View source for Rotterdam Metro

{{Short description|Rapid transit system in Rotterdam, Netherlands}}
{{Infobox public transit
| box_width = auto
| name = Rotterdam Metro
| image = RET metro logo.svg
| imagesize = 120px
| image2 = File:Metrostation Wilhelminaplein perron 2012.jpg
| imagesize2 = 320px
| caption2 = [[Wilhelminaplein metro station]], Lines D and E
| native_name = ''Rotterdamse metro''
| owner = 
| locale = [[Rotterdam]], [[Netherlands]]
| transit_type = [[Rapid transit]] and [[light rail]]
| lines = 5
| stations = 71
| annual_ridership = 96 million (2018)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://retjaarverslag.nl/directieverslag/operationele-terugblik | title=Operationele terugblik }}</ref>
| website = {{url|https://www.ret.nl/en|RET}} {{in lang|en}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corporate.ret.nl/over-ret.html|title=Over RET - RET|access-date=2014-05-03|archive-date=2013-11-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131125002812/http://corporate.ret.nl/over-ret.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| began_operation = 9 February 1968
| operator = [[Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram|RET]]
| marks = 
| vehicles = 167<ref name="figures">{{cite web |url=https://corporate.ret.nl/over-ret/materieel |title=Over RET - Materieel |publisher=[[Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram|RET]] |language=nl |trans-title=About RET - Vehicles |access-date=2020-03-12 |archive-date=2020-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610014350/https://corporate.ret.nl/over-ret/materieel |url-status=live }}</ref>
| system_length = {{convert|103.1|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| track_gauge = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}
| el = {{750 V DC}} [[third rail]]/[[overhead line]]
| map = [[File:Metro Rotterdam future.svg|300px]]<br>{{Rotterdam Metro route diagram}}
| map_state = collapsed
| top_speed = {{cvt|100|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
}}

The '''Rotterdam Metro''' ({{langx|nl|Rotterdamse metro}}) is a [[rapid transit]] system operated in [[Rotterdam]], [[Netherlands]] and [[Rijnmond|surrounding municipalities]] by [[Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram|RET]]. The first line, called ''Noord – Zuidlijn'' (North – South line) opened in 1968 and ran from [[Rotterdam Centraal station|Centraal Station]] to [[Zuidplein metro station|Zuidplein]], crossing the river [[Nieuwe Maas]] in a tunnel. It was the first [[rapid transit|metro]] system to open in the [[Netherlands]]. At the time it was also one of the shortest metro lines in the world with a length of only {{convert|5.9|km|mi|abbr=on}}.

In 1982 a second line was opened, the ''Oost – Westlijn'' (East – West line), running between [[Capelsebrug metro station|Capelsebrug]] and [[Coolhaven metro station|Coolhaven]] stations. In the late 1990s, the lines were named after two historic [[Rotterdam]] [[citizens]], the Erasmus Line (North – South) after [[Erasmus|Desiderius Erasmus]] and the Caland Line (East – West) after [[Pieter Caland]]. As of December 2009, these names were dropped again in favour of a combination of letters and colours, to emphasise and clarify the difference between the separate branches, especially of the former East – West line.

==Lines==
{{See also|List of Rotterdam Metro stations}}

===Lines A and B===
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2024}}
In the northeast of Rotterdam, Lines A and B branch to [[Binnenhof metro station|Binnenhof]] (Line A) and to [[Nesselande metro station|Nesselande]] (Line B). The latter has been extended since September 2005; before that date, this line terminated at [[De Tochten metro station|De Tochten]].

North of [[Capelsebrug metro station|Capelsebrug station]] and west of [[Schiedam Centrum station]], with the exception of the De Tochten-Nesselande section, Lines A and B have some [[level crossing]]s (with priority), and could therefore be called [[Medium-capacity rail system|light rail]] instead of metro. These sections also have [[overhead wires]], while most of the system has a [[third rail]] (the other exception is Line E ([[RandstadRail]]) to The Hague). However, the term light rail is not used in Rotterdam; most people just call these branches metro.

As of 30 September 2019 Line B is connected to the [[Schiedam–Hoek van Holland railway]] line, extending the metro network to [[Hook of Holland]] (Hoek van Holland), while line A operates on this line as far as [[Vlaardingen West metro station|Vlaardingen West]], starting 1 November 2019.

