Trams in Biel facts for kids

The city of Biel, Switzerland, once had its own tram system. Trams are like small trains that run on tracks in the street. Biel's trams operated for many years, from 1877 until 1948. At first, people weren't very excited about trams, so there was only one main route. This route connected the areas of Bözingen and Nidau.

Early Horse-Powered Trams

When the tram system first started in 1877, the trams were not powered by electricity. Instead, they were like horse-drawn carriages that ran on special rails. The company only had a few of these carriages. They even had different types for different seasons, with special carriages for summer and winter.

The Switch to Electric Power

Things changed for the Biel tram system in 1901. The city of Biel bought the tram company. After this, the trams were upgraded and became electric. This meant they could go faster and carry more people. The tram network also grew, adding more routes. However, even with these improvements, the trams were still not very popular. The company didn't make a lot of money, which is why only a few routes were ever built.

Tram Routes and Their End

All four of Biel's tram routes started at the main train station. Today, this area is known as 'Zentralplatz'. One route went all the way to Meinisberg, passing through Mett. Because this was a long journey, there were only a few stops along the way.

The tram system started to shrink in the 1930s. First, two routes (Route 1 and Route 2) were combined into one. Then, in 1940, Routes 2 and 3 were replaced by buses. Finally, the last tram route, Route 1, also became a bus route. This marked the end of trams in Biel in 1948.

Biel's Public Transport Today

Since 1948, Biel has relied on a modern bus system. This system has grown a lot over the years and is now quite large. Today, there are more than 15 different bus routes. Some of these routes follow the same paths that the old trams used to take. Many new routes have been added, especially in the last 20 years. You can also see different kinds of buses in Biel today. Some are electric, which is good for the environment, while others still run on fuel.

Images for kids

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  Ce 2/2 1–12 electric tramcar in Zentralplatz / Place Centrale, 1903.