What's the deal with Trams of Kolkata and why this is one of the top recommended experiences in West Bengal?

 

If you have been to Kolkata, you know what we are talking about but still you may not know some of the most interesting facts about Trams of West Bengal. And if you haven't yet been to Kolkata yet, we will take you to something which would inspire you to not miss a ride in Tram. Trams in India were started in 19th sanctuary and Chennai was first city to have trams. Over time Kolkata, Mumbai, Kanpur and Delhi got trams. And now Kolkata is only city in India where Trams are still operational. They look awesome on the streets, but hardly in use. They move slow, hence people prefer buses or taxis over tram. This post shares more about trams in Kolkata.

Above photograph shows tram running in the middle of busy streets of Kolkata. You can also see Tram tracks on the road and electricity lines above these trams. So even if you don't see trams on the road, you know trams cross from a particular point where you see these tracks and electricity lines. 

Most of the trams on track seemed empty. They move slowly. It seems that 125 trams are running in Kolkata and many have been discarded over years. Having a ride in these trams on Kolkata streets is an awesome and very different experience. So if you are in city, don't miss a ride in Tram. 

Most of the currently running Trams are relatively faster and more manoeuvrable than double-coach trams. You heard it right, these are single coach now. The carriage in these single coach trams is longer than those in double-coach trams. 

The tram system in the city of Kolkata is operated by West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) after Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) was dissolved. Trams in Kolkata started in 1902 and it's the second oldest electric tramway in India.

Recently heritage art installation has been displayed inside the tram cars by the WBTC from earlier to generate awareness on Kolkata’s unique mode of transportation. The installation mentions that the city had its first horse drawn tram-cars as early as 1873, got electrified cars in 1900, and since 1902, electric tram cars have been an irreplaceable mode of transport in Kolkata city.

These days only a few Tram lines are active in Kolkata city, while in the past there used to be 60 lines. Over a period of time, lot of Tram lines are closed because of other transportation systems which are faster & more efficient. Now, for many locals trams are outdated and occupy too much road space. At the same time, the system is also considered environment friendly. Also Tram in Kolkata has it's heritage value so there are efforts being made to sustain it. That's one of the biggest reasons to ensure you experience it before it goes away. So plan a Kolkata trip soon and ensure you take a ride on only running Tram line in India. 

Enjoy following video to see what is it all about and what to expect when you take a ride in a Tram in Kolkata. 

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While we are talking about Trams of Kolkata, let's also discuss another interesting place in Kolkata - Kolkata Tram Museum !

The Tram Museum in Kolkata was inaugurated in 2014 and also goes by the name of ‘Smarnika’ which means remembrance. The place is all about Trams and thousands of people travelling in these Trams. 

The tram museum is made inside a vintage tram, which is still functional. That makes it even special and that's the first exciting point as people reach the museum to see it. 

 

Entry tickets to the tram museum in Kolkata are also in the form of tram tickets and the person issuing the tickets is dressed like a tram conductor, in regular uniform. The Tram museum in Kolkata is managed by the West Bengal State Corporation which was previously known as Calcutta Tram Company Limited.

The Tram museum in Kolkata has a wooden exterior which was how this tram was originally made but the interiors were modified. One tram car has been turned into a cafeteria for the visitors while the other cars display interesting exhibits about trams, documenting their journey from inception to the present day.

Exhibits at the Tram museum include photographs and articles about all kinds of trams, right from those that were used earliest like the Horse-drawn trams to the versions that followed in the next seven years like Disinfectant Trams, OmniBus, Flat Wagon Trams and Watering Tram cars etc.

Tram Museum is open from 1 pm to 8 pm on all days of the week except on Thursdays. Entry fee to visit the Tram museum in Kolkata is Rs. 10 per person.

The Kolkata Tram Museum is located at Sido Kanhu Dahar, Maidan, beside CTC Terminus, Kolkata. The museum is easily accessible by the metro, with Esplanade metro station being closest to it. 

How to make best of the visit to Tram Museum in Kolkata :

When you are visiting the tram museum you can add some other interesting places of Kolkata to your list since the museum will take only an hour or so. You can take the Kolkata heritage tram tour from the Esplanade tram depot which will take you through a tour of the city. The places you will get to see in this tour include Mother’s House, South park street cemetery, lower circular road cemetery, and Shaheed Minar before you return to the starting point. All these places are worth a visit just like it is worth sitting in a tram and going around the city.

The tram museum in Kolkata also shares about the history of trams all over the world. You would leave this museum knowing almost everything you need to know about the history of trams.