Frankfurt am Main U-bahn U4/U5

Maps

History

• April 29th, 1974: The section between the ramp at Scheffeleck near Konstablerwache to Theaterplatz (today known as Willy-Brandt-Platz) opened. Three underground stations, 1.9 km, included joint service with tram-route B1 between Gießener Straße and Theaterplatz (today's U5).
• March 6th, 1977: Above ground extension of route B1 (today's U5) from Gießener Straße to Preungesheim, 1.7 km, four stations.
• May 27th, 1978: Theaterplatz (today Willy-Brandt-Platz) to Hauptbahnhof, one station, 0.7km, route U5 (former B1).
• May 31st, 1980: Tunnel section between Konstablerwache and Seckbacher Landstraße opens, with four underground stations, 3.8km, service with light-rail route U4 (Hauptbahnhof - Seckbacher Landstraße). The "tram-route" U5 ends at Konstablerwache station on the third track.
• January 1st, 1998: "Tram-route" U5 runs again to Hauptbahnhof station.
• February 10th, 2002: Extension Hauptbahnhof to Bockenheimer Warte, two stations, 1.7km.

Description

• The routes U4 and U5 run together between Konstablerwache and Hauptbahnhof. The U4 line is the only "real" U-bahn-line in Frankfurt, without at-grade sections. The U5 line has an above ground section, basically a tram with street running sections in the inner city and running in a reserved right of way in the outer areas. The non-subway stations of line U5 have only low-level platforms.
• Tunnel Section: The tunnels and stations between Bornheim Mitte and Merianplatz are on two levels, because of the narrow street. Konstablerwache station on level -2 with three tracks. Transfer to the S-Bahn and the routes U6 and U7 in level - 3. Willy-Brandt-Platz station in level -4. Transfer to routes U1, U2 and U3 in level -3. Hauptbahnhof station with four tracks in level -2, transfer to the S-Bahn-lines in level -4. Bockenheimer Warte station in level -3, transfer to the routes U6 and U7 (level -2) at the northern end of the station. There is also a track connection between the two tunnels. The stations are built in cut and cover methods, the tunnels are mostly constructed by closed (mining) techniques with two one-track tube tunnels.
• Above Ground Section of Route U5: In the Eckenheimer Landstraße the U5 runs in mixed traffic in the street, exept for the section Adickes-/Nibelungenallee to Hauptfriedhof, stops without platforms at Musterschule, Glauburgstraße and Versorgungsamt, the others Adickes-/Nibelungenallee and Marbachweg/Eckenheimer Landstraße have low side platforms. Central reservation in the Marbachweg. Side reservation west of the Gießener Straße. The four stations with low side platforms opened 1977.

Future

• A new tunnel will be built from Bockenheim Warte to the U1-station at Ginnheim with two new underground stations to replace a tram-section. From Ginnheim to Heddernheimer Landstraße the line U4 will use the U1-tracks and continue through a new at-grade section (new housing area) to the U2-station at Kalbach and run on U2-tracks to the future U4-terminus at Niedereschenbach station.
• The line U1 will change the number at Nordwest-Zentrum station and run as U8 between Hbf and Konstablerwache station.
• Underground extension from Seckbacher Landstraße to Seckbach Azelbergplatz, one subway station, route U4.
• High level platforms will be built at the above ground stops of line U5.
• The U5 will be extended above ground from Preungesheim to Frankfurter Berg (S-Bahn).
• A new tunnel-branch for the Route U5 is planned from Hauptbahnhof to the Europaviertel.

The U-bahn Fleet

The U4 uses trains of the class U3 (6-axle articulated units built 1979 - 1980, length 24.49m, width 2.65m). The U5 typically uses trains of the class Ptb (8-axle articulated units built 1972 - 1978, length: 27.43m, width: 2.35/2.65m).

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