We’re excited to introduce the new G Class tram. With a $1.85 billion investment from the Victorian Government, 100 new trams are being built here in Australia, marking the largest order of locally made trams in the country’s history.
A tram for everyone
Featuring a modern design, enhanced passenger comfort, and state-of-the-art technology, the new G Class has accessibility at its heart.
- Space for up to 150 passengers
- Dedicated priority seats and mobility aid spaces
- Enhanced accessibility
- Hearing loops
- New priority seat design
- Improved reliability and energy efficiency
G Class highlights
Key principles
- Continuous improvement
Experience and insights gained in earlier projects were used to inform the design of the new trams.
- Better outcomes through design
Using a human-centred design approach, the tram’s design responds to the needs and preferences of passengers and drivers.
- 25-metre-long vehicle
Optimised to run on our network and provide space for more passengers compared to Z and A Class trams.
- Three-section vehicles
Each G Class tram is built with three modules – two end sections for the driver and passengers, and a central section – along with three sets of wheels (‘bogies’). This layout provides plenty of seating and standing room, designed to cater to passengers travelling in both the city and the suburbs.
Renewing our fleet
The new trams mean we can retire some of our longest-serving high-floor trams, including the Z and A classes, helping to make our public transport network more accessible.
The Next Generation Trams contract includes a 65 per cent local content requirement and will support up to 1,900 jobs.
Why the 'G' Class?
For over a century, Melbourne has assigned a class ‘letter’ to each type of tram. As these new vehicles will be our network’s seventh generation of trams, they have been assigned the letter class ‘G’—the seventh letter of the alphabet.
All part of the plan
The new G Class tram is the next step in making our tram network more accessible, as outlined in Melbourne’s Tram Plan. It complements a coordinated approach to delivering more accessible tram routes over the coming years.
At the heart of the Plan is a focus on improving accessibility and safety, moving more people, improving journey times and reliability, better connecting people and places, and delivering value for money.
The Plan identifies the actions we will take to ensure Melbourne’s trams are more accessible, technologically advanced and efficient than ever before.
We will better integrate our tram network with the wider public transport system and the urban environment in which it operates and deliver better passenger experiences through real-time information and technology upgrades.
The new low-floor trams will enter service starting in 2025 and will be more comfortable, accessible and energy efficient. Upgrading tram stops is also a key component of Melbourne’s Tram Plan. Upgraded tram stops also deliver social, economic and environmental benefits for all Victorians by:
- improving access to education, jobs and social opportunities
- reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving health outcomes by supporting better access to public transport
- mitigating safety incidents between cars and people walking
- enhancing the street environment and sense of place as tram stops become safer, more attractive and easier to use.
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