===Line C===
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2024}}[[File:Metrostation Pernis.jpg|[[Pernis metro station]]|thumb]]
[[File:Metrostation Troelstralaan.jpg|[[Troelstralaan metro station]]|thumb]]
At Capelsebrug, Line C branches off the main East-West section to [[De Terp metro station|De Terp]] in [[Capelle aan den IJssel]]. Until November 2002, the Calandlijn (now lines A, B and C) terminated in the west of Rotterdam, at [[Marconiplein metro station|Marconiplein]]. On 4 November 2002 an extension through the city of [[Schiedam]] towards [[Spijkenisse]] was opened. The extension included four new stations in Schiedam (including [[Schiedam Centrum station]]) and one in [[Pernis, Netherlands|Pernis]]. Line C joins Line D at the [[Tussenwater metro station|Tussenwater station]] in [[Hoogvliet]]. Line A and B branch off to the Schiedam-Hoek van Holland railway, while Line C trains continue and, like those on the Line D, terminate at [[De Akkers metro station|De Akkers station]] in Spijkenisse.

===Line D===
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2024}}[[File:RET Metro Type SG2-1 op De Akkers.jpg|[[De Akkers metro station]]|thumb]]
Line D runs from [[Rotterdam Centraal station|Rotterdam Centraal]] via [[Beurs metro station|Beurs]], [[Slinge metro station|Slinge]], [[Rhoon metro station|Rhoon]], [[Tussenwater metro station|Tussenwater]], and [[Spijkenisse Centrum metro station|Spijkenisse Centrum]] towards [[De Akkers metro station|De Akkers]].

Line D intersects with Lines A, B and C at Beurs station. Before the connection with Line E at Rotterdam Centraal was realized in December 2011, some Line D trains terminated at Slinge during rush hours.

===Line E===
[[File:Metrostration Blijdorp Rotterdam 2.jpg|thumb|[[Blijdorp RandstadRail station]]]]
Line E is a direct conversion of the former ''[[Hofpleinlijn]]'' from a railway line to a rapid transit line in 2006. The section of the route between [[Den Haag Laan van NOI railway station|Laan van NOI]] and [[Leidschendam-Voorburg RandstadRail station|Leidschendam-Voorburg]] is shared with light rail vehicles on two routes from the [[Trams in The Hague|Hague tram network]] heading towards [[Zoetermeer]] via the [[Zoetermeer Stadslijn]]. All of these services fall under the [[RandstadRail]] branding.

At the time of opening, the old [[Rotterdam Hofplein railway station|Hofplein station]] was temporarily kept as the line's southern terminus. On 17 August 2010, however, a new tunnel opened, which connected the metro station at [[Rotterdam Centraal railway station|Rotterdam Centraal]] via a new tunnel and new [[Blijdorp RandstadRail station|Blijdorp station]] with the existing tracks near [[Melanchthonweg RandstadRail station|Melanchthonweg station]].

For the next year, work was in progress to connect Line D to Line E at Rotterdam Centraal station. Since the completion of this project in December 2011, all trains coming from [[Den Haag Centraal railway station|Den Haag Centraal]] terminate at [[Slinge metro station|Slinge]] (these are Line E trains), while line D continues in service between [[De Akkers metro station|De Akkers]] and Rotterdam Centraal.

The line's northern terminus used the former railway platforms at [[Den Haag Centraal railway station|Den Haag Centraal]], which had been inherited from NS and in use since 1975, having been moved from the previous terminus at [[Den Haag HS railway station|Den Haag Hollands Spoor]]. These platforms remained in use until 12 February 2016. The line was then closed between here and Laan Van NOI while construction was completed of a new station built on an elevated viaduct adjacent to the railway platforms. This opened on 22 August 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://stichting-vitaalpendrecht.nl/route-van-metro-randstadrail-tijdelijk-ingekort/|title=Werkzaamheden aan RandstadRail, route tijdelijk ingekort – Stichting Vitaal Pendrecht}}</ref>

===Network map===
{{Rapid transit OSM map
| system_qid   = Q691704
| ids          = Q2777286
| from         = RETMetroE.map
| type         = line
| stroke-width = 2
| stroke-color = #00933C
| frame-lat    = 51.96
| frame-long   = 4.38
| frame-width  = 600
| frame-height = 350
| text         = 
| zoom         = 10
| length       = yes
}}

