Trams in Amsterdam 3

The Amsterdam Tram is a tram network in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The network dates back to 1875. Since 1943, it has been operated by municipal public transport operator GVB, which also runs the Amsterdam metro and the city bus and ferry services. The Amsterdam Tram is the largest tram network in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe.The trams on the network run on standard gauge track. Since 1900, they have been powered by electricity, at 600 V DC. At the terminus station of almost every tram route is a turning loop, so that the route can be operated by unidirectional trams. The only exception is Amstelveen Binnenhof, one of the termini of route 5, which must therefore be served by bidirectional vehicles., there are 14 tram routes. The network comprises a total of 80.5km of route, and 200km of track. The fleet consists of 200 trams, of which 24 are bidirectional for use on the loop-less route 5.HistoryBeginningsOn 3 June 1875, Amsterdam's first horse-drawn tramway was opened. It linked Plantage with the Leidseplein, and was operated by AOM, which had been founded in 1872 by Karel Herman Schadd, amongst others.