company originally established in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) to produce locomotives and rolling stock. Its origins lay in the wheelwright business of Gott ...
and delivered between 1973 and 1980. These first-generation trains are nicknamed ''zilvermeeuw'' (
herring gull Herring gull is a common name for several birds in the genus ''Larus'', all formerly treated as a single species. Three species are still combined in some taxonomies: * American herring gull (''Larus smithsonianus'') - North America * European h ...
) because of their body of unpainted
steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...
creating a
silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
y look. In 2009, all trains were provided with a new interior design by different artists. As they are built to full metro
carrying capacity The carrying capacity of an ecosystem is the maximum population size of a biological species that can be sustained by that specific environment, given the food, habitat, water, and other resources available. The carrying capacity is defined as the ...
, they were used mainly on the east line services, Routes 53 and 54, with occasional use on Route 50. As they neared the end of their life cycle and spare parts no longer became available, the entire fleet of M1-M3 trains was gradually taken out of service permanently from 2012 to 2015, being replaced by the modern M5 trains. The last unit (No. 23) was retired after a farewell tour on 19 December 2015 and has been preserved as a heritage train. All the other units have been scrapped, with the last of these being scrapped in December 2015.


S1/S2 and S3/M4

Until the arrival of the new M5 units, the remainder of the fleet consisted of smaller, narrower two section, 6-axle units that could operate both on the main metro network and the light rail ("sneltram") line to Amstelveen. Types S1 and S2, manufactured by
La Brugeoise et Nivelles La Brugeoise et Nivelles, later BN Constructions Ferroviaires et Métalliques, was a Belgian manufacturer of railway locomotives and other rolling stock; it was formed by a merger of two companies: La Brugeoise et Nicaise et Delcuve and Les Ate ...
in Belgium, were the first units to be produced for use on this new line. In service since 1990, they currently operate exclusively on Route 51, although they could technically also be used on other lines though this has never been done. These vehicles are equipped with both third rail shoes and
pantograph A pantograph (, from their original use for copying writing) is a Linkage (mechanical), mechanical linkage connected in a manner based on parallelograms so that the movement of one pen, in tracing an image, produces identical movements in a se ...
s, along with retractable footboards to bridge the gap between the trains and the platforms on sections built to full metro standards. They are due to be withdrawn by 2020 with the conversion of the Amstelveen line to express tram service. Types M4 and S3 were built by CAF in Spain to expand the fleet and have been in service since 1997. Type M4 was built for the new Ring Line service to Isolatorweg and is hence only third rail equipped. They mainly operate on Route 50 but can also be found on Routes 53 and 54, but never on route 51 due to their lack of pantographs. Four vehicles of the same design, designated type S3, have been equipped with pantographs to also serve on Route 51, but these rarely appear on other lines. As the platforms on the Ring Line were originally built to a smaller
loading gauge A loading gauge is a diagram or physical structure that defines the maximum height and width dimensions in railway vehicles and their loads. Their purpose is to ensure that rail vehicles can pass safely through tunnels and under bridges, and k ...
than those on Routes 53 and 54, M4 and S3 sets were also equipped with retractable footboards to permit boarding on the section that Route 50 shares with Route 54. When the platforms on the Ring Line were narrowed to accommodate the older but wider M1-M3 sets, the boards were permanently removed on all M4 sets, but not on the S3 sets due to the limited loading gauge of the Amstelveen line.


M5

A newer addition to the Amsterdam Metro fleet is the M5 series, manufactured by the Polish manufacturer Alstom Konstal based on its
Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural area for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big city b ...
family of high-capacity metro trains, variants of which are in use in several foreign metro systems. Delivered from June 2013 onwards, the M5 series departs radically from previous generation units by coming in six-car
articulated An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent coupling in its construction. This coupling works as a large pivot joint, allowing it to bend and turn more sharply. There are many kinds, from heavy equipment to buse ...
sets with
gangway connection A gangway connection or corridor connection is a flexible connector fitted to the end of a railway coach, enabling passengers to move between coaches without danger of falling from the train. Origins: Coaches in British and American railways Th ...
s between all cars. Although the trains are suitable for unmanned service, they remain controlled by drivers for the time being. However, the trains are compatible with Alstom's "Urbalis"
communications-based train control Communications-based train control (CBTC) is a railway signaling system that uses telecommunications between the train and track equipment for traffic management and infrastructure control. CBTC allows a train's position to be known more accura ...
system which will replace the current signalling system by 2017 and enable
automatic train operation Automatic train operation (ATO) is a method of operating trains automatically where the driver is not required or is required for supervision at most. Alternatively, ATO can be defined as a subsystem within the automatic train control, which pe ...
across the entire network. The M4 sets have been similarly equipped with this system in early 2016. The initial order of 28 M5 metro sets, each carrying up to 1,000 passengers, was placed to replace all M1-M3 sets on the East Line as well as to increase overall capacity on the generally overstretched metro network. As such, they are used on all routes except Route 51. For Route 52 on the North–South Line an option was taken on a second series of 12 trains which was originally designated M6. However, the GVB now refers to all trains of this type as the M5 series.


