VIDEOS
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| Above: YouTubeCA video - Trams in Zurich, Switzerland 2015 - Length: 10:36 mins. | Above: YouTubeCA video - ZURICH TRAMS / Zürich Straßenbahn 2025 - Length: 29:10 mins. | Above: YouTubeCA video - Limmattalbahn in Zürich Altstetten (15.11.2025) - Length: 2:06 mins. |
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| Above: YouTubeCA video - Exploring Zurich's Unique Forchbahn (Line S18) - Length: 15:14 mins. | Above: YouTubeCA video - Exploring the Steepest Standard Gauge Railway in Europe - The Uetliberg Railway Line - Length: 11:22 mins. | Above: YouTubeCA video - Riding Zurich's Historic Polybahn Funicular - Length: 8:48 mins. |
PHOTOS
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MAPS
INSET: CENTRAL ZÜRICH
INSET: LIMMATTAL
ABBREVIATION ON THE MAP
| PT | Polyterrasse |
I created the above maps by overlaying OpenStreetMap (OSM) maps with my own data. Copyright on the OSM maps is © OpenStreetMap contributors, licensed under a CC-BY-SA (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 licence).
Please note that the OSM maps used as templates for these maps correspond to the situation at the time the maps were downloaded and may show features that did not exist at the time the GS Tram Site is supposed to show. In particular, they may show bridges and highways that were built later.
ROUTES
URBAN TRAM ROUTES
Operator: Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ)
| 2 | Schlieren - Farbhof - Albisriederplatz - Staufferacher - Paradeplatz - Bahnhofstrasse - Quaibrücke - Bellevue - Bh. Stadelhofen - Kreuzplatz - Römerhof - Klusplatz |
| 3 | Albisrieden - Albisriederplatz - Staufferacher - Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Central - Kunsthaus (Art Museum) - Römerhof - Klusplatz |
| 4 | Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Central - Limmat Quai - Bellevue - Bahnhof Stadelhofen - Kreuzplatz - Hirslanden - Rehalp |
| 5 | Laubegg - Saalsporthalle - Paradeplatz - Bahnhofstrasse - Quaibrücke - Bellevue - Bh. Stadelhofen |
| 6 | Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Central - ETH/Universitätsspital (ETH/University Hospital) - Platte - Kirche Fluntern - Zoo |
| 7 | Bahnhof Stettbach - Schwamendingen - Milchbuck - Schaffhauserplatz - Central - Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Bahnhofstrasse - Paradeplatz - Bahnhof Enge - Morgental - Wollishofen |
| 8 | Hardturm - Hardturmstrasse - Escher-Wyss-Platz - Hardbrücke - Hardplatz - Helvetiaplatz - Staufferacher - Bahnhof Enge - General-Guisan-Quai - Quaibrücke - Bellevue - Kunsthaus - Platte - Kirche Fluntern |
| 9 | Triemli - Wiedikon - Staufferacher - Paradeplatz - Bahnhofstrasse - Quaibrücke - Bellevue - Kunsthaus (Art Museum) - ETH/Universitätsspital (ETH/University Hospital) - Milchbuck - Schwamendingen - Hirzenbach |
| 10 | Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Central - ETH/Universitätsspital (ETH/University Hospital) - Milchbuck - Messe - Bh. Oerlikon Ost - Leutschenbach - Glattpark - Bh. Glattbrugg - Flughafen Kloten (Zürich Airport) |
| 11 | Central - Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Bahnhofstrasse - Paradeplatz - Bahnhofstrasse - Quaibrücke - Bellevue - Opernhaus (Opera) - Riesbach - Bahnhof Tiefenbrunnen |
| 12 | Bahnhof Stettbach - Giessen - Bahnhof Wallisellen - Auzelg - Glattpark - Bh. Glattbrugg - Flughafen Kloten (Zürich Airport) |
| 13 | Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Bahnhofstrasse - Paradeplatz - Saalsporthalle - Laubegg - Albisgütli |
| 14 | Triemli - Wiedikon - Staufferacher - Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) |
| 15 | Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Central - Limmat Quai - Bellevue - Opernhaus (Opera) - Riesbach - Bahnhof Tiefenbrunnen |
| 17 | Werdhölzli - Hardturm - Hardturmstrasse - Escher-Wyss-Platz - Limmatstrasse - Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Schaffhauserplatz - Bucheggplatz |
| 50* | Auzelg - Glattpark - Leutschenbach - Messe - Bahnhof Oerlikon - Bucheggplatz - Schaffhauserplatz - Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Limmatstrasse - Escher-Wyss-Platz - Höngg - Frankental |
| 51* | Bh. Zürich Altstetten - Pfingstweidstrasse - Hardbrücke - Escher-Wyss-Platz - Limmatstrasse - Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Schaffhauserplatz - Milchbuck - Messe - Bahnhof Oerlikon Ost - Seebach |
* Lines 50 and 51 are "construction lines" (Baulinie) running during the current construction projects.
SUBURBAN TRAM ROUTES
Operator: Sihltal-Zürich-Uetliberg-Bahn (SZU)
| S4 | Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Sihlwald |
| S10 | Hauptbahnhof (Zürich Station) - Uetliberg |
Operator: Aargau Verkehr AG
| S17 | Dietikon - Bremgarten - Wohlen |
| S20 | Bh. Zürich Altstetten - Farbhof - Schlieren - Urdorf Nord - Dietikon - Kreuzacker - Killwangen-Spreitenbach |
Operator: Forchbahn (FB)
| S18 | Bahnhof Stadelhofen - Kreuzplatz - Hirslanden - Rehalp - Forch - Esslingen |
FUNICULARS AND RACK RAILWAYS
Operator: Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (ZVV)
| 23 - Seilbahn Rigiblick | Oberstrass - Rigiblick |
| 24 - Polybahn | Central - Polyterrasse |
Operator: Dolderbahn-Betriebs-AG
| 25 - Dolderbahn | Römerhof - Dolder Bergstation |
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SYSTEM
NETWORK LENGTH
- Urban tramway: 88 km.
