Railways and Tramways of Australia

Melbourne has 250 km of double track tramways, making it the most extensive tramway network in the world. It retained its tramways when most Australian tramway networks were closed in the 1950s and 1960s. The tram came to be a symbol of Melbourne and remains a vital means of public transport in the city and suburbs.

 

Yarra Trams

Yarra Trams operates the Melbourne tram network. It is owned by private company Keolis Downer. Over 200,000,000 passenger journeys are made annually, with over 5000 services operating each day. The average speed of trams is 16 km/h across the network and 11 km/h in the Melbourne Central Business District. Yarra Trams has a fleet consisting of over 500 trams, with over 400 in service during peak periods.

 

A myki card is required for travel on Yarra Trams services, except for the Free Tram Zone. Most tram journeys are contained within Zone 1, although some routes extend to the overlap area between Zone 1 and Zone 2. The area within the Melbourne CBD is a Free Tram Zone in which no fares apply and passengers are not required to touch on and off with a myki card. All stops within this zone are clearly marked, and tram drivers make announcements when approaching the zone boundaries. The Yarra Trams website contains timetables, maps, route guides, service changes, and details about tickets and fares. It also linked to the Public Transport Victoria Journey Planner. Information about tram arrivals is provided by tramTRACKER, which can be accessed online, by app, or by calling 1300 698 726 from a mobile phone or landline and entering a tram stop id.

 

Tram Routes

The network has 25 routes, including the City Circle loop route, and there are over 1700 tram stops. It is electrified throughout, using 600 volts DC. Tram services operate for 20 hours each day. There are eight operational tram depots: Brunswick, Camberwell, Essendon, Glenhuntly, Kew, Malvern, Preston and Southbank. An additional two depots at East Preston and North Fitzroy are dedicated to tram storage. Tramway workshops are located at Preston and are run by UGL (United Group Limited).

 

Most of Melbourne’s tram routes travel through the central business district, but commence and terminate outside it. Two routes do not travel though the central business district: Route 82 Moonee Ponds to Footscray and Route 78 North Richmond to Balaclava. Route 35, the City Circle, is a free tourist tram that enables passengers to visit major attractions in the city and features an audio commentary. It is serviced by heritage W-type trams. Route 96 includes a section from Southbank Junction to St Kilda that was originally a railway line, and which in 1987 was converted from broad gauge to standard gauge to enable Melbourne trams to operate on it as a light rail line. Similarly, the section from Southbank Junction to Port Melbourne on Route 109 was formerly a railway line that was also converted to light rail in 1987. The Port Melbourne line was the first steam-powered railway in Australia, and opened on 12 September 1854.

 

The current tram routes with their route numbers and designations are shown below.

1          East Coburg to South Melbourne Beach

3          Melbourne University to East Malvern (weekdays)

3a        Melbourne University to East Malvern (weekends)

5          Melbourne University to Malvern

6          Moreland to Glen Iris

11        West Preston to Victoria Harbour Docklands

12        Victoria Gardens to St Kilda

16        Melbourne University to Kew

19        North Coburg to Flinders Street Station

30        St Vincent's Plaza to Central Pier, Docklands

35        City Circle

48        North Balwyn to Victoria Harbour Docklands

57        West Maribyrnong to Flinders Street Station

58        West Coburg to Toorak

59        Airport West to Flinders Street Station

64        Melbourne University to East Brighton

67        Melbourne University to Carnegie

70        Wattle Park to Waterfront City Docklands

72        Melbourne University to Camberwell

75        Vermont South to Central Pier, Docklands

78        North Richmond to Balaclava

82        Footscray to Moonee Ponds

86        Bundoora RMIT to Waterfront City Docklands

96        East Brunswick to St Kilda Beach

109      Box Hill to Port Melbourne

 

Tram classes

A range of different tram classes are in service in Melbourne, as shown below. The oldest trams in service are the W8 Class. The trams have been converted from other W type trams since 2013 through a programme of refurbishment to modernise them, including improved safety through a strengthened underframe and driver’s cab, improved electrical controls, and installation of a public address system. Melbourne’s newest trams are the E and E2 Class trams. Commencing service in 2013, they feature a low-floor throughout, swivelling trucks, an improved safety design, and track condition reporting equipment. The E2 Class trams are very similar to the E Class, but have a redesigned cab, reduced glare to improve visibility for the driver, and additional handholds for passengers. With a length of 33 metres, the E and E2 Class are also Melbourne’s longest trams. A contract was been awarded for the construction of new F Class trams.