Valencia Metro
Encyclopedia
Metrovalencia (ˌmetɾovaˈlensia, ˌmetɾoβaˈlenθia) is a modern amalgamation of former FEVE narrow gauge diesel and electric operated suburban/regional railways. It is a large suburban network that crosses the city of Valencia, with all trains continuing out to far-flung suburbs
. It also has destinations on lines that make it more closely resemble commuter trains. The unique system combines light railway
, metro
and several tram
operations north of the Túria riverbed park with line 4. Tram line 6 and the short extension of metro line 5 are operated by modern trams.
This network consists of more than 134 kilometres (83.3 mi) of track, of which around 19 kilometres (11.8 mi) is below ground.
The system authority Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana
uses bilingual
signage in Valencian
and Spanish
.
through which line 1
crosses Valencia was opened between Sant Isidre and Ademuz (now Empalme
), which connected the line with southbound trains from València-Jesús to Castelló de la Ribera
(now Villanueva de Castellón) at Sant Isidre. Line 2 went from València-Sud to Llíria
, with some trains terminating in Paterna
.
In May 1994 the tranvia
line 4 opened. Valencia was the first city in Spain to use this mode of transport in modern era. Originally line 4 was 9.7 kilometres (6 mi) long and had 21 stations. The line connected the suburban lines with high demand zones such as the Polytechnic University
, the new university campus and the Malvarosa beach, which the former line Empalme - Pont de Fusta - El Grau had connected before. One year later, in May 1995, line 3 was extended from El Palmaret in Alboraria to Alameda. The extension reused the older railway line Pont de Fusta-Rafelbunyol, of which part was scrapped (between Pont de Fusta - Sant Llorenç - El Palmaret), and the rest was switched from 750 V to 1500 V.
Further alterations followed five years later. On 16 September 1998, line 2 was merged with line 1
, and Line 3 was extended from Alameda to Avinguda del Cid in the west and Torrent in the south with some trains only going as far as Jesús. Half a year later, on 20 May 1999, line 3 was extended from Avinguda del Cid to Mislata-Almassil
On 2 April 2007, Line 5 was extended to the East to a new station Marítim-Serrería (originally planned as Jerónimo Monsoriu).
On 18 April 2007, Line 5 extended to the Airport
(Aeroport Station) in the west and to the Port (Neptú Station) in the east, this last section from Marítim-Serreria to Neptú is a tram section; the trains go from Aeroport to Marítim-Serrreria and then a tram operates between Marítim-Serreria and Neptú. Line 3 was extended to the Airport as well to cover the schedule limitations of line 5 to Aeroport station.
On 22 September 2007, Line 6 was opened, linking the neighbourhoods of Orriols and Torrefiel to the metro system for the first time. Additionally a new station "Torre del Virrei" was added to Line 1. It is situated between the stations of "L'Eliana" and "La Pobla de Vallbona".
On 12 December 2010, the two overground line 4 stations in the municipality of Alboraya, Alboraya and Palmaret, were replaced by the subterranean stations of Alboraya - Peris Aragó and Alboraya - Palmaret. On Line 1, the station of Jesus was renamed Joaquin Sorolla, while the Hospital station was renamed Safranar.
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On 9 September 2005, two trains crashed into each other on Line 1
. Nobody was killed, but according to early reports 35 people were injured, 4 of whom were taken to hospital, their condition described as serious. The first train had been stationary waiting for a red signal. The second used its emergency brakes to avoid a collision, but was hit by a third train. The force of the impact severely damaged the drivers' cabs at the front of the last train and at the rear of the second train. The crash occurred between Paiporta and Picanya about 5 km south-east of the city centre. The 3729 and 3730 EMUs are now a single EMU with 3729A and the 3730A cars, the 'B' cars were severely damaged and are currently at València-Sud workshop, waiting to be scrapped.
3 July 2006 was a black day for the Valencia metro. In a severe accident
, a two-car EMU derailed between Jesús and Plaça d'Espanya stations. At least 43 people were killed and 52 injured. It was the worst metro accident in Spanish history.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
. It also has destinations on lines that make it more closely resemble commuter trains. The unique system combines light railway
Light railway
Light railway refers to a railway built at lower costs and to lower standards than typical "heavy rail". This usually means the railway uses lighter weight track, and is more steeply graded and tightly curved to avoid civil engineering costs...
, metro
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
and several tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
operations north of the Túria riverbed park with line 4. Tram line 6 and the short extension of metro line 5 are operated by modern trams.
