Melbourne, along with San Francisco, is known probably more so than any other city in the world for its trams. The city is home to one of the worlds great urban tram networks. Thanks to the vision and perseverance of the late Sir Robert Risson, chairman of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Melbourne retained and expanded its electric tramways in spite of the public opinion and political wishes of his masters in an era when almost all other cities destroyed their tram networks with gusto. The end result is a revered and uncalculably valuable asset for Melbourne to this day. Always in the shadow of the more famous trams, Melbourne's suburban train network is also of impressive size and efficiency.
Trains are frequent and generally comfortable.
Whilst not as intensive as the train network in Sydney, Melbourne's network is more extensive. If the truth be known, the train network contributes more to the economic advantage of Melbourne than does the tram network, but there is no doubt that the trams are a key feature of Melbourne's cultural heritage. Some Useful Links Zen and the City Loop - the mysterious world of travel by train under dowtown Melbourne. The Official Melbourne Transit Information Site. Melbourne Transit FAQ by Daniel Bowen.