Adelaide Metro

Operates a tramway with 33 stops (opened 1873, extended in 2007, 2010 and 2018).

The formerly extensive tram network was cut back to a single route to Glenelg by 1963. This was extended from Victoria Sq to City West (1·6 km) in 2007, and further to Entertainment Centre in in March 2010. On October 13 2018 two extensions opened: to Botanic Gardens (East End) and a short spur north to Festival Plaza opened (1·2 km, 4 stops). Services were recast as two operating routes. Further extensions are proposed.

The railway to Noorlunga was extended to Seaford on February 23 2014 (5·7 km, 2 stations) along with electrification of the route south from Adelaide. The Tonsley branch electric service began on May 5 2014 (3·5 km), with an extension to a replacement terminus at Flinders opening on December 28 2020 (0·6 km). A further 12 three-car A-City EMUs were ordered from Bombardier in June 2019, with wiring of the 42·2 km line north from Adelaide to Gawler restarted in November 2019 and electric services commencing on June 12 2022.

Privatisation and return to public ownership
On January 31 2021 Keolis Downer began a eight-year contract to operate and maintain the Adelaide suburban rail network (6 routes, 89 stations); network ownership remains with Department for Infrastructure & Transport. However a change in state government reversed the policy, with the suburban rail contract ended in February 2025, and trams reverting to state operation on August 31 2025 after five years of operation by the Torrens Connect joint venture of John Holland, UGL and Transit Systems.

Address
GPO Box 1533
Adelaide, SA 5001
Australia
Phone
+61 8 8210 1000
Fax
+61 8 8303 0919
Email
info@transadelaide.sa.gov.au
Website
www.adelaidemetro.com.au
 

Traffic

Passenger journeys
15·786 million
Information year
2014
 

Network Data

Tramway

Gauge
1435 mm
Length
15 km
Electrification
15 km - 600 V DC
Rolling stock
24 LRV/tram cars

Suburban rail

Gauge
1600 mm
Length
132·6 km
Electrification
98·3 km - 25 kV 50 Hz (Seaford - 35·7 km, Belair - 16·3 km, Flinders - 4·1 km, Gawler - 42·2 km)
Rolling stock
70 DMU cars
102 EMU cars (34 x 3-car Bombardier/Alstom A-City 4000)

Topics