This network consists of more than 134 kilometres (83.3 mi) of track, of which around 19 kilometres (11.8 mi) is below ground.
The system authority Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana or FGV is a public Valencian railway company which operates several metre gauge lines, in the Autonomous Community of Valencia, in Spain....
uses bilingual
Bilingual inscription
In epigraphy, a bilingual is an inscription that is extant in two languages . Bilinguals are important for the decipherment of ancient writing systems.Important bilinguals include:...
signage in Valencian
Valencian
Valencian is the traditional and official name of the Catalan language in the Valencian Community. There are dialectical differences from standard Catalan, and under the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua has been established as its regulator...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
Lines
| Line | Terminals | Service type | Length | Number of stations |
Passengers in 2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km | mi | |||||
| Llíria/Bétera - Torrent Avinguda/Villanueva de Castellón Line 1 (Metro Valencia) Line 1 is one of the five lines of Metrovalencia. It is the oldest line of the system, opened in 1988. The line has 59 stations with a total of 98.159 km . This makes Line 1 the longest line of the Metrovalencia, almost four times longer than the second one .On July 3, 2006, an accident... |
Regional train | 95.2 | 59.5 | 59 | 20,650,928 | |
| Tavernes Blanques (South) - Natzaret | Subway + tramway | Under construction. Completion expected 2011-2012. | ||||
| Rafelbunyol - Aeroport | Subway | 19.8 | 12.4 | 27 | 27,306,347 | |
| Mas del Rosari/Ll. Llarga/Fira – Dr. Lluch | Tramway | 9.8 | 6.1 | 33 | 4,506,164 | |
| Neptú ~ Marítim-Serreria - Aeroport/Torrent Avinguda | Subway + tramway | 24.1 | 14.9 | 31 | 15,057,074 | |
| Tossal del Rei - Marítim Serrería | Tramway | 10.8 | 6.7 | 21 | 432,654 | |
| Tavernes Blanques (East) - Torrent Avinguda/Villanueva de Castellón | Regional train | Project. | ||||
| Faitanar/Bonaire - La Fe/Silla | Subway + tramway | Project. | ||||
| Port Saplaya - Marítim Serrería | Tramway | Project. | ||||
Technical data
- Gauge width: 1000 mmNarrow gaugeA narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
- Current system: 750 V DC / 1500 V DC, overhead wire
History
First four lines
On 8 October 1988 the tunnelTunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
through which line 1
Line 1 (Metro Valencia)
Line 1 is one of the five lines of Metrovalencia. It is the oldest line of the system, opened in 1988. The line has 59 stations with a total of 98.159 km . This makes Line 1 the longest line of the Metrovalencia, almost four times longer than the second one .On July 3, 2006, an accident...
crosses Valencia was opened between Sant Isidre and Ademuz (now Empalme
Empalme
Founded in 1905, Empalme is a city surrounded by a municipality located on the south-central coast of the Mexican state of Sonora. According to the 2005 census the population of the city was 40,630 inhabitants, while the municipality, which has an area of 708.53 km² , reported 50,663...
), which connected the line with southbound trains from València-Jesús to Castelló de la Ribera
Castelló de la Ribera
Castelló de la Ribera is a municipality in the comarca of Ribera Alta in the Valencian Community, Spain....
(now Villanueva de Castellón) at Sant Isidre. Line 2 went from València-Sud to Llíria
Llíria
Llíria or Liria is a medium sized town off the CV35 motorway to the north of Valencia, Spain. Known as Edeta in ancient Iberian times, it is the musical capital of the region.-Location:...
, with some trains terminating in Paterna
Paterna
Paterna is a municipality in the province of Valencia in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is located northeast of the comarca of La Huerta de Valencia, 5 km northwest of Valencia, and on the left bank of the river Turia...
.
In May 1994 the tranvia
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
line 4 opened. Valencia was the first city in Spain to use this mode of transport in modern era. Originally line 4 was 9.7 kilometres (6 mi) long and had 21 stations. The line connected the suburban lines with high demand zones such as the Polytechnic University
Polytechnic University of Valencia
The Polytechnic University of Valencia is a Spanish university located in Valencia, with a focus on science and technology. It was founded in 1968 as the Higher Polytechnic School of Valencia and became a university in 1971, but some of its schools are more than 100 years old.- Characteristics...
, the new university campus and the Malvarosa beach, which the former line Empalme - Pont de Fusta - El Grau had connected before. One year later, in May 1995, line 3 was extended from El Palmaret in Alboraria to Alameda. The extension reused the older railway line Pont de Fusta-Rafelbunyol, of which part was scrapped (between Pont de Fusta - Sant Llorenç - El Palmaret), and the rest was switched from 750 V to 1500 V.
