Is there anything worse than seeing a small, rickety old tram crammed with people hurtling towards your stop? Well, fear not; this poor PT experience will soon become a thing of the past because Melbourne is getting 100 new fancy, next-generation trams that promise the smoothest of journeys for all.
The new locally-made G Class trams were revealed with the unveiling of a life-size model that gives us a sneak peek of what commuters on tram routes 57, 59 and 82 will be treated to on their future journeys. They're set to replace the older, high-floor trams that are inaccessible for passengers with mobility challenges – not to mention they're usually super cramped.
The newest trams will have much more space and the latest accessibility features, meaning that the old Z and A classes that have been getting us from A to B for the last fifty or so years will finally be retired. Those trusty, OG trams will hold a special place in our hearts, but in reality, we don't think we'll miss them that much. A tram design that excludes some passengers from travelling is a no from us.
The glimpse of the new models revealed sleek interiors and LED information screens that will make it much harder to miss the stop that you meant to get off at, but you weren't quite sure whether it was the next one or the one after that. The new design still has many familiar features that we know and love from other tram models but with a more streamlined look.
The latest trams are the seventh generation to grace Melbourne's roads, and judging by how much investment has been put into them (a casual $1.85 billion for the fleet of 100), they should be the best yet.
They'll begin testing on the tram network in 2025 before being rolled out across Melbourne's western suburbs. So there is a bit of a wait until we get to ride these swish new models, but we reckon the wait will be worth it.