125 years of tradition and future: open day at STOAG

STOAG is celebrating its 125th birthday this year. On Sunday, September 18th, all citizens can celebrate. Because as a highlight of the events this year, STOAG would like to invite you to the open day at the Max-Eyth-Straße depot and on the route - in any weather. And with free arrival and departure in the city area.

On September 18, a lot revolves around the eventful past of traffic. The day begins at 9.30 a.m. with a parade of historic trams and vintage buses from the Landwehr via the main station and the route to Sterkrade.

The four historic trams then commute along the route until 17 p.m. and are happy to take passengers with them. You can get on and off at the Sterkrade, Neue Mitte and Hauptbahnhof stops. Of course, the TW 25, the STOAG vintage car from 1897, will also be there. But there will also be cars from Bochum, Essen and Mülheim.

From the stagecoach to the autonomous bus

The vintage buses continue from Sterkrade to the STOAG depot, where they can be viewed from 11 a.m. There is a varied program for the whole family at the depot between 11 a.m. and 17 p.m. Participation and participation are very important. An old mail coach, drawn by real draft horses, invites you on a journey into the past. A ride is just as possible here as with the two autonomously driving shuttles that drive on the STOAG site. STOAG press spokeswoman Sabine Müller is enthusiastic: "For the first time, the citizens of Oberhausen have the opportunity to ride in small autonomous buses. That's quite a special driving experience.” Anyone who would like to try out their own driving skills can do so on various driving simulators.

Diverse program for young and old

The STOAG electric buses can be "touched" on this day, including a view of the vehicle roof with pantograph. The crowd puller at the open day are the rides through the car wash, which of course are not missing this time either.

The various vintage buses exude a historical ambience – the oldest vehicle, a charming vintage car with a long snout from the Saurer company from 1948, comes from Switzerland. The former STOAG bus 417, which has been restored true to the original, is also beautiful to look at. A small historic fair with booths, children's carousel and mini Ferris wheel for children also provide nostalgic flair. The balloon artist is looking forward to many enthusiastic children. Of course, food and drink and a stage program are also provided.

"We span the spectrum from horse-drawn carriages to vintage and electric buses to autonomous shuttles and show the diverse world of local transport," says STOAG Managing Director Werner Overkamp. “We have a wonderful program for visitors big and small and I'm convinced that not only bus and tram fans will get their money's worth. The support of the traffic history associations of the neighboring transport companies is also nice.”

Free arrival in Oberhausen

How do you travel to the open day of a transport company? Of course by bus. On this day, all visitors can travel to and from Oberhausen by bus and tram free of charge between 10 a.m. and 18 p.m. The Stadtwerke stop is located directly at the event site. In addition to line 976, shuttle buses run every 15 minutes from the main station and Sterkrade station to Max-Eyth-Straße. Arriving by bus is definitely recommended, because the search for a parking space could be a challenge due to construction work around the STOAG depot.

And should the weather gods not be so kind on September 18: the large STOAG halls make it possible to celebrate even when it rains and to move some of the activities inside.  

Information about the open day and the journeys with the historic trams on the route can be found under www.stoag.de.