Christchurch Tramway

The gentle ding of a tram bell is one of the most familiar and loved sounds in Christchurch. 

The first tram rattled into action in 1880, running from Cathedral Square to the Railway Station. At the time, it was a bold step forward for a growing city, offering a reliable way for people to move between home, work, and the heart of town. When the system was electrified in 1903, Christchurch became home to the largest electric tramway network in New Zealand.  This was a source of civic pride and a symbol of modern progress.

For decades, trams were part of daily life. They carried workers, shoppers, schoolchildren, and families, weaving quietly through the city streets. But by the 1940s, the system was showing its age. Maintenance had been deferred, infrastructure was worn, and attitudes toward transport were changing. Diesel buses were seen as the future.  More flexible, cheaper to run, and better suited to expanding suburbs. In 1954, the last trams ran, and an era quietly came to an end.

However it was not over.  In the 1990s, trams returned to Christchurch - not as everyday public transport, but as a celebration of heritage and identity. Carefully restored heritage trams once again rolled through the central city, quickly becoming one of Christchurch’s most recognisable symbols.

Today’s tram follows a circular route through the heart of the city, taking around 50 minutes to complete. With 18 stops along the way, it’s designed to be enjoyed at an easy pace. Visitors and locals alike hop on and off, using the tram as a moving front row seat to Christchurch’s streets, landmarks, shops, and stories.

Photo: Diego Tirira