M7

The newest addition to the Amsterdam Metro fleet is the M7 series, manufactured by the Spanish manufacturer CAF, which entered passenger service on February 28, 2023. Onwards, the M7 series departs radically from previous generation M5 units by coming in three-car
articulated An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent coupling in its construction. This coupling works as a large pivot joint, allowing it to bend and turn more sharply. There are many kinds, from heavy equipment to buse ...
sets with
gangway connection A gangway connection or corridor connection is a flexible connector fitted to the end of a railway coach, enabling passengers to move between coaches without danger of falling from the train. Origins: Coaches in British and American railways Th ...
s between all cars. The initial order of 30 M7 metro sets, was placed to replace all S1-S2 in 2024, and S3-M4 in 2027. As such, they are used on line 50, and later on 53 and 54.


Summary


Ticketing system

The ''
OV-chipkaart The OV-chipkaart (, short for ''openbaar vervoer chipkaart'' , meaning ''public transport chipcard'') is a contactless smart card and integrated ticketing system used for all public transport in the Netherlands. First introduced in the Rotterda ...
'', a nationwide
contactless smart card A contactless smart card is a contactless credential whose dimensions are credit card size. Its embedded integrated circuits can store (and sometimes process) data and communicate with a terminal via NFC. Commonplace uses include transit ticket ...
system, is the only valid form of ticket on the metro system. It replaced the so-called '' strippenkaart'' system on 27 August 2009, after the two systems had run parallel since 2006. Ticket barriers have been installed in all metro stations, with free-standing card readers where platforms are shared with train or tram lines. Amstelveen Line light rail stations are only equipped with free-standing card readers.


Graphic design

Signage on the Amsterdam metro system has featured multiple designs stemming from different eras. The original 1974 signage uses the M.O.L.
typeface A typeface (or font family) is a design of Letter (alphabet), letters, Numerical digit, numbers and other symbols, to be used in printing or for electronic display. Most typefaces include variations in size (e.g., 24 point), weight (e.g., light, ...
, which was specially designed for the metro by Gerard Unger. The openings within the letters are larger than normal in order to improve the letters' legibility when illuminated. The name M.O.L. refers to the Dutch word ''mol'' which means
mole Mole (or Molé) may refer to: Animals * Mole (animal) or "true mole" * Golden mole, southern African mammals * Marsupial mole Marsupial moles, the Notoryctidae family, are two species of highly specialized marsupial mammals that are found i ...
in English. The idea to use a mole as the mascot for the metro was rejected by city authorities. Other versions are the 1991 version found on the Amstelveen Line, the 1995 version found mainly on Ring Line and the 2009 version which has replaced earlier versions at many stations. In 2016 the City Region of Amsterdam commissioned a new signage system and logo in an effort to harmonize all of the signage and wayfinding elements across all metro lines, in time for the renovation of the East Line and opening of the North-South Line. The new design is based on the already-existing R-net branding, though somewhat modified. It uses the Profile typeface and harks back to the original Unger design by using blue, white and red design elements. All of the wayfinding systems commissioned after the original 1974 one are designed by Mijksenaar. File:UngerM.O.L.JPG, 1974 original design at Diemen Zuid station, featuring M.O.L. typeface File:Amstelveen - Beneluxbaan bij tramhalte Zonnestein - panoramio.jpg, 1991 style sign at Zonnestein station File:Isolatorweg1.jpg, 1995 style sign at Isolatorweg station File:Amst bijlmer arena haltebord.JPG, 2009 style sign at Bijlmer ArenA station File:NoordZuidLijn Metrostation Vijzelgracht hnapel 012.jpg, 2016 style sign at Vijzelgracht station


Communications

A communications backbone for the Amsterdam Metro was installed by
Thales Thales of Miletus ( ; ; ) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek Pre-Socratic philosophy, pre-Socratic Philosophy, philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. Thales was one of the Seven Sages of Greece, Seven Sages, founding figure ...
, which is also responsible for associated maintenance.


Map


See also

* Transport in Amsterdam *
Trams in Amsterdam The Amsterdam Tram ( ŒÉ‘mstəɹˈdÉ‘msÉ™ tɾɛm is a tram network in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It dates back to 1875 and since 1943 has been operated by municipal public transport operator Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf (GVB), which also runs the A ...
* Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf (GVB)


Notes


References

* * *


External links

*
GVB – official website
{{Amsterdam Public Transport navbox Railway lines opened in 1977 1977 establishments in the Netherlands 600 V DC railway electrification 750 V DC railway electrification Diemen Ouder-Amstel