Rotterdam Metro

Rotterdam Metro
Wilhelminaplein metro station, Lines D and E
Overview
Native name	Rotterdamse metro
Locale	Rotterdam, Netherlands
Transit type	Rapid transit and light rail
Number of lines	5
Number of stations	71
Annual ridership	100.7 million (2024)
Website	RET (in English)
Operation
Began operation	9 February 1968 (1968-02-09)
Operator	Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram (RET)
Number of vehicles	167
Technical
System length	103.1 km (64.1 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Third rail/overhead line, 750 V DC
Top speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
System map  A  Binnenhof Nesselande  B  Romeynshof De Tochten  E  Den Haag Centraal Ambachtsland 3 4 34 to Beatrixkwartier Nieuw Verlaat Laan van NOI Hesseplaats Voorburg 't Loo Leidschendam-Voorburg Graskruid Vliet Alexander Remise Leidschendam Oosterflank Forepark Prinsenlaan Leidschenveen Schenkel 3 4 34 to Voorweg De Terp  C  Nootdorp Capelle Centrum Pijnacker Centrum Slotlaan Pijnacker Zuid Berkel Westpolder Capelsebrug Rodenrijs Remise 's-Gravenweg Meijersplein / Airport Kralingse Zoom Melanchthonweg Voorschoterlaan Blijdorp Gerdesiaweg  D  Rotterdam Centraal Oostplein Stadhuis Blaak Beurs Eendrachtsplein Leuvehaven Dijkzigt Nieuwe Maas Coolhaven Wilhelminaplein Delfshaven Rijnhaven Marconiplein Maashaven Schiedam Centrum Zuidplein Slinge  E  Parkweg Remise Waalhaven Troelstralaan Rhoon Vijfsluizen Poortugaal Nieuwe Maas Schiedam Nieuwland Pernis Vlaardingen Oost Vlaardingen Centrum Tussenwater  A  Vlaardingen West Hoogvliet Maassluis Centrum Zalmplaat Maassluis West Oude Maas Steendijkpolder Spijkenisse Centrum Hoek van Holland Haven Heemraadlaan  B  Hoek van Holland Strand De Akkers  C  D

The Rotterdam Metro (Dutch: Rotterdamse Metro) is a rapid transit system operated in Rotterdam, Netherlands and surrounding municipalities by RET. The first line, called Noord – Zuidlijn (lit. 'North – South line') opened in 1968 and ran from Centraal Station to Zuidplein, crossing the river Nieuwe Maas in a tunnel. It was the first metro system to open in the Netherlands. At the time it was also one of the shortest metro lines in the world with a length of only 5.9 km (3.7 mi).

In 1982 a second line was opened, the Oost – Westlijn (lit. 'East – West line'), running between Capelsebrug and Coolhaven stations. In the late 1990s, the lines were named after two historic Rotterdam citizens, the Erasmus Line (North – South) after Desiderius Erasmus and the Caland Line (East – West) after Pieter Caland. As of December 2009, these names were dropped again in favour of a combination of letters and colours, to emphasise and clarify the difference between the separate branches, especially of the former East – West line.

In 2015, there were about 175,000 daily riders of Lines A, B and C. There were 145,000 on Lines D and E.