The Tram

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Sites of memory · Year: 1901

In 1898 a project for an electric tram connecting Santa Cruz with Icod, with branches to La Orotava and Puerto de la Cruz, was presented through a Belgian company represented by Alexis de Reus. The project was favourably reported by the Santa Cruz city council, receiving approval from the Ministry of Development. The plans, which envisaged their own power station and a garage in La Cuesta, had been drawn up by engineer Julio Cervera and limited the first phase to the single-track section between Santa Cruz and La Laguna. 

On 29 October 1899, following the arrival at the port of two engineers accompanying the Belgian consul Allart, work began in the presence of the captain general and the civil governor. In January 1900 the first rails were laid and the inaugural journey of the Tenerife tram took place on 7 April 1901 and lasted 34 minutes, connecting the Santa Cruz dock with the church of La Concepción in La Laguna.

In 1904 the concession was granted to the same company for the second section between La Laguna and Tacoronte, which was put into operation on 27 July of the same year. Its extension to Icod, as originally planned, was never carried out. 

Throughout its history the tram was subject to several robberies and assaults when travelling through sparsely populated areas. Notably, on 1 September 1934 at the Gracia curve, when assailants murdered the driver and a student who was travelling on the exterior platform of the carriage.

For more than 50 years the tram was a huge help for communications between the two main cities of the island and its transport capacity was constantly exceeded by demand for both passengers and small goods transport. But gradually this demand began to decline and after suffering several accidents, mainly due to lack of maintenance, it was decided at the end of the 1950s to suspend the service.

At the beginning of the 21st century the Tenerife Cabildo proposed the installation of a new tram offering a quality, modern, efficient, safe and environmentally friendly public transport service. To this end, the company "Metropolitano de Tenerife" was established, which succeeded in reintroducing tram service on the island in 2007.

Currently it has two lines for the metropolitan area, running between the cities of Santa Cruz and La Laguna. The main line, Line 1, is 12.5 km long with 21 stops, connected with another transversal line, Line 2, of 3.6 km with 6 stops, two of which are transfer points between the two lines.

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