route / alignment
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route / alignment
The planned or already defined course of a transportation or utility route, such as for a railway line, a road, a pipeline, or a high-voltage power line.
Die Anwohner protestieren gegen die geplante Trasse der neuen Autobahn.
The residents are protesting against the planned route of the new motorway.
'Trasse' (route/alignment) is a word from the technical language of engineers and planners. You often encounter it in the news when large construction projects such as motorways or railway lines are being discussed.
Bürgerinitiativen protestieren gegen die geplante Trasse.
Citizens' initiatives are protesting against the planned route.
To specify what kind of route is meant, 'Trasse' (route/alignment) is often used as the second part of compound nouns. Typical examples are 'Bahntrasse' (railway route), 'Stromtrasse' (power line route), or 'Autobahntrasse' (motorway route).
Die neue Stromtrasse soll die Windenergie vom Norden in den Süden transportieren.
The new power line route is intended to transport wind energy from the north to the south.
In connection with a 'Trasse' (route/alignment), verbs are often used that describe the planning and construction process. These include 'planen' (to plan), 'festlegen' (to define), 'bauen' (to build), and 'verlegen' (to lay).
Die Ingenieure müssen nun die exakte Trasse für die Pipeline festlegen.
The engineers now have to define the exact route for the pipeline.
line
'die Linie' and 'die Trasse' can both have to do with the course of transport or utility routes. 'Linie' is used in everyday language for the fixed route of a form of public transport, for example a bus, train, or subway. 'Trasse' is more technical and means the planned or built course of a route, for example for a railway, road, pipeline, or power line. Learners may confuse the words because both describe a route. For passengers, 'Linie' is usually natural; in planning and construction, 'Trasse' is more precise.
Die neue Trasse für die Bahn soll am Stadtrand entlangführen.
The new railway route is supposed to run along the edge of the city.
Morgens nimmt Nico die Linie 4 bis zum Büro.
In the morning, Nico takes line 4 to the office.