Mysterious tram stop

[u/Fit-Stay4255]

Hey! so today i was driving in Eisenhowerlaan by the bit between line 1 and 17 of the tram, and I noticed these tram rails and stops and I checked on Google Maps and it doesn’t appear to be a line that serves this stop, does somebody know what is it? is it for expansion?

[u/Free-Artist]

It used to be Tram 10 (I think?) back when the Yugoslavia Tribunal was still open.

But now it's closed (they're finished with the trials) so there's no demand for it anymore: the tram stop is long closed now.

You can also see het Laantje van Milosovic there: the little crossing of the tram they made just to drive Milosovic safely to the trial.

[u/Free-Artist → u/Free-Artist]

Also, the place where Europol now is used to be a big convention center and for concerts and stuff (North Sea Jazz was started there). And as mentioned elsewhere, the World Forum is still a conference center (last year the NATO for instance).

So there was a lot of demand previously, but not anymore.

[u/Fit-Stay4255 → u/Free-Artist]

That’s really interesting!!! Thank you!

[u/nino070 → u/Free-Artist]

Which ‘Laantje’ are you referring to?

[u/Free-Artist → u/nino070]

A nickname for a crossing of the tram tracks, roughly between the Tribunal and Norway embassy buildings. They removed the low metal fences of the tram track there and paved it with small stones. It was not necessary for any normal people, only person who used it was Milosovic because that way he would be transported into the tribunal

[u/fapfap155]

There used to be a tramline running on that route. Now it only is used when there are conferences or as a back-up line when there is trouble on a route.

[u/Fit-Stay4255 → u/fapfap155]

Thank you! Glad it’s still useful

[u/FailingNinja]

It used to be part of line 17 if I recall correctly, but they optimised the tram routes several years ago so it is no longer actively used. Buses also pass this area, so maybe it wasn’t the most logical route anymore. The track is sometimes used when there are deviations.

Removing a track may be cheap, but putting it back is far more costly. Best to keep it so it could be of use again if traveler demand or routes change.

[u/Nickozzz90 → u/FailingNinja]

It was the route of line 10. Line 10 and 7 shared part of that route and were merged into 17.

[u/Swolyguacomole]

Maybe it only stops during a busy convention. The world forum is a convention center

[u/OKB-1 → u/Swolyguacomole]

As someone who lived in that area up until recently, I have never once seen it being used for that purpose. The only time I've seen trams on this bit is when a tram needs to be rerouted for whatever reason. And sometimes I see the tourist tram going through here, but without using the stops.

[u/Fit-Stay4255 → u/Swolyguacomole]

Maybe

[u/OKB-1]

The municipality have announced concrete plans to renovate the Eisenhowerlaan, which includes preparing the rails and existing tram stop to be better compatible with the new HTM tram (of the same type that's now operational on line 2) and make it operational for a service that goes from Statenkwartier (where line 17 terminates) to central station (presumably via the route of line 1, then 15/17) and then later it will continue to Binkhorst over a yet to be constructed tram route.

I'm also looking forward to no longer having to fear for my life when biking through that street.

[u/Business_Start_5870 → u/OKB-1]

Yes let's hope they add bike lanes! It's a "thrilling" ride as it is. 

[u/Vandellia_cirrhosa]

Tram 10 used to go between the statenlaan and voorburg station, it was only on the rush hours.

[u/AnnaCordeliaLadybird]

The hop on-hop off tram runs there on weekends.

[u/sarah-vdb]

I used to work in one of the office buildings there, and between my interview and when I actually started they closed the stop. The 1 is a few minutes' walk in one direction and the 17 in the other, so it was only a mild inconvenience.

[u/q-quan]

As other commenters have suggested, this stop (World Forum) was used by a previous iteration of line 10, which ran from Statenkwartier to HS via the routes of 17 and 1. You can find info on that line here: https://wiki.ovinnederland.nl/wiki/Lijn_10_Den_Haag,_Statenkwartier_-_Station_HS. The tracks on Eisenhowerlaan are now used for detours, and the Tourist Tram uses it, although it doesn't stop at the World Forum stop.

[u/Balthazar-2000]

Only the older GTL and PCC models are allowed to ride this piece of rail. It is not actively used atm, except for instruction sometimes or when there are obstructions on the route. Then again, due to size, only GTL and PCC ride there as far as I know.
I saw someone saying they are upgrading the Eisenhowerlaan, so maybe in the future with the new TINA or current Avenio, you’ll see more trams riding there regularly :)