==Overview==
[[File:Metro Rotterdam future.svg|center|thumb|600x600px|Network of Rotterdam Metro]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Line
!Name
! style="width:16em;" | {{nowrap|Termini (North&nbsp;/&nbsp;East&nbsp;–&nbsp;South&nbsp;/&nbsp;West)}}
! style="width:5em;" | Stations
! style="width:5em;" | Length&nbsp;(km)
! style="width:20em;" | Notes
|-
|{{center|{{rint|rotterdam|A}}}}
|[[Rotterdam Metro line A|Line A]]
| [[Binnenhof metro station|Binnenhof]] – [[Vlaardingen West metro station|Vlaardingen West]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 24
| style="text-align:center;" | 17.2 (to Schiedam Centum)
| Terminates at [[Schiedam Centrum station|Schiedam Centrum]] outside peak hours.
|-
|{{center|{{rint|rotterdam|B}}}}
|[[Rotterdam Metro line B|Line B]]
| [[Nesselande metro station|Nesselande]] – [[Hoek van Holland Strand metro station|Hoek van Holland Strand]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 32
| style="text-align:center;" | 42.4
| Extended to 
|-
|{{center|{{rint|rotterdam|C}}}}
|[[Rotterdam Metro line C|Line C]]
| [[De Terp metro station|De&nbsp;Terp]] – [[De Akkers metro station|De&nbsp;Akkers]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 26
| style="text-align:center;" | 30
|
|-
|{{center|{{rint|rotterdam|D}}}}
|[[Rotterdam Metro line D|Line D]]
| [[Pijnacker Zuid RandstadRail station|Pijnacker&nbsp;Zuid]] – [[De Akkers metro station|De&nbsp;Akkers]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 23
| style="text-align:center;" | 21 (to Rotterdam Central Station)
|  Terminates at [[Rotterdam Centraal station|Rotterdam Central Station]] outside peak hours.
|-
|{{center|{{rint|rotterdam|E}}}}
|[[Rotterdam Metro line E|Line E]]
| [[Den Haag Centraal railway station|Den Haag&nbsp;Centraal]] – [[Slinge metro station|Slinge]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 23
| style="text-align:center;" | 27
| Part of [[RandstadRail]].
|}

In 2015, there were about 175,000 daily riders of Lines A, B and C. There were 145,000 on Lines D and E.

===Future extensions===
RET plans to build a connecting line from [[Kralingse Zoom metro station|Kralingse Zoom station]] to the new [[Feijenoord (neighbourhood)|Feijenoord City]] housing area, and then on to Zuidplein, Charlois and Rotterdam Central station; along with plans to convert two tracks of four heavy-rail tracks between Rotterdam Central and [[Dordrecht]] to metro operation. By adding extra stations and operating trains at two-minute interval RET expects to achieve a significant increase in traffic. Another ambition is to automate the metro to achieve 90-second headways.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/metros/hook-of-holland-light-metro-line-finally-opens/|title=Hook of Holland light metro line finally opens|website=International Railway Journal|date=30 September 2019|access-date=30 September 2019|archive-date=30 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930165740/https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/metros/hook-of-holland-light-metro-line-finally-opens/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Rolling stock==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Series
! Built
! Vehicle numbers
! Manufacturer
! Status
! Power supply
! Vehicle length
! Cabs
!Image
|-
| 5000 (MG2)
| {{nowrap|1966–1967}}<br />1970
| 5001-5027<br />5051-5066
| [[Werkspoor]]
| rowspan="3" | Retired
| rowspan="2" | Third rail only
| rowspan="2" | {{convert|29|m|ftin|abbr=on|frac=8}}
| rowspan="3" | 2
|[[File:Blaak_oude_metro_1.jpg|frameless]]
|-
| 5100 (MG2)
| 1974–1975
| 5101-5126<br />5151-5152
| rowspan="2" | [[Duewag]]
|[[File:Mk_Rotterdam_Metro_2.jpg|frameless]]
|-
| 5200 (SG2)
| 1980–1984
| (5201-5271) 5201 + 5229 destroyed in a fire in 2006
| | Third rail<br />Overhead wire
| {{convert|29.8|m|ftin|abbr=on|frac=8}}
|[[File:Type_T_nabij_Rhoon_(op_Lijn_D).jpg|frameless]]
|-
| 5300 (MG2/1)
| 1998–2001
| 5301-5363
| rowspan="5" | [[Bombardier Transportation|Bombardier]]
| rowspan="5" | In service
| Third rail only
| rowspan="2" | {{convert|30.5|m|ftin|abbr=on|frac=8}}
| rowspan="2" | 1
|[[File:15-05-2007_Metro_Maashaven.jpg|frameless]]
|-
| 5400 (SG2/1)
| 2001–2002
| 5401-5418
| rowspan="4" | Third rail<br />Overhead wire
|[[File:5410 SDC.jpg|frameless]]
|-
| 5500 (RSG3)
| 2007–2009
| 5501-5522
| rowspan="3" | {{convert|42|m|ftin|abbr=on|frac=8}}
| rowspan="3" | 2
|[[File:Randstadrail_Forepark.jpg|frameless]]
|-
| 5600 (SG3)
| 2009–2011
| 5601-5642
|[[File:RET_5600_Heemraadlaan.jpg|frameless]]
|-
| 5700 (HSG3)
| 2015–2017
| 5701-5722
|[[File:Metro_(32912087507).jpg|frameless]]
|}

Trains series 5300, 5400, 5500, 5600 and 5700 are [[Bombardier Flexity Swift]]s. The series 5500 trains, made between 2007 and 2009, were built for the new RandstadRail Line E. The 5601-5642 trains were built to replace older [[Duewag]] stock (series 5200). In 2013, RET announced that it ordered 16 additional vehicles of SG3 stock to run on the Hoekse Line extension. A further six vehicles were ordered to increase capacity on the Randstadrail branch in 2015. Delivery of these 22 vehicles, called HSG3, took place between 2015 and 2017.

