The goal has been achieved: Stadtwerke München (SWM) has received the planning approval (“Planfeststellungsbeschluss”) for the first construction phase of the so-called “Tram Westtangente” from the government of Upper Bavaria. This means that nothing more stands in the way of the construction of one of Munich’s most important local transport projects. The new section will connect five city districts between Romanplatz in Nymphenburg, Laim, Sendling, Hadern, and Obersendling, and will improve the traffic situation in the western part of Munich. The Tram Westttangente runs from Romanplatz via Wotanstrasse, Fürstenrieder Strasse and Boschetsrieder Strasse to Ratzingerplatz and ends at the Aidenbachstrasse underground station and largely follows MNunich’s singel trolleybus line closed in 1966. It connects various underground lines (U3, U5, U6), tram lines (16/17, 18, 19) and the S-Bahn stop Laim. In future, the extended tangential tramway line 12 will replace the former bus lines 51 and 151 on the new section which is approx. 8.25 kilometres long and has 17 stops. This will significantly expand the tram network – which is 82 kilometres long today.
Solaris Urbino 12 with a modern Hess trailer at Fürstenrieder Strasse | © D. Budach
MVG’s CEO Ingo Wortmann: “I am pleased that we can now bring this important project for the future from the planning phase to implementation. With the receipt of the planning approval notice, we have the certainty and the mandate to build the Tram West tangent and put it into operation section by section from 2025. With a number of new direct connections, it will not only relieve the underground but also the roads and at the same time ensure less exhaust fumes and noise in Munich.”
Commissioning in sections from the end of 2025
In order to be able to plan and implement the total route of 8.25 kilometres in a structured manner, the route was divided into several sections according to prominent structures and according to the possibilities offered by the planned track branches to the existing lines, on which work is being carried out in parallel and which will be completed and put into operation at different times.
At the end of 2025, the first section of the Tram West tangent between Agnes-Bernauer-Strasse and Ammerseestrasse is scheduled to go into operation. This will enable a line to run from Pasing to Gondrellplatz. SWM and MVG are conducting a trial operation on this section during the construction companies’ warranty phase and are making the route usable for passengers at the same time. Meeting the deadline depends on the completion of the main water line and the completion of the laying work on numerous supply lines in Fürstenrieder Straße.
According to current planning, the route can be extended in the north and the section Romanplatz – Agnes-Bernauer-Straße can be used in the second half of 2026. A prerequisite for this, however, is the timely handover of the shell of the environmental connection tube by DB Netz AG for the tunnel interior. The line can be extended to the south at the end of 2027. The route between Ammerseestraße and a provisional turning loop at Ratzingerplatz will go into operation. This means that the route in the section Romanplatz – Ratzingerplatz is already possible along almost the entire length of the Tram West tangent. The date is dependent on the timely completion of the bridges over the A96 and the A95 over Boschetsrieder Straße.
At the end of 2028, the last section between Ratzingerplatz and Aidenbachstraße will go into operation. The entire section of the Tram West tangent will then reach its line end point at the Aidenbachstraße underground station. A prerequisite for meeting this deadline is the timely completion of the new P+R facility Aidenbachstraße.
Bus routes 51, 151 and 168 will remain unchanged during the construction period.
(Info: SWM/MVG)
We reported here about the planned new tramway line:
https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/tram-extension-in-munich-swm-submits-application-for-start-of-construction/
