The Melbourne tramway network is a tramway system serving the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The tramway network is centred around the Melbourne central business district (CBD) and consists of 1,763 tram stops across 24 routes, with 493 trams and 250 kilometres of double tram track which served a patronage of 206 million over the year 2017-2018. It is the largest operational urban tram network in the world and one of the most used. Trams are the second most utilised form of public transport in Melbourne after the cities metropolitan commuter railway network.
Melbourne tram route 5 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Melbourne University to Malvern. The 12.6-kilometre (7.8 mi) route is operated out of Malvern depot with Z and D1 class trams.
Melbourne tram route 112 was operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from West Preston to St Kilda. The 18 kilometre route was operated out of East Preston depot with A, B and D2 class trams.
Melbourne tram route 96 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Brunswick East to St Kilda Beach. The 13.9 kilometre route is operated out of Southbank depot with C2 and E class trams.
Melbourne tram route 70 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Waterfront City to Wattle Park. The 16.5 kilometre route is operated out of Camberwell depot with A and B class trams.
Melbourne tram route 109 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Box Hill to Port Melbourne. The 19.3 kilometre route is operated out of Kew depot with A and C class trams.
Melbourne tram route 82 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Moonee Ponds Junction to Footscray railway station. It is one of only two tram routes which does not travel through the Melbourne CBD, the other being route 78. Part of its route is the last surviving segment of the Footscray tram network. It commenced operating on 2 May 1954.
Melbourne tram route 16 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Melbourne University to Kew. The 20.2 kilometre route is operated out of Malvern depot with Z and D1 class trams.
Melbourne tram route 67 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Melbourne University to Carnegie. The 12.7-kilometre (7.9 mi) route is operated out of Glenhuntly depot with Z and B class trams.
Melbourne tram route 1 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from East Coburg to South Melbourne Beach. The 13.2-kilometre (8.2 mi) route is operated out of Brunswick depot with Z and B class trams.
Melbourne tram route 78 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from North Richmond to Balaclava. The 6.5 kilometre route is operated out of Kew depot with A class trams.
Melbourne tram route 3 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Melbourne University to Malvern East. The 14.9-kilometre (9.3 mi) route is operated out of Glenhuntly depot with Z and B class trams. Until 29 October 2023, route 3 operated as route 3a on weekends and diverted via St Kilda Beach.
Melbourne tram route 64 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Melbourne University to Brighton East. The 18.1 kilometre route is operated out of Glenhuntly depot with Z and B class trams.
Melbourne tram route 86 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Bundoora RMIT to Waterfront City. The 22.2-kilometre (13.8 mi) route is operated out of Preston depot with E class trams.
Malvern tram depot is located in Coldblo Road, Armadale, Victoria, a suburb of Stonnington, Australia. Operated by Yarra Trams, it is one of eight tram depots on the Melbourne tram network.
Kew tram depot is located on the corner of Barkers Road and High Street, Kew, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Operated by Yarra Trams, it is one of eight tram depots on the Melbourne tram network.
Camberwell tram depot is located on Council Street, Hawthorn East, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Opened in December 1929, it is operated by Yarra Trams. It is one of eight tram depots on the Melbourne tram network.
Domain Interchange was a major interchange on the Melbourne tram system. It featured two island platforms with four tracks, and had dedicated turning tracks and through tracks. It was located on St Kilda Road between Domain Road and Park Street, adjacent to Kings Domain, and was one of the busiest interchanges on the system, being used by eight tram routes. The most recent structure was opened in April 2013, replacing an earlier structure built in 1986.
Melbourne tram route 12 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre to St Kilda. The 16.2-kilometre (10.1 mi) is operated out of Southbank depot with A class trams.
The Melbourne tram network began in 1884 with the construction of the Fairfield Horse Tramway. However, the purpose of the line was to increase land prices in the area, and it soon closed during the depression in 1890. The first genuine attempt to construct a tramway network was the construction of the Richmond cable tram line by the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company in 1885. Over the next few years, 16 more cable tram lines were constructed, as well as numerous other horse tramways. The depression of the early 1890s slowed further expansion of the cable network. The first electric tram line was the Box Hill and Doncaster tramway which opened in 1889. This was a pioneering line in what was then the countryside and thus didn't receive much patronage. It closed in 1896. The next attempt at an electric tramway was Victorian Railways' St Kilda to Brighton line, which opened in 1906. Later that year, the North Melbourne Electric Tramway & Lighting Company opened lines to Essendon and Maribyrnong. Many local councils formed their own tramway trusts and built tramways within their own constituency. The most successful of these was the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust.
