Trams in Melbourne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Melbourne tramway network

Public Transport Victoria
E-class trams on Bourke Street in 2013
Operation
Locale	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Infrastructure
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Horse tram era: 1884 (1884)–1923 (1923) Status Abandoned or Converted to electric Operator(s) Various (1884–1915) MTOC (1887–1916) MTB (1916–1919) MMTB (1919–1923) Propulsion system(s) Horse
Cable tram era: 1885 (1885)–1940 (1940) Status Converted to electric tram or petrol/diesel bus Operator(s) MTOC (1885–1916) Various (1890–1919) MTB (1916–1919) MMTB (1919–1940) Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge Propulsion system(s) Cable, pulled by steam engines and electric motors
Electric tram era: since 1906 System Metlink (2003–2012) Public Transport Victoria (since 2012) Status Operational Routes 24 routes Owner(s) NMETL (1906–1922) VR (1906–1959) PMTT (1910–1920) HTT (1916–1920) MBCTT (1916–1920) FNPTT (1920) MMTB (1920–1983) MTA (1983–1989) PTC (1989–1999) VicTrack (since 1999) Operator(s) NMETL (1906–1922) VR (1906–1959) PMTT (1910–1920) HTT (1916–1920) MBCTT (1916–1920) FNPTT (1920) MMTB (1920–1983) MTA (1983–1989) PTC (1989–1998) PTC (Swanston Trams) (1998–1999) PTC (Yarra Trams) (1998–1999) M>Tram (1999–2004) TransdevTSL (Yarra Trams) (1999–2009) Keolis Downer (Yarra Trams) (since 2009) Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) (1906–1959) Propulsion system(s) Electricity Electrification 600 V DC from overhead catenary Depot(s) 8 depots Stock 501 trams Track length (double) 250 km (155.3 mi) Passengers (2017–18) 206.3 million  1.1%

The Melbourne tramway network is a huge system of trams that helps people get around the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It has about 1,700 tram stops and 24 different routes. It's the biggest tram network in the world that's still running!

More than 500 trams travel on about 250 kilometers of tracks. In 2017-2018, over 206 million trips were made on Melbourne's trams. Trams are the second most popular way to travel in Melbourne, right after the city's trains.

Trams have been a part of Melbourne's life since 1885. They are now a famous symbol of the city and are often shown in tourist ads. Melbourne first had a cable tram system which grew to be one of the biggest in the world. Electric trams started running in 1906 and have been going ever since.

Today, Keolis Downer, known as Yarra Trams, runs the tram system. Public Transport Victoria handles tickets and information. Melbourne uses a special ticket system called myki for trams, trains, and buses.

At some intersections in Melbourne, cars turning right have to do a special "hook turn". This helps trams get through busy areas faster. Trams also have special traffic lights and lanes to keep them moving smoothly.

Melbourne Tram History

Early Horse Trams

Melbourne's first tram was pulled by horses. It opened on December 20, 1884, in Fairfield. Seven horse tram lines operated in Melbourne. Some were built by the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company (MTOC), and others by different private companies.

The last horse tram line, which went to the Melbourne Zoological Gardens, closed in November 1923. It was destroyed by fire during a police strike. This marked the end of the horse tram era in Melbourne.

Cable Trams Take Over

The Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company (MTOC) started Melbourne's cable tram system. The first cable tram line opened on November 11, 1885. It ran from Bourke Street to Hawthorn Bridge.

At its busiest, the cable tram system was one of the largest globally. It had 75 kilometers of double tracks and 17 routes. The last cable tram ran on October 26, 1940. Most cable lines were changed to electric trams or replaced by buses.

First Electric Trams Arrive

The very first electric tram in Melbourne was built in 1889. It ran from Box Hill railway station to Doncaster. However, this project had many problems and closed in 1896.

Electric trams returned for good on May 5, 1906. The Victorian Railways opened a line from St Kilda to Brighton. Later that year, the North Melbourne Electric Tramway & Lighting Company (NMETL) opened two more electric lines.

Victorian Railways Electric Trams

The Victorian Railways (VR) tram line was built using a wider track size than the cable trams. This allowed trams to be serviced at the Jolimont Yard train depot. The line opened in stages in 1906.

