page_title: Trams in Bern
section_title: Steam tramway
hierarchical_section_title: Trams in Bern / History / Steam tramway
caption_attribution_description: Berner Dampftramzüge vor dem Burgerspital in den 1890er Jahren
context_page_description: The Bern tramway network is a network of tramways forming part of the public transport system in Bern, the capital city of Switzerland. In operation since 1890, it presently has five lines, one of which incorporates the Bern–Worb Dorf railway.
  The trams on the network run on 1,000 mm metre gauge track. Initially, they were powered by compressed air, but from 1894, the air trams were supplemented by steam trams. Since 1901, the trams have been powered by electricity, at 600 V DC.
  The network is operated by a public transport corporation, the Städtische Verkehrsbetriebe Bern, which, since 2000, has marketed itself mainly under the trading name Bernmobil. The SVB also operates most of Bern's motor buses, and the Bern trolleybus system. Like the other public transport services in the region, the tramway network is part of the Tarifverbund Bern-Solothurn, which is equivalent to a passenger transport executive or transit district.
context_section_description: In light of the problems the BTG was experiencing with operating the pneumatic trams, and also Bern's challenging topography, the residents of the city voted in favour of using steam trams to operate line II. This line, opened in 1894, ran from Länggasse to Wabern, via the railway station, the Mattenhofquartier (Eigerplatz) and Weissenbühl.
  The depot for the steam trams was in the Mattenhofquartier.  Bern's main tram depot is still located there.
  The new steam tram line ousted Bern's horse buses from the city centre; from then onwards, the horse buses operated a new connection from Wabern to Belp-Steinbach.  Meanwhile, plans were developed to extend the steam tramway to Kehrsatz and Belp.
  A coalition of political and economic interests in various neighbouring communities then vehemently campaigned for the construction of a steam-driven interurban tramway from Bern to Worb. Such a tramway would allow connections at Gümligen with the standard gauge railways to Bern, Thun and Emmental. The BTG assisted with planning and cost calculations, and applied on behalf of the coalition for the required concession, which was issued by the EAV on 23 December 1896.
  The opening of the 9.7 km (6.0 mi) long Bern to Worb tramway took place on 21 October 1898.  From then until 31 March 1904, the Bern-Worb-Bahn (BWB) was operated by the BTG.
caption: Two steam trams in front of the Burgerspital.
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