Saturday the much anticipated, much hyped new tram line 23 took off on its maiden ride up Leopodstrasse into the Milbertshofen neighborhood. Despite being a tremendous fan of public transportation, I have to say I don't really understand this new tram line. It runs for only 2.5 km from Munchener Freiheit to the middle of a new development just outside the second ring road. The entire trip is expected to take about 8 minutes. What really doesn't make sense is the fact that you need to transfer onto another line to get into the center of the city, that it runs a distance that most Europeans aren't afriad to walk, and it somehow comes up short from reaching Euro Industrial Park, one of the largest shopping centers in and around Munich. One of its only redeaming factors is the interesting "Gaudi-like" tram stop and the very nice renovation of the Munchener Freiheit station. I just wish it didn't shut down traffic for two years to make it.Saturday, December 12, 2009
On A Road to Nowhere
Saturday the much anticipated, much hyped new tram line 23 took off on its maiden ride up Leopodstrasse into the Milbertshofen neighborhood. Despite being a tremendous fan of public transportation, I have to say I don't really understand this new tram line. It runs for only 2.5 km from Munchener Freiheit to the middle of a new development just outside the second ring road. The entire trip is expected to take about 8 minutes. What really doesn't make sense is the fact that you need to transfer onto another line to get into the center of the city, that it runs a distance that most Europeans aren't afriad to walk, and it somehow comes up short from reaching Euro Industrial Park, one of the largest shopping centers in and around Munich. One of its only redeaming factors is the interesting "Gaudi-like" tram stop and the very nice renovation of the Munchener Freiheit station. I just wish it didn't shut down traffic for two years to make it.
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3 comments:
well, maybe you need to know a little about Munich's history to be able to understand this short, 'new' tram better. It isn't entirely new, and it probably won't stay that short either.
I don't know, how good your German is, but I'll include this link for your enlightenment anyways:
http://www.mvg-mobil.de/presse/presse_2009/pdf/10.12.2009_t23_1_mvg-pressemeldung.pdf
Enjoy!
Hello.
I was quite interested to read the link you sent over, as I love being educated about Munich. However, after reading the link, I can't say that I am any more clear on why the 23 line was built. Yes, I understand this is a link to a new expanded development, but why not link it all the way into the center rather than needing to connect. Yes, I understand that it will likely be expanded, but why only build 3 KM now. And I understand that it was meant to lighten traffic on Leopoldstrasse (which has been abnormally bad for the past 2 years with construction on the 23 line), but is it worth 50 million euros to do so on only one section of the street?
I'm happy to be educated some more here, but it just doesn't seem to make sense.
Servus Troy,
maybe you need to look at it more with a *Münchner Herz* than with a rational mindset.
When the city first started talking about this first real expansion of the tram since 1968, I still lived there. I remember being thrilled! I simply love Munich's tram.
I understand, however, that for somebody who didn't spend half a century in Munich, a new tram might not be as exciting.
Next year, when I travel to Munich for my vacation, I will definitely ride the 23 all the way, back and forth.
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