* Narrow and normal gauge together

** 1950-1953 Narrow and normal gauge together

Please note that this article also describes all overland routes to far cities such as Orlova, Karvina, and Bohumin. Especially Bohumin was sometimes reffered as city with standalone tramway network - but it was in 1914 connected (with another company's lines) with Ostrava.

Ostrava, now strongly industrial city in Northern Moravia with 315.000 inhibtans is one of biggest Czech cities. It is main city in so-called Ostravian-Karvinian Norther Industry Region. City is known for their coal mines and iron works. First iron work were opened in 1840, and Ostrava, in 1840 little city with approx. 6.000 inhibitans started to expand. Many coal mines were opened in 2nd half of 19th century, while first railway line was opened in 1847.

City needed a faster transport, so they want to build tramway too. Because of the coal mines, there was idea of steam tramway instead of those horse-drawn. In 1893 Brno's tramway company offered to city to built steam tramway (of same type as in Brno) here. City gives licence to built it here, so first line was opened here in 1894. They operate goods transport as well as passenger transport.

Tramway company was relatively successfull, but in 1898 they sold tracks to city. City formed a new company, built new tracks (so in 1899 there was 14 km) and in 1900 they started to rebuilt tracks to electric tramway. It was done on 1.May 1901. Old King's city Bohumin (till 1844 bigger than Ostrava) was also connected till 1847 by railway line. But railway station was approx 4 km far from city, so city wanted to make better conection. All railway plans in end of 19th century were rejected, so city decided to built here new tramway. In 1902 horse-drawn tramway with 760 mm gauge was innaugurated here. Although transport was faster, new city called Novy (New) Bohumin was based near station, while old Bohumin is called now Stary (really Old) Bohumin now. (Little note, although it was oldest narrow gauge tramway here, it also was the last one, closed in 1973). In 1904 was this line rebuilt to steam tramway, with only one engine. Other cities wanted to be connected with Ostrava too. So new company, Local Railway Ostrava-Hrusov was formed in 1903. In 1904 they opened their first line from Ostrava to Hrusov with 9 km length, again with 760 mm gauge. It was operated with steam locos, rebuilt to electric tramway in 1911. It was not enough, so in 1908 Local Railway Ostrava-Karvina was formed. In 1909 they opened their first (and last) line from Ostrava to Karvina with the length of 20 km. Line was built with 760 mm gauge and 560V dc overhead wires. Both these tramway lines were connected with normal gauge (steam) Ostrava's Tramways, but weren't connected each other, there was approx. 900 m difference.

Another company Silesian Land Railway was formed in 1911. This company also wanted to connect Ostrava to Karvina, but through norhtern way accross Bohumin and Petrvald. They opened their fist line in 1912, again with 760 mm gauge and 600 V dc overhead from Karvina to Frystat, and also from Ostrava to Michalkovice. In 1913 they reached Bohumin and in 1914 Hrusov. They also taked control over Local Railway Ostrava-Hrusov, so direct trains Ostrava-Karvina could run...

Next company was formed in 1913 in souther part of Ostrava. It was property of Vitkovice Iron Works, one of the biggest factories in Ostrava. They built electric tramway with normal gauge to connect their works with other tramway lines. They have only 6 km of track, it was expanded only once, in 30's (but later)

Between wars, 6 companies were here.

1. Ostrava's tramways. They operate main Ostrava's network with 1435 mm gauge. Their track was expanded in 20's to Svinov as well other prats of city. Company's cars were mostly self-built by the company.

2. Silesian Land Railway (SZD). They operated main line from Ostrava through Hrusov and Bohumin to Karvina and Frystat, as well as branch line from Ostrava to Michalkovice and from Orlova to Orlova-Kopaniny. This network was not expanded in this period, but in 1928 they taked control over Local railway Svinov-Kyjovice. This steam railway was connected in Svinov with Ostrava's tramways, but it was never connected with the rest network of SZD. Rest of track remained unchanged in gauge 760 mm.

3. Local Railway Ostrava-Karvina (MDOK). Gauge 760 mm. Not expanded.

4. Bohumin's city tramway. Shortly before war was this line rebuilt to electric tramway. They rebuilt their steam car to electric car, and in 1921 they purchased second (new) electric car. This line was not expanded. In 1947 city sold this line to Silesian Land Railways.

5. Vitkovicka zavodni draha (property of Iron Works) was expanded in 1928 to 5,2 kilometers. In 1930 it taked control over Local Railway Marianske Hory - Brusperk (but this line never reached Brusperk, it ended in Hrabova). This line was rebuilt to electric tramway in 1934.

6. Not mentioned yet - Klimkovice's Local Railway. It was connection between old city Klimkovice (now only village) and Svinov. This line was built as classic steam railway in 1911, but in 1922 it was rebuilt to electric tramway. It used standard gauge, 1435 mm. (It was closed in 1978).

