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Brussels
The Brussels Métro started as a pré-métro system which could be compared to German Stadtbahn systems (Cologne, Stuttgart, Essen, Hannover, etc.) with important sections of underground tunnels used by various tram routes. In 1969, the first tram tunnel along today's line 1 was opened between Schuman and De Brouckère, and in 1970 today's line 2 between Madou and Porte de Namur. Today lines 1A, 1B and 2 are operated as full metro lines whereas the north-south city tunnel and the outer ring tunnel in the east are still used by trams with low station platforms.
A 2.7 km extension of Line 1B from Bizet to Erasme Hospital opened in Sept. 2003 (4 new stations: La Roue/Het Rad, CERIA/COOVI, Eddy Merckx and Erasme/Erasmus). The last 800 m and Erasme/Erasmus station are on the surface. All stations have a central platform which is directly accessible from street level without a mezzanine. At CERIA/COOVI a carpark with 1200 places was built.
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