Further alterations followed five years later. On 16 September 1998, line 2 was merged with line 1
Line 1 (Metro Valencia)
Line 1 is one of the five lines of Metrovalencia. It is the oldest line of the system, opened in 1988. The line has 59 stations with a total of 98.159 km . This makes Line 1 the longest line of the Metrovalencia, almost four times longer than the second one .On July 3, 2006, an accident...
, and Line 3 was extended from Alameda to Avinguda del Cid in the west and Torrent in the south with some trains only going as far as Jesús. Half a year later, on 20 May 1999, line 3 was extended from Avinguda del Cid to Mislata-Almassil
Lines 5 and 6, and more extensions
In April 2003, the new line 5 was opened. This line took over the previous line 3 connection from Alameda to Torrent, together with a newly constructed branch from Alameda to Ayora 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi). (Although some very early morning trains still travel from Machado to Torrent, this is not represented on maps.) One year later, the new line 5 was extended, together with line 1, from Torrent to Torrent Avinguda, a distance of 2.3 kilometres. On October 3, 2005, Bailén station was opened on line 5. This station is between Colón and Jesús, and has connections with València-Nord, the main railway station of València. Furthermore, Bailen is close to the Plaça d'Espanya station on line 1. In October 2005, line 4 was extended to Mas del Rosari, and on 20 December 2005 to Lloma Llarga-Terramelar.On 2 April 2007, Line 5 was extended to the East to a new station Marítim-Serrería (originally planned as Jerónimo Monsoriu).
On 18 April 2007, Line 5 extended to the Airport
Valencia Airport
Valencia Airport in Manises , also known as Manises Airport, is the 8th busiest Spanish airport in terms of passengers and second in the region after Alicante. It is situated west of the city of Valencia. The airport has flight connections to about 15 European countries and 4.9 million passengers...
(Aeroport Station) in the west and to the Port (Neptú Station) in the east, this last section from Marítim-Serreria to Neptú is a tram section; the trains go from Aeroport to Marítim-Serrreria and then a tram operates between Marítim-Serreria and Neptú. Line 3 was extended to the Airport as well to cover the schedule limitations of line 5 to Aeroport station.
On 22 September 2007, Line 6 was opened, linking the neighbourhoods of Orriols and Torrefiel to the metro system for the first time. Additionally a new station "Torre del Virrei" was added to Line 1. It is situated between the stations of "L'Eliana" and "La Pobla de Vallbona".
On 12 December 2010, the two overground line 4 stations in the municipality of Alboraya, Alboraya and Palmaret, were replaced by the subterranean stations of Alboraya - Peris Aragó and Alboraya - Palmaret. On Line 1, the station of Jesus was renamed Joaquin Sorolla, while the Hospital station was renamed Safranar.
Future lines
Four more lines are planned to be inaugurated in upcoming years. Line 2 is under construction, and its inauguration is expected to be in 2011. Line 7, without new stations, will be inaugurated in 2011. It will be a new connection with stations from lines 3, 4, 5, 6 and a future eighth line.Accidents
Line 1 (Metro Valencia)
Line 1 is one of the five lines of Metrovalencia. It is the oldest line of the system, opened in 1988. The line has 59 stations with a total of 98.159 km . This makes Line 1 the longest line of the Metrovalencia, almost four times longer than the second one .On July 3, 2006, an accident...
. Nobody was killed, but according to early reports 35 people were injured, 4 of whom were taken to hospital, their condition described as serious. The first train had been stationary waiting for a red signal. The second used its emergency brakes to avoid a collision, but was hit by a third train. The force of the impact severely damaged the drivers' cabs at the front of the last train and at the rear of the second train. The crash occurred between Paiporta and Picanya about 5 km south-east of the city centre. The 3729 and 3730 EMUs are now a single EMU with 3729A and the 3730A cars, the 'B' cars were severely damaged and are currently at València-Sud workshop, waiting to be scrapped.
3 July 2006 was a black day for the Valencia metro. In a severe accident
2006 Valencia metro accident
The Valencia Metro derailment occurred in Valencia, Spain's third largest city, on July 3, 2006, at 1 p.m. CEST between Jesús and Plaça d'Espanya stations on the Line 1 of the Valencia Metro mass transit system...
, a two-car EMU derailed between Jesús and Plaça d'Espanya stations. At least 43 people were killed and 52 injured. It was the worst metro accident in Spanish history.