We're celebrating 11 years of gliding across the city this weekend, and looking back at 11 of the milestones which have shaped our journey so far!
May 2014 – Tramline opens
After several years of construction, and 15 years after a modern tramline was first proposed in 1999, the first trams rolled out of the depot on May 31, 2014. Tram 275 was the first to take passengers from Gyle Centre into Princes Street.
December 2016 – Free Hogmanay Trams
We ran all-night free trams for the first time on Hogmanay in 2016, to get street party attendees home after the bells. This has since become a much-cherished and well-used service, and took an estimated 30,000 people home as we saw in 2025.
March 2018 – Beast from the East
During some of the worst weather Scotland has seen this century, dubbed the ‘Beast from the East’, Edinburgh Trams staff kept trams running, day and night, throughout the period. This monumental effort was only possible because of the legions of colleagues who kept platforms and the tramway clear so that trams could continue to run, providing vital transport links across the city for key workers.
November 2019 – Construction starts on Trams to Newhaven
The first shovels hit the ground to extend the existing line to Newhaven. Pausing for only a few months during the COVID Pandemic, work continued for several years. Original terminus stop York Place was dismantled in November 2022.
September 2022 – Operation Unicorn
Following the sad death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral in Scotland, she lay in state for several days in Edinburgh’s St Giles Cathedral. To enable people from across the city and beyond to pay their respects, we ran all-night services, allowing people to travel to and from the city centre safely.
June 2023 – Trams to Newhaven Launch
After several years of construction, trams rolled down Leith Walk for the first time, carrying the first passengers to Newhaven.
June 2024 – In Our Tram Era
During the busiest period ever seen on the tram network, we recorded 250,000 journeys while Taylor Swift was in town in June 2024, including the busiest-ever single day.
September 2024 – Tram Driver Championship of the Year
Two drivers – Victoria and Michael – joined Driver Trainer Dougie, to fly the flag for Edinburgh Trams at the European Tram Driver Championships, which took place in Frankfurt, Germany. While the team didn’t win, the real prize was meeting tram fans and drivers from all across the continent!
October 2024 – Tram Operator of the Year
We were proud to once again win Tram Operator of the Year in 2024’s National Transport Awards, with Lothian Buses also taking Bus Operator of the Year.
November 2024 – All trams out on the line for the first time
In November 2024, all 27 trams were deployed on the network, leaving the depot completely empty for the first time since before the tram network opened in 2014. Trams cycle in and out of our workshop as part of their regular maintenance, which is why this had never previously happened.
May 2025 – TOTO launched
This month, we launched the long-awaited Tap On, Tap Off system across the network, meaning that customers can use their contactless card or device to pay for their travel using the Platform Validators. This also means that we are now included in Lothian Buses’ TapTapCap rules for the first time.