A fire in 1907 destroyed the Elwood tram depot and all its trams. New trams were built, and some were borrowed from Sydney. This VR electric tram line closed on February 28, 1959, and was replaced by buses.

North Melbourne Electric Tramway

The NMETL company operated electric trams and provided electricity from 1906 to 1922. The tram part of the company was taken over by the MMTB in 1922.

The NMETL system opened on October 11, 1906. It had two routes, covering about 7 miles (11 km). It used 25 motor cars and 10 trailers.

Tramway Trusts Form

As Melbourne grew, people in inner suburbs like Prahran and Malvern wanted better public transport. So, the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust was created in 1907. Its first tram line opened on May 30, 1910. This network used overhead wires for electricity and grew quickly.

Other local tram trusts were also formed, including:

• Hawthorn Tramways Trust (1914)
• Melbourne, Brunswick & Coburg Tramways Trust (1916)
• Fitzroy, Northcote & Preston Tramways Trust (1920)
• Footscray Tramway Trust (1920)

Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board

The Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB) was formed in July 1919. It took control of all of Melbourne's tram networks, including cable, electric, and horse trams. By 1940, all cable and horse tram lines were gone or changed to electric trams or buses.

The MMTB introduced the famous W-class tram in 1923. These trams became the main type used in Melbourne for 60 years. The Preston Workshops were built to make and fix these new trams.

After World War II, many other cities removed their trams. But Melbourne kept its trams. This was partly because Melbourne has wide streets, which are good for trams. Also, the tram union and the MMTB chairman, Sir Robert Risson, argued that it would be too expensive to remove the tracks.

Melbourne's tram use reached its highest point in 1949, with 260 million trips. Even though car use increased, Melbourne decided to keep its trams. In 1978, the first new tram line extension in over 20 years was built. Newer trams like the Z-class, A-class, and B-class began to replace the W-class trams.

Modernizing Melbourne's Trams

In 1983, the MMTB became part of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). This group worked to combine Melbourne's public transport systems. The MTA introduced new green and yellow tram colors and a new ticket system.

In 1987, two railway lines, St Kilda and Port Melbourne, were changed into light rail lines for trams. This meant changing the track size and electrical system.

In 1989, the MTA joined with another group to form the Public Transport Corporation (PTC). This brought all train and tram services in Victoria under one group. In the 1990s, ticket machines replaced tram conductors.

Privatization of Trams

In 1997, the tram network was split into two parts before being sold to private companies. VicTrack was created to own the land and assets. In 1999, two private companies, National Express (M>Tram) and TransdevTSL (Yarra Trams), took over running the trams.

National Express later decided to stop running its tram services in 2002. The government temporarily ran M>Tram until Yarra Trams took over the entire network in 2004. Since 2009, Keolis Downer has operated the Melbourne tram network under the name Yarra Trams.

System Upgrades and New Trams

After privatization, the tram system got many upgrades. New low-floor trams were bought, and older trams were updated. M>Tram introduced 59 new Siemens Combino (D-class) trams. Yarra Trams added 36 new Alstom Citadis (C-class) trams.

In 2003, the Metlink brand was created to help people get information about all of Melbourne's public transport. Since then, tram lines have been extended to places like Box Hill and Vermont South.

In 2010, Bombardier Transportation won a contract to build 50 new E-class trams. These trams are 33 meters long and can carry 210 passengers. They are built in Australia. The first E-class trams started running in 2013. More E-class trams have been ordered since then.

In 2012, Public Transport Victoria (PTV) was formed. PTV is in charge of managing and improving all of Victoria's public transport services.

Tram use has grown a lot since privatization. In 1999-2000, there were 127.3 million tram trips. By 2012-2013, this increased to 182.7 million trips. Many tram stops have also been upgraded to be more accessible for everyone. The Metcard ticket system was replaced by myki in 2012.

Recent Tram News

In 2015, the Free Tram Zone was started. This means you can ride trams for free within the city center and some nearby areas. This helps tourists and locals move around easily.

In 2018, the government announced plans for a new tram line extension from Caulfield to places like Monash University and Rowville. There are also plans for new tram lines to the Fisherman's Bend area.

New low-floor tram stops are being built to make the network more accessible. In 2020, the government announced plans for 100 new "Next Generation Trams" (G-class trams). These trams will be more energy-efficient and will replace older models. A new maintenance depot is being built in Maidstone for these new trams.

