The slowest trams in Melbourne revealed, where it’s almost quicker to walk
Melbourne's tram network, the largest in the world, faces significant delays due to shared road space with vehicles, leading to some of the slowest tram speeds globally. Route 11 along Brunswick Street in Fitzroy averages just 11.8km/h during peak hours, making it the slowest section outside the CBD. Experts recommend dedicated tram lanes and removal of on-street parking to improve efficiency and travel times.
- ▪Route 11 trams on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy average 11.8km/h during the morning peak, the slowest outside Melbourne's CBD.
- ▪Swanston Street in the CBD is the slowest overall, with trams averaging 7.3km/h between Flinders and Lonsdale streets.
- ▪Approximately three-quarters of Melbourne’s tram network shares road space with traffic, contributing to low average speeds.
- ▪Monash University’s Graham Currie advocates for separated tram lanes and removal of on-street parking to improve transit efficiency.
- ▪The speed data was obtained via a freedom of information request covering the morning peak period from December 2024 to August 2025 across 509 network segments.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.