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Metrotrein in Rotterdam, Bestanddeelnr 926-2894.jpg|First train series of the Rotterdam Metro, built by Werkspoor
File:Marconiplein metrostation.JPG|A series 5200 train, built by [[Duewag]]
File:5410 SDC.jpg|A series 5400 train, built by [[Bombardier Transportation|Bombardier]]
File:Metrolijn E in winter december 2017 1.jpg|The new train for RandstadRail, built by [[Bombardier Transportation|Bombardier]] (5501)
File:Line Up te 's-Gravenweg.JPG|Train in order from left to right: 5239, 5322, 5350, 5408, 5513 and 5631
</gallery>

==Traction power==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2024}}
[[File:Metro (32912087507).jpg|thumb|A Bombardier 5700 series EMU between [[Vlaardingen]] and [[Hook of Holland|Hoek van Holland]]]]
Trains run on 750 [[volts]] [[Direct current|DC power]] which is supplied through a bottom-contact [[third rail]] throughout most of the system. There are multiple [[spring-loaded]] [[contact shoe]]s on both sides of the vehicle, which are loaded and unloaded automatically due to the slanted edges of third rail ends. This allows the rail to be installed on either side of the track, a necessity around [[Railroad switch|points]] and [[station platform]]s. There is sufficient overlap between the two rails on either end to avoid a "gapped" train, a situation where none of the shoes are in contact with the live rail. To reduce the risk of [[electric shock|electrocution]], the rail consists of a sturdy yellow [[Electrical insulation|insulating]] material, with the live current carried on a thick metal strip on the bottom side. This also guards against grime (such as from fallen autumn [[leaf|leaves]]) reducing or preventing electrical contact.

Three lines do however have sections that use [[overhead wires]]. These are lines A (towards [[Binnenhof (Rotterdam Metro)|Binnenhof]]), B (towards [[Nesselande (Rotterdam Metro)|Nesselande]]), and E (towards [[Den Haag Centraal]]). On lines A and B, trains raise or lower their [[pantograph (rail)|pantographs]] while the vehicle is in motion just east of [[Capelsebrug (Rotterdam Metro)|Capelsebrug station]], while on line E this happens while stationary at [[Melanchthonweg RandstadRail station|Melanchtonweg station]] (this leads to the only level crossing with third rail in the country being at the Kleiweg just outside the tunnel heading to [[Blijdorp RandstadRail station|Blijdorp station]]). Note that Line B trains switch back to third rail for the final leg of the journey, from the penultimate station [[De Tochten (Rotterdam Metro)|De Tochten]] to Nesselande. The western extension of lines A and B to Hook of Holland also use overhead power as they are converted directly from the existing railway line.

The sections of the metro that use overhead wires are called ''sneltram'' (light rail) by locals, as they include several protected [[level crossings]] at street level, which trains pass through with priority, as in a conventional railway line. For this reason, trains with a pantograph (series 5200 and 5400) are equipped with [[Automotive lighting#Turn signals|turn signals]] just like any road vehicle. This makes it easy to see the difference between series 5300 and series 5400 Bombardier-built trains. Series 5500 and 5600 trains are also equipped, although the former is normally used on line E only as they carry the RandstadRail branding and livery while the latter carries that of R-net.

== See also ==
{{portal|Trains|Netherlands}}
* [[List of Rotterdam Metro stations]]
* [[RandstadRail]]
* [[Trams in Rotterdam]]
* [[List of metro systems]]
* [[De Akkers metro station crash]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* Jan van Huijksloot and Joachim Kost, ''Veertig jaar Metro in Rotterdam 1968-2008''. Uitgeverij Uquilar, 2008.
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Rotterdam metro}}
* {{Official website|https://www.ret.nl/en/}} {{in lang|en}}
* [http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/nl/rot/rotterdam.htm Rotterdam Metro Map at ''UrbanRail.net'']
* [https://public-transport.net/metro/Rotterdam/ Rotterdam Metro Map at ''public-transport.net'']
* [https://www.amsterdamtips.com/rotterdam-metro-map Rotterdam Metro Map at ''amsterdamtips.com'']
* [https://www.metrolinemap.com/metro/rotterdam/ Rotterdam Metro Map at ''metrolinemap.com'']

{{Urban public transport in the Netherlands}}
{{Underground rapid transit in the European Union and the United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Rotterdam Metro| ]]
[[Category:750 V DC railway electrification]]