Tram Routes

Melbourne's tram network has 24 regular routes. Sometimes, routes might have an 'a' or 'd' after their number. An 'a' means the tram ends early or takes a different path due to delays or special events. A 'd' means the tram is going back to its depot at the end of its service.

	Route	Terminus A	via	Terminus B	Full length
	1	East Coburg	Brunswick East – Carlton – City – South Melbourne	South Melbourne Beach, Albert Park	13.2 km (8.2 mi)
	3	Melbourne University, Carlton	City – Balaclava – Caulfield North	Malvern East	14.9 km (9.3 mi)
	5	Melbourne University, Carlton	City – Windsor – Armadale	Malvern	12.6 km (7.8 mi)
	6	Moreland railway station, Brunswick	Brunswick East – Carlton – City – Prahran – Armadale – Malvern	Glen Iris	19.0 km (11.8 mi)
	11	West Preston	Thornbury – Northcote – Fitzroy – City	Victoria Harbour, Docklands	13.3 km (8.3 mi)
	12	Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, Richmond	Richmond – East Melbourne – City – South Melbourne – Middle Park	Fitzroy & Park Streets, St Kilda	11.3 km (7.0 mi)
	16	Melbourne University, Carlton	City – St Kilda – Balaclava – Caulfield North – Malvern – Hawthorn	Kew	20.2 km (12.6 mi)
	19	Coburg North	Brunswick – Parkville	Flinders Street railway station, City	10.2 km (6.3 mi)
	30	St Vincent's Plaza, East Melbourne	City	Central Pier, Docklands	2.9 km (1.8 mi)
	35	The District Docklands Shopping Centre	City	The District Docklands Shopping Centre	7.6 km (4.7 mi)
	48	North Balwyn	Kew – Richmond – East Melbourne – City	Victoria Harbour, Docklands	13.5 km (8.4 mi)
	57	West Maribyrnong	Ascot Vale – Flemington – North Melbourne	Flinders Street railway station, City	11.6 km (7.2 mi)
	58	Pascoe Vale South	Brunswick West – Parkville – City – Southbank – South Yarra	Toorak	18.2 km (11.3 mi)
	59	Airport West	Essendon – Moonee Ponds – Travancore – Parkville	Flinders Street railway station, City	14.7 km (9.1 mi)
	64	Melbourne University, Carlton	City – Windsor – Armadale – Caulfield	Brighton East	16.1 km (10.0 mi)
	64a	Orrong & Dandenong Roads, Armadale (after 6:30 pm)	Caulfield		6.9 km (4.3 mi)
	67	Melbourne University, Carlton	City – Balaclava – Elwood – Elsternwick – Caulfield – Glen Huntly	Carnegie	12.7 km (7.9 mi)
	70	Wattle Park, Surrey Hills	Camberwell – Hawthorn – Richmond – City	The District Docklands Shopping Centre	16.5 km (10.3 mi)
	72	Melbourne University, Carlton	City – Prahran – Toorak – Glen Iris – Camberwell	Deepdene	16.8 km (10.4 mi)
	75	Vermont South Shopping Centre	Burwood – Camberwell – Hawthorn – Richmond – City	Central Pier, Docklands	22.8 km (14.2 mi)
	78	North Richmond	South Yarra – Prahran – Windsor	Balaclava	6.5 km (4.0 mi)
	82	Footscray railway station	Maribyrnong – Ascot Vale	Moonee Ponds Junction	9.2 km (5.7 mi)
	86	RMIT University Bundoora	Preston – Thornbury – Northcote – Collingwood – Fitzroy – City	The District Docklands Shopping Centre	22.2 km (13.8 mi)
	96	Brunswick East	Carlton – City – South Melbourne – Albert Park – St Kilda	St Kilda Beach	13.9 km (8.6 mi)
	109	Box Hill Central Shopping Centre	Balwyn – Kew – Richmond – East Melbourne – City	Port Melbourne	19.2 km (11.9 mi)

Melbourne Tram Fleet

Melbourne's tram fleet has 520 trams as of May 2023. Each tram type has a special name, like W-class or Z-class. The Victorian Government owns many of these trams.

