A new high-speed tram line running partly underground through Utrecht has moved a major step closer, with detailed plans now open for public inspection until July 2.
The Merwedelijn will connect Utrecht Centraal and Nieuwegein via Europalaan, cutting the journey between the two to around 15 minutes.
Here’s everything travellers, Utrecht residents, and anyone living along the route need to know.
What is the Merwedelijn?
The Merwedelijn is a proposed new tram connection between Utrecht and Nieuwegein.
It’s designed to serve the massive housing developments planned for the Groot Merwede and Rijnenburg areas, two of the largest new-build zones in the Netherlands.
Once housing construction is completed, both areas are expected to deliver around 75,000 homes and approximately 40,000 jobs. Utrecht’s existing bus and tram network won’t be able to cope with the demand.
Needless to say, accessibility to public transport is a major requirement. According to Utrecht’s municipality, without a new public transport link through the Merwedelijn, those housing plans effectively stall.
Where will the stops be?
The official U Ned planning documents confirm one primary stop: beneath the Beatrix Building on the Jaarbeurs side of Utrecht Centraal. The Beatrix Building will need to be partly demolished to make way for it.
As reported by treinreiziger.nl, citing the provincial and ministerial planning documents currently under public inspection, three further underground stops are planned:
- beneath the Overste den Oudenlaan,
- along the Europalaan,
- and at the Woonboulevard in Utrecht-Zuid.
Given that current plans are still subject to change following the public consultation, the exact locations of all stops have not yet been finalised.
When will the Merwedelijn open?
The Merwedelijn is expected to be operational around 2040, according to the municipalities of Nieuwegein and Utrecht.
Before that, a definitive decision on the first section (Utrecht Centraal to Westraven) is expected in the autumn of 2026.
That will follow a review of all public consultation responses by the municipal councils of Utrecht and Nieuwegein and the Provincial Council.
As yet, no timeline has been set for the Westraven-to-Nieuwegein section.
Why is the Merwedelijn underground?
According to the official planning documents, approximately three-quarters of the Utrecht section will be covered or situated in a tunnel.
The tram runs on a grade-separated track, with no traffic lights and no road congestion, allowing speeds of up to 70 km/h. The line connects to the existing above-ground SUNIJ-lijn at Westraven.
Authorities initially studied multiple options, including a street-level route and a viaduct.
However, a tunnel or sunken position came out ahead on almost every measure, with fewer disruptions, greater public support from residents and businesses, and more flexibility during construction.
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