Hamburg's Die Linke proposes tram network instead of U5 subway

The Die Linke party in Hamburg has presented a new study proposing a tram network as a more cost-effective alternative to the planned U5 subway line. The study, authored by Dieter Doege and Jens Ode, suggests implementing four tram lines covering approximately 44 kilometers with 91 stops.

Proposed tram routes include connections from Veddel to Borgweg, Mundsburg to Niendorf Markt, Kellinghusenstraße to Osdorf, and Kellinghusenstraße to Altona station. The authors estimate the cost of this tram network at roughly 1.5 billion euros, contrasting it with the projected 16.5 billion euro cost of the U5 project.

The study also challenges the passenger numbers predicted by the Hochbahn for the U5, characterizing those projections as based on assumptions rather than certainty. The Linke faction suggests that while the section of the U5 currently under construction should proceed to Borgweg, the project should then utilize existing U3 and U2 tracks rather than continuing with the expensive planned expansion.