Trams in Toruń

Beginnings

Havestadt & Contag [de] opened the first horse-drawn tram line on 16 May 1891, running from Toruń Miasto [pl] to the neighborhood of Bydgoszczskie Przedmieście. The Tram Line was electrified in 1899, and in December 1901, the city of Toruń took over responsibility for the maintenance and expansion of the tram line. In 1902, the city opened a second tram line to the Mokre, and in 1907, a third line to Chełmiński Przedmieście. Further expansion of the line was proposed, but ultimately halted by the outbreak of World War I.^[1]

Following the conclusion of the First World War, Operation of the tramway was taken over by the Second Polish Republic. Most of the rolling stock was in extremely poor condition, and all operations ceased for three months in 1921 to allow for repairs of the trams. In 1934, the fourth tram line began operation to Toruń Główny railway station, bringing trams to the south of the city. A 5th line to Jakubskie Przedmieście was completed in 1935.

World War II

During World War II, the city of Toruń was captured on 7 September 1939 by the advancing German Army. Shortly before the capture of the city, the Józef Piłsudski Bridge was destroyed by the Polish Army, thus cutting off the southern side of the city.

During the war, the tram network was run by the Germans and resumed normal operation. The Germans built a temporary wooden bridge that could carry buses to the other side of the Vistula River. These buses replaced the previous tram line across the river until a replacement bridge was completed in 1950. During the final months of World War II, all tram lines sustained significant damage. The tram network ceased operation for a few months until repairs could be made.

1945-1991

In 1955, the line in Chełmiński Przedmieście began an extension to, first, the railway station of Pólnoncy, and then later, in 1958, the line was extended to Wrzosy.^[2]

The 1970s and early 1980s were a huge time of expansion for the Tram Network. In 1970, the tramway was rerouted and no longer traveled through the center of the city. In 1971, an extension of the west terminus was moved to the current day Motoarena. In 1974, a tram line to Elana was completed. In 1979, The tram line on Grudzaidzka Street was completely rerouted onto the neighboring Przy Kaszowniku Street. This realighment was connected to the center of the city with the extension of the line from Dworzec Wshodnia to Petla Wshodnia in 1980.

In 1981, the line to Jakubskie Przedmieście was extended to Ślaskiego. Then in 1986, this line was further extended to Olimpijska, where the current eastern end of the Tram network ends. Also in 1986, a tram line was built along Kraszewkiego Street.

During the late 1980s, The Expansion of tram lines was halted and replaced by new bus lines instead. Many lines were liquidated during this time, including the tram Line on the Jòzef Piłsudski Bridge [pl] to the Toruń Główny was closed and converted into exclusively a road bridge. Since then, Trams in Toruń have exclusively operated on the northern bank of the Vistula.^[2] Other liquidations included the line to Wroszy, which was first reduced to Station of Toruń Pólnoncy in 1972. Later, in 1991, after the closure of the station, the line was completely dismantled.^[1][2]

1992-Present

In 2011, the tram line on Wshodnia street was dismantled.^[1]

A 1.7-kilometre (1.1 mi) extension was built to serve Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. It was originally projected to open in 2013,^[3] but the extension ultimately opened for service on 24 June 2014.^[4]

The most recent extension, built to serve the Osiedle Jar housing estate in the north of the town, was inaugurated on 25 August 2023 and started normal passenger operations on 1 September 2023.^[5]

Operational

More information Line, Map ...

Line	Map	Route	Number of stops	Circuit Time	Frequency
1		Uniwersytet – Olimpiska P&R – via Toruń Miasto PKP,	25	35	Weekdays off-peak 30 Weekdays peak 20 Weekends 30 Holidays 45
2		Motoarena – Elana via Dworczec Wschodni	20	30	Weekdays off-peak 30 Weekdays peak 20 Weekends 30 Holidays 45
3		Motoarena – Heweliusza via Plac Rapackiego	26	34	Weekdays off-peak 30 Weekdays peak 20 Weekends 30 Holidays 45
4		Uniwersytet – Elana via Dworczec Wschodni	21	30	Weekdays off-peak 30 Weekdays peak 20 Weekends 30 Holidays 45
5		Motoarena – Olimpijska P&R via Toruń Miasto	24	34	Weekdays off-peak 30 Weekdays peak 20 Weekends 30 Holidays 45
6		Hewelisuza – Olimpijska P&R via Toruń Miasto	28	40	Weekdays off-peak 30 Weekdays peak 20 Weekends 30 Holidays 45
7		Uniwersytet – Wshodnia – via Plac Rapackiego	22	34	30

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Suspended/Not Running

More information Line, Map ...

Line	Map	Route	Number of stops	Circuit Time	Frequency
8		Motoarena – Aleja Solidarności  REPLACEMENT TRAM	8/11	12	15
9		Uniwersytet – Aleja Solidarności  SEASONAL NIGHT TRAM	11	13	Piernikaliami 20-30 Juwenalia 20-30

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Current Operational Fleet

More information Type, Production ...

	Type	Production	Number	Low-floor
	Konstal 805Na	1980	27	No
	Konstal 805NaND (modernised 805Na)	2007	18[12]	No
	122NbT Swing	2014	6[13]	Yes
	121NbT Swing	2015	6[14]	Yes
	122NbTDuo Swing	2015	5[15]	Yes
	122NaT Swing	2021-2022	5[16]	Yes
	Total		67	32%

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Historical fleet

More information Type, Production ...

	Type	Production	Restored
	Konstal 5N	1960 [17]	1993 [17]

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Technical Fleet

More information Type, Production ...

	Type	Production
	Konstal 5N	1960

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Termini

Current

More information Name, Schematic ...

Name	Schematic	Opening Year	Tracks	Lines	Notes
Motoarena		1971	3 [Note 1]	2, 3, 5	Also occasionally used by Line 8 (Event Tram)
Wcshodnia		1974	2	7	Southern Tracks Abandoned
Elana		1974	1	2, 4	Rebuilt in 2012
Olimpska Park&Ride		1984	5 + 2 [Note 1]	1, 5, 6
Uniwerstet		2014	2	1, 4, 7	Also occasionally used by Line 9 (Night Tram)
Heweliusza		2023	2	3, 6

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Former

More information Name, Schematic ...

Name	Schematic	Opening Year	Closing Date	Tracks	Lines (Formerly)	Closing Reason
Dworzec Główny		1954	1984	1	4, 6	Lidquidation of Line to Toruń Główny in order to convert bridge to exclusively road traffic.
Wroszy		1958	1972	1	3	Lidquidation of Line.
Toruń Północny		1955	1991	1	3	Closure of Toruń Północny [pl] Station. Whole Line was Liquidated.
Ślaskiego		1981	1988	2 [Note 1]	1, 4, 5	Extension of line to Olimpska P&R
Wshodnia		1917	1976	1		Realingment of Track

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Bus Exchange Stops

More information Name, Schematic ...

Name	Schematic	Opening Year	Lines	Notes
Plac Rapackiego		2020	3, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 27, 32, 131, 151, 152	Track Originally Built in 1927
Aleja Solidarności		2014	1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 27, 30, 31, 32, 38, 111, 112, 115, 141, 151, 152	Previously Dismantled in the 1980s, Rebuilt in 2014 with University Extension.
Długa		2023	3, 6, 16, 34

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Depot

The current tram depot is located on Henryka Sienkiewicza Street. It is currently the only tram depot on the entire network.

As part of an extension project west of the MotoArena, a new tram/bus depot will be built.