Yarra Trams

It is a nice system but incomparable with Switzerland and Amsterdam. I can’t review the whole Yarra tram lines but I will have to do on number 8 which I’ve used it for over 5 years. It seems to be not frequently enough as it is a busy line of all Melbourne. Sometime you will wait for 20 mins and all suddenly comes 3 of them all together. I don’t know what is their problem! And now I’ve heard that they will stop this route:(crazy !!

For the life of me I cannot understand why everyone is not giving the tram system here 5 stars!!! It is GREAT!!! The only failing for tourists is that the city doesn’t distribute brochures to all arriving tourists at airport — or even better have the «Myki» cards available at hotels. Basically it took me a day or two to figure out the system — walk to the nearest 7 – 11 store and buy a Myki card ($ 6) and then load it up with $$$$ to allow you to travel all over the city. I elected to buy us each a Myki card and load each one up with a week of travel ($ 35 = US$ 28 or $ 4 per day). Then off you go — all over the extensive system covering the entire city, unlimited, all day and evening long. We never had to wait more than 4 minutes for a tram the entire week — did have to stand 3 – 4 times during rush hour.
If you limit your travels to CBD (downtown) you don’t even need a Myki — it is free!
OMG — just imagine what a difference a tram system like this would do to LA or Houston??? I even prefer it to the Underground system in London — you get to see everything above ground and you don’t have to spend 5 – 10 minutes per entry or line change from the Piccadilly Line to the Victoria Line for example. Just jump on, jump off. Love it! Two thumbs up :)

The tram system is great but Yarra Trams cannot take credit for that. The tram «inspectors» are absolute jerks, belittling people they «catch» with MYKI money run out on their cards.

I feel a compelled to write a review about Yarra Trams because I have no idea why they’re getting good scores.
Any regular tram user knows very well that we’re paying premium prices for a poor quality service. In the morning it usually takes 30 minutes for me to even have the chance to get on a tram because the first two that come by are too packed, and the third tram doesn’t even bother stopping. And when I finally get on, it’s still overly packed with inconsiderate human-​beings fogging up the windows with coffee and morning breath. The afternoon services feature mould and urine aromas instead. It’s not our fault, it’s the lack of service that turns us into a bunch of assh@les who have to lookout for ourselves before anyone else. You can pretty much forget about looking at the timetables too, because they never stick to it. Sure if you only jump on a tram once or twice week and never pay for a ticket, or if you’re a tourist, then you may think these things are a dream. But if you rely on them to get you somewhere, everyday, and on time, then you’re screwed. Big time.

Trams are one of the many things that distinguish our beautiful city. For tourists, they are a fantastic way to get around and explore both the Central Business District and some of the inner city suburbs, that boast some true delights that Melbourne has to offer — like Lygon st, St Kilda, and Chapel st.
For locals, they are a great way to navigate a grid style city, with access to train stations and frequent services. They also run quite frequently and on many streets have their own tram line seperate from car lanes.
I think public transport in Melbourne is overall a little overpriced, though your pass will give you passage on the tram, bus and train lines. But the trams are super convenient, easy to jump on and off with frequent stops, and are usually fairly clean.
Id definitely recommend avoiding using them at peak hour, if you can. Those things wil get mighty crowded.

These trams = lifesavers.
Seriously.
NOTES:
~ They’re a bit hard to figure out at first. When I first got to Melbourne, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what trams to take, where everything goes, because there just seems to be so many routes leading to different places! But don’t worry after taking it for the while you start to get the hang of it and know where everything is!
Pros:
~ Starts early and runs late!
~ Comes very frequently!
~ Affordable!
For the most part they’re clean, but probably if you’re taking it at night there will be some trash left around but it’s pretty good in the mornings to mid-​afternoon.

Yarra Trams is the pay for use commuter tram service for Melbourne city and selected inner Melbourne areas. The service is privately run, and now the trams are not as problematic as they used to be before becoming privatised in Melbourne.
The trams contribute to making Melbourne one of the world’s most liveable cities and for good reason, although they always get way too crowded. If you can it is best to avoid using the trams during peak hour during the week unless you really have to.
I have found that if you are wanting to take a short trip (in other words, from one part of Melbourne city to the other) it is advisable to walk. Trams are fantastic and fast once they are leaving the city to travel to their respective areas outside of Melbourne City. The tram tracker iPhone application is excellent as it gives an accurate indication as to when trams are due. Apart from being a bit slow to my liking around the city, and too crowded and cramped at times in addition to the odd smell; I still find this service to be reliable and quite organised.
On some of the tram services from East Brunswick back to the city; I was able to use free WiFi which was a bonus.
Further information can be found at