As we prepare to celebrate our 10th anniversary, we can’t help but take the time to reflect on our journey of success. From scooping top honours at several awards ceremonies to keeping the city moving during unprecedented weather conditions, our team has always shown exceptional commitment. Here are our top Edinburgh Trams moments worth remembering, and how they have helped us stand out as one of the UK’s best tram operators.
May 2014 – We’re ready to roll!
After years of construction followed by intensive testing and training, we welcomed the first paying passengers on the morning of Saturday, May 31. The team had worked hard to test a five-minute timetable that would be used on event days at Murrayfield. At the same time, they undertook further refresher courses to learn to deal with various scenarios such as evacuations, disruptions, etc. Tram 275 became the star of the show when customers jammed onto it from Gyle Centre, making 2014 a memorable year in Edinburgh’s public transport history.
October 2015 – First ‘Operator of the Year’ accolade
Following a successful 16 months of service, we won the ‘Operator of the Year’ accolade at the Global Light Rail Awards in London. The honour recognised excellence and innovations in the light and urban rail sectors. During the first year, we carried 4.92 million passengers, around 370,000 ahead of the target set before launch. We also received a 95% overall customer satisfaction rating according to an independent UK-wide survey by Passenger Focus and operated with a 99% service reliability.
March 2018 – Trams beat the beast!
Wintry conditions hit the UK in early 2018 as a result of easterly winds from the near continent. This weather phenomenon brought disruption throughout the country and caused travel chaos for many. When most other public transport came to a stop, our colleagues at Edinburgh Trams pulled together with dedicated shifts working tirelessly around the clock to keep tracks clear of snow and allowing trams to run through the city. Over a thousand passengers got in touch during this week and the then-new Customer Relations team managed an average response time of just 30 minutes and a positive satisfaction rating of over 80%.
February 2022 – We’re named ‘Large Business of the Year’
Thanks to our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we scooped the coveted title of Large Business of the Year at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Awards. Throughout the health crisis, our team helped to keep the city moving, with all departments taking a proactive approach to informing people of the latest guidance while introducing a wide range of measures to ensure the safety of customers and colleagues.
September 2022 – We took part in Operation Unicorn
Following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Scotland launched Operation Unicorn to assist with official honours across the country. As thousands of mourners travelled to St Giles’ Cathedral to pay their respects to the late Sovereign, we ran all-night services to ensure they could return safely to their home or accommodation
May 2023 – 100,000 customer journeys recorded over two days!
Harry Styles took to the stage at Scottish Gas Murrayfield twice in a row last year, and around 50,000 trips were made each day. These were the highest daily figures recorded since the first trams ran between Edinburgh Airport and the city centre on May 31, 2014. A few days later, we launched services to one of Edinburgh’s most densely populated areas!
June 2023 – The Trams to Newhaven Project is launched
With eight new stops and 4.6 kilometres of extra track, we now provide a convenient link between the city centre and some of Edinburgh’s popular neighbourhoods such as Leith. From start to finish, this project was a real team effort; the team worked tirelessly on the extensive testing and commissioning to ensure the new route integrated seamlessly with the original one. During the festival season that followed we recorded over a million customer journeys, proving how practical tram services have become for both local residents and visitors.
