What started in 1902 now ends in 2024 – as the former British capital of India, Calcutta bids farewell to its eminent tram services. The first tram services in India were launched in 1902 and thrived in Kolkata for decades but have now been suspended. As we wrap up this glorious chapter of the only tram service in India, let’s look at cities around the world where these sustainable locomotives are still in service.
Melbourne
Melbourne the capital of Australia is the home to the world’s largest tram network. With about 250 km of track and 1,763 stops, the tracks diverge into 27 routes throughout the city. The city welcomed its first trams in 1884; however, they were horse-drawn. Despite its age, trams remain an important form of transportation in Melbourne – running with pride.
Vienna
The capital of Austria, Vienna boasts of the largest tram network in Europe. Similar to Melbourne, Vienna’s affair with tram services first began as horse-drawn trams in 1865. Then in 1883, the city welcomed steam trams, which ultimately got its current electric version in 1887. The tram network in Vienna is not just called “tram,” it is popularly known as Strassenbahn.
San Francisco
While we may have fallen in love with the trams of San Fransisco while watching Princess Diaries, we’re happy to report that it is still the most delightful, heritage line in operation. The network maximum has three lines, out of which one line is really called the heritage line. It passes through San Francisco’s residential streets giving you a glimpse of San Francisco’s life and districts brimming with tourist attractions such as Nob Hill, China Town, and Fisherman’s Wharf. San Francisco embraced the trams in 1873 and has no plan to abandon it.
Budapest
Budapest – in such a beautiful and historical city, trams first appeared in 1866. However, the electric ones we are generally aware of made an entrance almost 20 years later. The city is wrapped in tram lines running over 170 km, and 320 trams going over them catering to people of Budapest for years.
Milan
The same story for Milan also – the tram story began with horses, and eventually in 1901 electric systems came in. Milan has a tram network stretching for almost 181.8 km the longest across Italy. There are 18 urban lines and the best part, trams in Milan run past midnight.
Moscow
Trams are a major transport means in the capital of Russia Moscow. Luxurious, modernized electric trams run for a distance of 182km divided into 40 lines connecting the city. Moscow welcomed the tram network much later than the others in – 1899. However, the network is going strong, and flourishing till now.
Berlin
800 stations – Birlin’s tram network has so many stops. From this, you can imagine how long and spread out the tram network is in Germany’s capital. Berlin’s tram network is currently 193km long with 22 lines. However once, it started as horse-drawn double-decker carriages in 1865. Since then the trams in Berlin have come a long way.
St. Petersburg
Once popular in the world as the ‘city of trams’ – St. Petersburg actually had the second largest tram network in the world. In the 1980s the city had 340km of tram tracks wrapping the city. However, since 1995, the tram network shrunk in size, and since the 2010s only 205.5 kilometers are still active. Like the rest of the cities, St. Petersburg also has a history of horse-powered trams, but it’s the stories of ‘Ice trams’ that set it apart. Curious? Interestingly, these trams were operated during the extreme cold winter months in Russia, as the tramway was set up temporarily over the rivers (Neva, to be specific) which froze due to extreme temperatures.
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