History of tram and light rail transit systems by country

Although tram systems date to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many old systems were closed during the mid-20th century because of the advent of automobile (including bus) travel. This was especially the case in North America, but postwar reductions and shutdowns also occurred on British, French and other Western European urban rail networks. However, traditional tramway systems survived, and eventually even began to thrive from the late 20th century onward, some eventually operating as much as when they were first built over a century ago. Their numbers have been augmented by modern tramway or light rail systems in cities which had discarded this form of transport. Although Cairo and Alexandria have historic systems which still exist, the once-extensive Cairo urban system is nearly defunct. The express tram line to and within Masr el-Djedida (Heliopolis) is still in operation. It is an example of a surviving interurban electric railway, the ancestor of light rail. A small 1970s system in the city of Helwan, south, is still operational. Some of Cairo's cars are former Toronto Transit Commission PCC streetcars. Alexandria's urban system and express routes to its eastern suburbs are still in operation. The urban system operates yellow cars (including some acquired from Copenhagen), primarily on street track. The express system (Ramleh routes) operates three-car blue trains, including some double-deck cars, on largely reserved track. There are also some dual-system routes. In Ethiopia, construction by China Railway Group Limited was ongoing on Addis Ababa Light Rail in 2013. The Ethiopian Railway Corporation began construction of the double-track electrified light rail project in December 2011, funded by the Export-Import Bank of China. Initially, the system would have two lines. The project was expected to take three years to complete, and trial operations began in early 2015. In Mauritius, the Metro Express light rail system was inaugurated in 2019, and opened for general use in January 2020.