- FB: 13 km. (+ 3 km. shared with the city tramway)
- Limmattal: 10.6 km. (+ 2.8 km. shared with the city tramway)
- Wohlen - Dietikon line: 18.8 km.
- SZU: 27 km.
- Seilbahn Rigiblick: 385 m.
- Polybahn: 176 m.
- Dolderbahn: 1.3 km.
HISTORY
- Urban tramways: (horse-drawn): 1882 - 1896; (electric): 1894 - today.
- Forchbahn: (electric): 27 Nov. 1912 - today.
- Limmattal tramway: 1900 - 1955
- Limmattalbahn (electric): 11 Dec. 2022 - today.
- Wohlen - Dietikon line (steam, Wohlen - Bremgarten only) 1 Sept. 1876 - 30 April 1912; (electric): 30 Apr. 1912 - today.
- Sihltalbahn: (steam) 1892 - 1924; (electric) 1924 - today.
- Uetlibergbahn: (steam) 1875 - 1923; (electric) 1923 - today.
- Dolderbahn: (funicular) 1895 - 1973; (rack-railway): 1973 - today.
- Polybahn (funicular): (water-driven) 1889-1897; (electric) 1897 - today.
- Seilbahn Rigiblick (funicular): 1901 - today.
GAUGE
- Urban tramways: 1000 mm.
- Forchbahn / Limmatbahn / Limmat tramway / Wohlen - Dietikon line: 1000 mm.
- Sihltalbahn / Uetlibergbahn: 1435 mm.
- Dolderbahn: 1000 mm.
- Polybahn: 1000 mm.
- Seilbahn Rigiblick: 1000 mm.
TRAM PRESERVATION
The Zürich Tram Museum has a large number of preserved trams. One of these historic trams is run through city streets, April to October, as Museum Tram Line 21.
SOURCES
- Bædeker, K. La Suisse et les parties limitrophes de la Savoie et de l'Italie: Manuel du voyageur Leipzig: Bædeker, 1909.
- Brosteaux, M., Ulmann M. & Wiseman, R. "The trams return to Schwamendingen" Modern Tramway & Light Rail Transit., July 1986 (49:583), p.227-241.
- Buckley, R.J. Tramways and Light Railways of Switzerland and Austria. Milton Keynes (England): Light Rail Transit Association, 1st ed., 1984.
- Buckley, R.J. Tramways and Light Railways of Switzerland and Austria. Milton Keynes (England): Light Rail Transit Association, 2nd ed., 2000.
- Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz / Railatlas Suisse. Köln (Germany): Schweers + Wall, 2004.
- Moglestue, A. "The Cobra rules, all above ground" Tramways & Urban Transit, May 2005 (68:809), p.180-184.
- Moglestue, A. "Glattalbahn: Trams for a new city" Tramways & Urban Transit, Apr. 2009 (72:856), p.142-143.
- Moglestue, A. "Tram Zürich West unlocks regeneration" Tramways & Urban Transit, Aug. 2012 (75:896), p.300-301.
- Moglestue, A. "Zürich: Top city - thanks to light rail" Tramways & Urban Transit, April 2005 (68:808), p.130-134.
- Pulling, N. "Systems Fact File No.133: Zürich, Switzerland" Tramways & Urban Transit, Nov. 2018 (81:971), p.422-428.
- "Systems Fact File No.17: Zürich, Switzerland" Tramways & Urban Transit, Feb. 2009 (72:854), p.59-61.
- Taplin, M. "The Zürich way". In: Light Rail Review 3. London: Light Rail Transit Association, 2001 [p.5-11].
- Thompson, A. "Linking up in Zurich", Tramways & Urban Transit, Aug 2024 (87:1040), p.295-298.
- Thompson, A. "Riding the Limmatbahn" Tramways & Urban Transit, March 2022 (86:1023), p.94-97.
- Trüb, W. Die Zürcher Strassenbahnen. Zürich: Eisenbahn-Amateur (Separatdruck), 1961/1978.
- Wansbeek, C.J. "Zürich plays the tram card again" Light Rail & Modern Tramway, July 1997 (60:715), p.253-255.
- Wyse, W.J. "Tram subways for Zurich" The Modern Tramway, Apr. 1961 (24:280), p.92-96.
WIKIS
- Albisgütlibahn
- Dolderbahn
- Forchbahn
- Glattalbahn
- Limmattal light rail line
- Limmattal tramway
- Polybahn
- S-Bahn Zürich
- Seilbahn Rigiblick
- Sihltal-Zürich-Uetliberg-Bahn
- Sihltalbahn
- Tram Zürich West
- Trams in Zürich
- Uetlibergbahn
- Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich
- Zürcher Verkehrsverbund
WEB SITES
- Die Forchbahn (FB)
- Limmattahlbahn
- Sihltal-Zürich-Uetliberg-Bahn (SZU)
- Üetliberg-Verein
- Verkehrsbetriebe Glattal (VBG)
- Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ)
- Zürcher Verkehrsverbund
- Zurich Tram Museum
Copyright Gabor Sandi 1998-2025
Disclaimer: Everything on this site was written and/or prepared at the author's discretion. The author has tried to be accurate where facts are presented, but this does not mean that these facts are necessarily accurate. People needing more reliable information should refer to appropriate sources presented, on the Internet or elsewhere, by authoritative professional or academic bodies.
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