Trams and Light Rail
In Finland there have been three cities with trams: Helsinki, Turku and Viipuri. Only Helsinki has retained its tramway network. The Vyborg tramway network ceased operations in 1957, after the city had been ceded to the Soviet Union, while the Turku tramway network shut down in 1972.
As of 2010, Turku and Tampere have preliminary plans for new tram systems, but no decision to build them has been made.
Helsinki currently operates 12 tramlines on a network of approximately 90 kilometres (56 mi) of track in passenger service. Nearly all of the network consists of double track route, such that the route length is approximately half of total the track length. Around 200,000 passengers use the tram network each weekday and within the inner city of Helsinki, trams have established a position as the main form of public transport. The system is being expanded substantially in 2010–2015 to new residential areas and, as of May 2010, the city is in the process of selecting among bids to deliver a series of 40 new trams, with an option for more.
Read more about this topic: Transport In Finland
Famous quotes containing the words trams and, light and/or rail:
““Trams and dusty trees.
Highbury bore me. Richmond and Kew
Undid me. By Richmond I raised my knees
Supine on the floor of a narrow canoe.””
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)
“Lady of light, I would admit a dream
To you, if you would take it in your hand.
Will you not let it in a gentle stream
Of living blood? How else may I remand
Your light if not as pulse upon your ear?”
—Allen Tate (1899–1979)
“Old man, it’s four flights up and for what?
Your room is hardly any bigger than your bed.
Puffing as you climb, you are a brown woodcut
stooped over the thin rail and the wornout tread.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)