After WW2, and after victory of communist party in Czechoslovakia were all tramways nationalized. So in 1949 Dopravni podnik mesta Ostravy (DPMO) was formed, and all tramway companies (except Vitkovicka zavodni draha) were joined into it. Shortly after this, in 1950 missing piece of narrow gauge tramways in Ostrava between (former) tracks of SZD and MDOK. It was the begining of golden era of narrow gauge tramways here! Until 1953 it was expaned network mainly in Karvina, where new suburbs were connected. New tramcars from Vagonka Ceska Lipa were purchased (approx. 25). In 1953 was also Vitkovicka zavodni draha taken over DPMO, and one year ago, after construction of new (normal gauge) lines in Zabreh there was a network with shocking length of 174 km, biggest in Czechoslovakia for anytime. Hilly narrow gauge route to Michalkovice was replaced by trolleybuses in November 1954.

Newly built iron works NHKG on southeast part of Ostrava required high-capacity transport. So construction of new normal gauge tramways began. It was built as double-track, but 4 km can be built only with single track, because the presence of track of MDOK. So in 1957 there comes a decision to rebuilt this 4km track to normal gauge. It was done in 1959. Narrow gauge tramways ended in Radvanice, where passengers must changed tramway. Ten golden years of narrow gauge tramways ended in 1960, when some tracks in Ostrava and Karvina were abandoned. City changed its policy about 180 degrees. Now they want to replace all tramways, especially narrow gauge tramways with buses.

This was not quite possible, because during years small village Poruba (part of Ostrava) expanded from 1.600 inhibtans in 1949 to 109.000 in 1967!!! Biggest Ostrava's housing estate needed high-capacity transport, so decision was taken to preserve tramways in this part of Ostrava. In the mid of 60's new modern depot for 180 tramways was built here. But narrow gauge tramways were massively abandoned. Last remained Ostrava in 1967. Last two lines from Novy Bohumin to Stary Bohumin and to Hrusov survived until 1973. Several tramways were preserved in Brno's Tramway Museum.

Normal gauge tramways were renewed from mid of 50's by new T1-class tramways. 46 tramways of this type were followed by 100 pcs of T2 tramcars in 1959-1964. In the mid of 60's tramways of T3 class were delivered here, but yet in 1970 city bought five tramways from abandoned tramway tracks in Usti nad Labem. 10 pcs. of type K2 was also delivered, but no more tramways of this type were delivered. In 70's city still operated several single-track routes to Hrabova, Klimkovice, Kyjovice and Hlucin (rebuilt route of Czech State Railways, 1950). City council decided to close all of these 'forest' tramways until 1985. Line to Hrabova was closed in 1974, Klimkovice followed in 1978, while Hlucin was abandoned in 1982. Last forest tramway remained. Old two-axle tramways were here used until 1985, as last track in Czechoslovakia. In 1984 decision was taken to preserve this line too, only upgrade it for heavier vehicles of T3 class. This was done in 1985, but track was then upgraded again in 1990-1992. In end of 70's tramways reached new ousing estates. Last track was opened there in 1984. Several new routes are in project, one of them, connection between Dubina and Silesian Ostrava is under construction (to be opened 1999/2000). In the end od 80's equipment was renewed by double-ended tramcars KT8D5, and in 1993 first new T6A5 tramways were delivered. Also, city decides to test new low-floor tramway "Astra" from Skoda Plzen. First prototype was purchased at the end of 1997, serial vehicles follows...

Although Ostrava's tramways lost part of its beauty, a trip with line 5 to Kyjovice is very nice pleasure.

Currently following tramways are in service here:
 

701...798	T3 tramways
901...1028	T3SUCS tramways	delivered in mid of 80's
1029..1038	T3SUCS tramways	partly self built in workshop Martinov in mid of 90's
803...811	K2 tramways
1201..1209	Škoda LT 10.08 (Astra)	Another three cars on order for year 2000
1101..1138	T6A5 tramways
1501..1515	KT8D5 tramways

 

For the information about historic vehicles please follow link
CZECH REPUBLIC - Ostrava, current map (1998)
CZECH REPUBLIC - Ostrava, narrow-gauge depot Bohumín 1972 (b/w)
CZECH REPUBLIC - Ostrava, tramway K2
CZECH REPUBLIC - Ostrava, tramway T2
CZECH REPUBLIC - Ostrava, tramway T6
CZECH REPUBLIC - Ostrava, tramway Astra
CZECH REPUBLIC - Ostrava, tramway on way toHlučín - 1980 (b/w)
CZECH REPUBLIC - Ostrava, trolleybuses Škoda 9Tr a 14Tr- Náměstí Republiky
CZECH REPUBLIC - Ostrava, trolleybus Škoda17Tr - 3902
CZECH REPUBLIC - Ostrava, museum tramway T-1

This page (c) 1998 Richard A.Bílek. All photos and articles by Richard A.Bílek, except where noted. Feel free to spread all of these informations, but do not forget to mention your source.