W-class Trams

W-class trams were first used in Melbourne in 1923. They have a unique "drop center" design, which means the middle doors are closer to the ground. A total of 756 W-class trams were built until 1956. They were the main trams in Melbourne for 60 years.

By the 1990s, W-class trams became a symbol of Melbourne. Many have been retired, but some are still used on the City Circle tourist route. Some W-class trams have even been sent to other cities around the world, like Seattle and Memphis.

• 

  A SW5-class tram on Flinders Street.

• 

  A W6-class tram on Victoria Street.

• 

  A W7-class tram on Flinders Street.

Z-class Trams

New Z-class trams were introduced in 1975 to replace the W-class. They were based on a modern design from Sweden.

One hundred Z1-class trams were built between 1975 and 1979. These trams were not very popular because they had few doors. Most Z1-class trams have now been retired.

Fifteen Z2-class trams were built in 1978 and 1979. They were similar to the Z1-class but had small changes. The last Z2-class tram was retired in 2016.

One hundred and fifteen Z3-class trams started service between 1979 and 1984. These trams had an extra door on each side, which made it easier for passengers to get on and off. Most Z3-class trams are still in use today.

• 

  A Z1-class tram at Federation Square, Swanston Street.

• 

  A Z2-class tram at City Square, Swanston Street.

• 

  The inside of a Z3-class tram.

A-class Trams

A-class trams were built between 1984 and 1987. There were two types: A1-class and A2-class. The A1-class trams used a "trolley pole" to get power, while the A2-class were the first Melbourne trams to use a "pantograph" (a device on the roof that connects to the overhead wires). Almost all A-class trams are still in service.

• 

  An A1-class tram at Federation Square, Flinders Street.

• 

  An A1-class tram.

• 

  An A2-class tram on Flinders Street.

B-class Trams

B-class trams were designed for light rail lines. Two B1-class trams were built in 1984 and 1985. They had both trolley poles and pantographs. These two trams were retired in 2018.

B2-class trams started service between 1988 and 1994. They were the first Melbourne trams to have air conditioning. All 130 B2-class trams are still in use today. B-class trams were also the first "articulated" trams in Melbourne, meaning they have flexible joints that allow them to bend.

• 

  B1-class tram #2001.

• B2-class Melbourne tram interior, 2013.jpg

  The inside of a B2-class tram.

C-class (Citadis) Trams

After the tram system became private in 1999, new trams were bought. Yarra Trams introduced the low-floor C1-class trams in 2001. These trams are made in France and have three sections. There are 36 C1-class trams in service.

Five C2-class trams, which have five sections, started running in Melbourne in 2008. They were called 'Bumble Bees' because of their yellow color. They run only on route 96. The Victorian Government bought these trams in 2013.

• 

  A C1-class tram.

• 

  A C2-class tram.

D-class (Combino) Trams

The German-made Siemens Combino trams were introduced between 2002 and 2004. These are also low-floor trams. The Combino comes in two versions: a three-section (D1-class) or a five-section (D2-class) tram.

• 

  A D1-class tram.

• 

  A D2-class tram.

• D2-class Melbourne tram interior, 2013.jpg

  The inside of a D2-class tram.

E-class (Flexity) Trams

E-class trams are built in Australia. They are based on a design from Germany. These trams are 33 meters long and 2.65 meters wide. They have air conditioning and can carry 210 passengers.

The first E1-class trams started service in 2013. The government has ordered more E-class trams, including a slightly changed E2-class design. Eventually, there will be 100 E-class trams in service.

G-class (Next Generation Trams)

In 2020, plans were announced for 100 new "Next Generation Trams" (G-class trams). These trams will be built by Alstom and will start running in 2025. They will replace older trams that are not easy for everyone to use.

The new G-class trams will be shorter than the E-class trams, about 25 meters long, but there might be longer versions too. They will use new technology to save power. A new depot is being built in Maidstone to house these new trams.

Tram Ridership Figures

This table shows how many people rode Melbourne trams each year. The financial year in Australia starts on July 1 and ends on June 30.

Melbourne tram patronage by financial year

2000s	Year	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09	2009–10
	Patronage (millions)	129.4	131.9	134.7	135.9	145.3	149.6	154.9	158.3	178.1	175.5
	Reference
2010s	Year	2010–11	2011–12	2012–13	2013–14	2014–15	2015–16	2016–17	2017–18	2018-19	2019-20
	Patronage (millions)	182.7	191.6	182.7	176.9	182.1	203.8	204.0	206.3	205.4	141.8
	Reference
2020s	Year	2020–21	2021–22
	Patronage (millions)	60.2	82.9
	Reference

Tram Depots

Melbourne's trams are stored and maintained at eight different depots.

