The Szczecin tram system is a 12-line, standard gauge tramway system in Szczecin, Poland, that has been in operation since 1879 (when the town was Stettin, Prussia). The tramway operates on of route. There are two depots and twelve balloon loops (including five street ones). Daytime lines (night lines were abolished in 1996) are operated by the company Tramwaje Szczecińskie (Szczecin Tramways), on behalf of the (; Road and Public Transport Administration). There is also a tourist line operated by the Szczecin's Association of the Enthusiasts of Public Transport.
History
Horse trams
On October 21, 1872, just before the demolition of fortress walls, German engineer Johannes Bussing received from the Royal Police Directorate in Berlin concession for the construction of a horse tram network. Less than six years later, an important agreement with the city have been signed . On March 25, 1879, the company Stettiner Straßen-Eisenbahn Gesellschaft was established in the same year the first horse tram lines were launched. On August 23, the first line, which began nearby of pl. Gałczyńskiego, lead through pl. Zwycięstwa and ended at Staszica Street. On October 16, the second line from Wiszesława Street to Potulicka Street was opened. The length of both routes rose to 11.5 km. Initially, in Szczecin there was 16 trams and 80 horses, and in 1898 there were 39 trams and 198 horses. In 1886, two new lines were opened : from the Szczecin Główny railway station to Chmielewskiego Street and from Wyszyńskiego Street to Nabrzeże Wieleckie. The first depot was located at the intersection of Wojska Polskiego avenue and Piotra Skargi Street. Later another 3 were established : at Dębogórska Street, Dubois Street and Kolumba Street.
Electric trams to 1945
From 1896 to 1900, most of lines had become electric. Electrification have been performed by Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft. The main tram routes had two tracks, the other routes had only one track. Electricity have been brought by power stations located in Pomorzany, Old Town and Gdańska Street. In 1904, except for colors, tram lines also became numbers:
1 Westend (Łękno) – Lastadie (Łasztownia) (yellow) 2 Berliner Tor (Brama Portowa) – Zentralfriedhof (Cmentarz Centralny) (gray) 3 Nemitz (Niemierzyn) – Hauptbahnhof (Dworzec Główny) (orange) 4 Pommerensdorf (Pomorzany) – Arndtplatz (pl. Szarych Szeregów) (green) 5 Alleestr. (Wawrzyniaka) – Turnerstr. (Jagiellońska) – Unterwiek (Jana z Kolna) (blue) 6 Hauptbahnhof – Zabelsdorf (Niebuszewo) (white) 7 Frauendorf (Golęcino) – Bellevue (Potulicka) (red)
In 1903 the first line was built, which crossed Odra and reached the right bank of city – a new line was opened through Most Długi to ul. Energetyków, and in 1910 through Most Kłodny to Wendy Street at Łasztownia. In 1907 was opened Niemierzyn depot (in Niemierzyńska Street), and 5 years later Golęcin depot (in Wiszesława Street). In 1926, after Wyspa Jaskółcza had been connected (at the back of Depot in Kolumba Street) with city, on the island have been located a storehouse. In 1927, after Daibe Airport had been built, nearby have been constructed a new tram balloon loop. The tram route has led in those days through 4 bridges: Długi and Cłowy, Portowy, and above Regaliczka and Cłowy. It was the only one at the right bank of Szczecin. Before 1929, electric traction was installed above bridges . Earlier trams had been passing those bridges by increasing their speed in front of bridges. Because of inhabitants' requests, already working tram lines have been expanded. The average speed of trams was about 16 km/h. Since 1928, in Szczecin, apart from tram system, there are also city buses. List of tram lines in 1929:
1 Rennbahn (Tor kolarski) – Flughafen (Lotnisko) 2 Berliner Tor (Brama Portowa) – Wendorf (Słowieńsko) 3 Pommerensdorf (Pomorzany) – Eckerberger Wald (Las Arkoński) 4 Hauptbahnhof (Dworzec Główny) – Krankenhaus (Szpital) 5 Braunsfelde (Pogodno) – Dunzig (Duńczyca) 6 Hauptbahnhof (Dworzec Główny) – Bahnhof Zabelsdorf (Dworzec Niebuszewo) 7 Bellevue (Potulicka) – Frauendorf (Golęcino) 8 Schinkelplatz (plac Kościuszki) – Grabowerstrasse
In 1934 the last tram depot was opened, at 200 Wojska Polskiego Avenue (Zajezdnia Pogodno). In 1940, the total line length measured 50.3 km and trams had transported 58.8 million passengers . After bombardments during World War II, in 1943 and 1944 a lot of routes had been out-of-order, but motorman, owing to their own work, succeeded in launching some of the tram routes.