Rotterdam Metro

Rotterdam Metro
Wilhelminaplein metro station, Lines D and E
Overview
Native name	Rotterdamse metro
Locale	Rotterdam, Netherlands
Transit type	Rapid transit and light rail
Number of lines	5
Number of stations	71
Annual ridership	96 million (2018)[1]
Website	RET (in English)[2]
Operation
Began operation	9 February 1968
Operator(s)	RET
Number of vehicles	167[3]
Technical
System length	102.3 km (63.6 mi)
Electrification	750 V DC
System map Legend  A  Binnenhof Nesselande  B  Romeynshof De Tochten  E  Den Haag Centraal Ambachtsland 3 4 34 to Beatrixkwartier Nieuw Verlaat Laan van NOI Hesseplaats Voorburg 't Loo Leidschendam-Voorburg Graskruid Vliet Alexander Remise Leidschendam Oosterflank Forepark Prinsenlaan Leidschenveen Schenkel 3 4 34 to Voorweg De Terp  C  Nootdorp Capelle Centrum Pijnacker Centrum Slotlaan Pijnacker Zuid Berkel Westpolder Capelsebrug Rodenrijs Remise 's-Gravenweg Meijersplein / Airport Kralingse Zoom Melanchthonweg Voorschoterlaan Blijdorp Gerdesiaweg  D  Rotterdam Centraal Oostplein Stadhuis Blaak Beurs Eendrachtsplein Leuvehaven Dijkzigt Nieuwe Maas Coolhaven Wilhelminaplein Delfshaven Rijnhaven Marconiplein Maashaven Schiedam Centrum Zuidplein Slinge  E  Parkweg Remise Waalhaven Troelstralaan Rhoon Vijfsluizen Poortugaal Nieuwe Maas Schiedam Nieuwland Pernis Vlaardingen Oost Vlaardingen Centrum Tussenwater  A  Vlaardingen West Hoogvliet Maassluis Centrum Zalmplaat Maassluis West Oude Maas Steendijkpolder Spijkenisse Centrum Hoek van Holland Haven Heemraadlaan  B  Hoek van Holland Strand De Akkers  C  D  This diagram: view talk edit

The Rotterdam Metro (Dutch: Rotterdamse metro) is a rapid transit system operated in Rotterdam, Netherlands and surrounding municipalities by RET. The first line, called Noord – Zuidlijn (North – South line) opened in 1968 and ran from Centraal Station to Zuidplein, crossing the river Nieuwe Maas in a tunnel. It was the first 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 5.9 km (3.7 mi).

In 1982 a second line was opened, the Oost – Westlijn (East – West line), running between Capelsebrug and Coolhaven stations. In the late 1990s, the lines were named after two historic Rotterdam citizens, the Erasmus Line (North – South) after 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.