	Depot	Routes	Trams
A photo of Brunswick tram depot shed, with a handful of Z class trams inside.	Brunswick	1 6 (Shared with Malvern) 19	10 Z3 Class 21 B2 Class 21 D2 Class
A photo of Camberwell tram depot shed, with one tram, a B class tram inside.	Camberwell	70 75	4 A1 Class 20 A2 Class 40 B2 Class
Essendon tram depot, viewed from the southern gate, 2013.	Essendon	57 58 (Shared with Southbank) 59 82	34 Z3 Class 28 B2 Class
A photo of the main entrance for Glenhuntly tram depot.	Glenhuntly	3 64 67	9 Z3 Class 41 B2 Class
A photo of Kew tram depot.	Kew	48 78 109	20 A2 Class 36 C Class
A photo of Malvern tram depot.	Malvern	5 6 (Shared with Brunswick) 16 72	47 Z3 Class 38 D1 Class
A photo of Preston Workshops.	Preston	11 86	48 E Class 24 E2 Class
A photo of Southbank tram depot yard.	Southbank	12 30 35 (City Circle) 58 (Shared with Essendon) 96	3 SW6 Class 12 W8 Class 23 A1 Class 2 A2 Class 5 C2 Class 2 E Class 26 E2 Class
Source: Vicsig

How Trams Get Power

Melbourne's trams use 600 volts of DC electricity. This power comes from overhead lines. A network of 60 substations provides this electricity.

These substations change higher voltage AC electricity into the 600-volt DC power needed for trams. The overhead system is divided into 100 sections. This helps keep the voltage steady and makes it easier to fix problems if the power goes out.

Since 2013, Yarra Trams has been upgrading substations. This is because newer trams, like the E-class, need more power. They are also planning to divide the power network even more. This will help isolate problems and reduce disruptions.

In 2017, the government announced plans to power Melbourne's tram network with solar power. This power will come from a new solar plant in Mildura.

Tram and Train Crossings

There are two places where trams and trains cross paths at the same level. These are at Glenferrie Road, Kooyong, and Riversdale Road, Camberwell.

These crossings have special overhead wires. They can switch between the 600-volt power for trams and the 1500-volt power for trains. When a train is coming, the system changes to 1500 volts. When the crossing is clear for trams, it switches back to 600 volts.

In the past, there were many more tram-train crossings in Melbourne. Most of these have now been separated (one goes over or under the other) or the tram or train line has been removed.

Trams in Popular Culture

Melbourne's trams, especially the W-class, are a famous symbol of the city. They are often seen in movies, music videos, and tourist ads.

For example, trams are featured in the movie Malcolm. The band AC/DC filmed part of their music video for It's a Long Way to the Top on a tram.

In 2006, for the 2006 Commonwealth Games, a Z1-class tram was decorated like a bus from Karachi, Pakistan. It was called the Karachi tram and ran on the City Circle route. A special "flying tram" was also built for the Opening Ceremony of the Games.

Royal Trams

In 2006, a W-class tram was given as a gift to Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and her fiancé, Crown Prince Frederik. This tram now runs at a tram museum in Denmark.

In 2011, a Z3-class tram was specially decorated as a "Royal Tram." Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip rode this tram during their visit to Melbourne.

Melbourne Art Trams

From 1978 to 1993, 36 W-class trams were painted with artwork as part of a project called Transporting Art. Famous local artists participated in this project.

The idea was brought back in 2013 as Melbourne Art Trams. Artists create designs, and eight trams are chosen each year to be painted with new artwork. These art trams can be seen around the city. In 2018, the program even included an "augmented reality" art tram.

Tram Safety and Rules

The safety of tram operations in Melbourne is managed by the Rail Safety Act 2006. This law makes sure that all rail operators follow safety rules. They must have a safety management system to guide their work.

The Director, Transport Safety is in charge of making sure these safety rules are followed. There are also rules about how to behave on trams, which are found in the Transport (Conduct) Regulations 2005.