Trams in Zwickau

The Zwickau tramway network (German: Straßenbahnnetz Zwickau) is a network of tramways forming part of the public transport system in Zwickau, a city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany.

Zwickau tramway network
A GT6M tram in Zwickau.
Operation
Locale	Zwickau, Saxony, Germany
Open	6 May 1894 (1894-05-06)
Status	Operational
Lines	2
Operator(s)	Städtische Verkehrsbetriebe Zwickau [de] (SVZ) (since 1991)
Infrastructure
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Propulsion system(s)	Electricity
Electrification	600 V DC
Stock	19 KT4D 12 GT6N[1]
Statistics
Route length	18.5 km (11.5 mi)
Stops	71[1]
Overview
Website	http://www.nahverkehr-zwickau.de/ Städtische Verkehrsbetriebe Zwickau (in German)

Opened in 1894, the network has been operated since 1991 by Städtische Verkehrsbetriebe Zwickau [de] (SVZ), and is integrated in the Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen (VMS).

Between Stadhalle and Zwickau Zentrum stations, Die Länderbahn operates mainline diesel services alongside trams, sharing two intermediate stations. This concept has been dubbed the "Zwickau Model".

Lines

As of 2024^[update], the network had the following two lines:

Line	Route	Length	Stops
3	Eckersbach – Neumarkt (Leipziger Straße) – Hauptmarkt – Stadthalle – Neuplanitz	10.1 km	21
4	Pölbitz – Neumarkt (Bosestraße) – Georgenplatz – Paulusstraße – Klinikum	8.1 km	17

This network was implemented at the timetable change on 15 December 2019, when lines 5 and 7 were suspended.^[2] The reason for this is the poor condition of the track on the tram line to the railway station, which is closed until further notice. This route is expected to be returned to operation in 2029 in connection with the planned tram route between Werdauer Straße and Bahnhofstraße.^[3] The bus line 10 serves as a replacement, running every 10 minutes. ^[4]

Rolling stock

As of 2024, Zwickau operates a fleet of 19 KT4D and 12 low-floor GT6M trams.^[1]

The KT4D trams were originally built from 1983 to 1990 and modernised in 1992-1996 and again from 2001, when they received new chopper control systems. They are used singly on line 4 and in sets of two coupled trams on line 3.^[5]

The GT6M are three-section low-floor trams built in 1993 and numbered 901-912.^[6]

In 2019 a procurement project for new trams was launched jointly with tram operators in Leipzig and Görlitz. A contract was signed in December 2021 with LEIWAG (a consortium of HeiterBlick [de] and Kiepe Electric) and Zwickau will receive six new 30 m long trams.^[7]

• 
  A Tatra KT4D tram at Zwickau Hbf in July 2019
• 
  Rear end of a GT6M tram in June 2016

See also

• List of town tramway systems in Germany
• Trams in Germany