T-Centralen

T-Centralen (Swedish for "The T-Central"; T being an abbreviation for "tunnelbana", the Swedish word for "underground" or "subway") is a metro station that forms the heart of the Stockholm Metro system, in the sense that it is the only station where all three lines meet. That, its central location, and its connexions with other modes of transport make it the most used subway station in Stockholm. The station is located in Norrmalm, Stockholm, between Sergels torg (Sergel's Square) and the street of Vasagatan.

On a normal day, some 219,000 passengers travel to or from the station. It is connected by a pedestrian underpass to Stockholm Central Station (for national and regional trains, and the Stockholm commuter rail network) and the "Cityterminalen" bus terminal, making it easy to continue a journey started by Metro train.

The name of the station was changed from "Centralen" ("The Central") on January 27, 1958, as the subway station often was mistaken for the train station to which it is connected. The station is actually two separate stations built together with a long moving walkway connecting them on a mezzanine level.

First station: Lines 17-19 (Green Line) and 13-14 (Red Line)

This station, located 1.5 km from Slussen station, opened on November 24, 1957 as the 38th station in Stockholm's Metro system. Passing through this part of T-Centralen are lines 17-19 (Green line) from Gamla stan (Old Town) and Hötorget, and lines 13 and 14 (Red line) between Gamla Stan and Östermalmstorg. The station is located under Klara kyrka (Klara church) and Åhléns City department store.

The station has two platforms located at different ground levels. The upper level is located 8.5 metres below ground, and serves the northbound Green line and southbound Red line. The lower level is 14 metres below ground, and serves the southbound Green line and northbound Red line. This allows cross-platform transfers between opposite-direction trains between the Red and Green lines; Gamla stan and Slussen, the next two stations to the south, are similarly arranged to allow easy transfers between trains going in the same direction.

The station has two entrances. One (TCE S) is located south-west, and has doors at Vasagatan 20, Klara Västra Kyrkogata 20 and an entrance located in Stockholm Central by a pedestrian underpass which was opened on December 1 1958. The second entrance (TCE N) is located to the northeast, and its doors are located at Drottninggatan, Sergels torg 16 and Klarabergsgatan 48. However, due to the number of drug addicts in the surrounding area, the entrance to Klara kyrka and the walkway are closed, with a massive steel plate blocking the doors.

econd station: Lines 10 and 11 (Blue Line)

The second part of T-Centralen, located 700 meters from the Blue-line terminus of Kungsträdgården, opened on August 31 1975 as the 79th station. Lines 10 and 11 (which make up the Blue line) pass through this station from metro stations Kungsträdgården to the east and Rådhuset to the west. The station lies under the Åhléns department store and Centralposten post office.

The station is located 26-32 metres below ground, and has one platform.

This station has two entrances. The first one (TCE X) has its doors at Vasagatan 9 (about 150 metres north of the Central Station, along Vasagatan Street) and, across the street, Vasagatan 36. The second one (TCE N, shared with the first station, above) has its doors at Sergels torg and Klarabergsgatan. Access to the Blue line platform via the latter entrance is by two escalators.