Frankfurt U-bahn U1/U2/U3

Maps

History

• October 4, 1968: Light Rail Line A1 (today's U1) opens between Hauptwache and Nordweststadt, 9km (4km in tunnel), with 6 underground and 8 surface stations. The line runs in mixed traffic with tram lines in the section Hauptwache to Zeilweg, with the trams entering the tunnel at the south end via a temporary ramp at Taunustor.
• December 19, 1971: U-bahn operation begins on line A2 (today's U2) between Hauptwache and Bad Homburg Gonzenheim. The tramway in the city of Bad Homburg closes at this time.
• November 4, 1973: Extension of the tunnel from Hauptwache to Theaterplatz (today's Willy-Brandt-Platz), 0.6km with one new underground station.
• September 29, 1974: Line A1 (U1) extension opens between Nordweststadt and Römerstadt, 0.5km, with one new surface station.
• May 26, 1978: Line U1 extension opens between Römerstadt and Ginnheim, 1.4km, with one new surface station.
• May 27, 1978: U-bahn line U3 begins operation between Theaterplatz (Willy-Brandt-Platz) and Hohemark.
• September 29, 1984: Extension of the tunnel from Theaterplatz (Willy-Brandt-Platz) to Südbahnhof, 1.3km, with two new underground stations.
• April 23, 1989: New surface station, Niddapark, added between Römerstadt and Ginnheim on line U1.

Description

• Stations mostly with side platforms, island platforms are located at: Südbahnhof, Schweizer Platz, Hohemark. Length of the platforms: 100 metres. Platform level: 56 cm (until 1999, 32cm on the section Zeilweg - Hohemark of the route U3; in 1999 a project to convert to 80cm high-level platforms began). High level platforms will be built at all stations.
• Südbahnhof - Willy-Brandt-Platz including the Schweizer Platz station: tunnel built in shotcrete mining tunneling contruction method.
• Willy-Brandt-Platz - ramp Dornbusch: Tunnel built in cut-and-cover method. Willy-Brandt-Platz station in level -3, connection to the lines U4 and U5 in level -4. Hauptwache station in level - 3, connection to the S-Bahn and the lines U6 and U7 in level -2.
• Eschersheimer Landstraße: central reservation Dornbusch - Weißer Stein station, private right of way Weißer Stein station - Heddernheimer Landstraße station.
• Tunnel section between Heddernheimer Landstraße and Römerstadt including the underground station Nordwestzentrum, cut-and-cover.
• U1 grade-separated section, partly elevated from Römerstadt to Ginnheim in a central reservation of a main traffic road. Ginnheim station: five tracks, three are used by the line U1 and two by the trams, one side platform and two island platforms.
• U2 private right of way Heddernheim - Bad Homburg-Gonzenheim.
• U3 private right of way Zeilweg station - Oberursel Bahnhof along roads; side or central reservation Oberursel Bahnhof - Hohemark terminus. Single track between Kupferhammer station and Hohemark terminus.
• A at-grade branch from Niederursel to Kalbach with two new stations is under construction to connect Riedenberg to the U-Bahn. New Lines: U8: Riedenberg – Südbahnhof and U9 Nieder-Eschbach – Riedenberg – Ginnheim.

The U-bahn Fleet

The U1, U2, and U3 lines typically use cars of class U2 (6-axle articulated units, length: 23m, width: 2.65m), and U4 (6-axle articulated units, length: 24.49m, width: 2.65m).

Photos by Location