Trams are a mode of transport available with the Cities: Skylines Snowfall DLC. To start using trams, you’ll first need to reach the Boom Town population milestone, which can be anywhere from 650 to 2,600 citizens, depending on the map.
Without the use of mods, each tram vehicle can transport up to 90 passengers – making them a more efficient alternative to buses.
Once unlocked, you can set up your tram system with three specific steps:
- Building a tram depot
- Setting up tram tracks
- Assigning tram lines
Step 1: Building a Tram Depot
First, build a tram depot from the Tram tab of the Transport menu.
The tram depot costs ₡40,000 to build.
Step 2: Setting Up Tram Tracks
You can go about creating your tram tracks in several ways:
- Building standalone tram tracks
- Building roads that are fitted with tram tracks
- Upgrading your current roads to have tram tracks
Note: You can connect standalone tram tracks to tram tracks on roads.
The standalone tram tracks and all the tram track-equipped roads can be found on the Tram tab.
Begin setting up your tram tracks in front of the depot, since it needs to be connected in order to send trams out on their lines.
Be aware that the trams in the game are not able to reverse at the end of each line, so you’ll want to set up your tram tracks in such a way that they can loop back to their first stop.
Step 3: Assigning Tram Lines
Lastly, use the Tram Line tool to place stops along the tram tracks you’ve created.
Just like with buses, you need to complete each tram line by returning to the first stop.
Tip: Use Trams to Complement Longer-Distance Public Transport
Trams are similar to buses in that they’re great for collecting passengers from residential streets.
You can then assign a tram stop near another mode of public transport that will take them farther across your city (or outside of it), such as metros or trains.
Trams vs. Buses or Metro: Which One Should You Use?
The main downside of trams compared to buses is that you have to build tracks for them, which can significantly add to their overall cost.
However, if you can afford trams, they’re superior to buses – since they have a larger passenger capacity and won’t add to your road traffic in the same way that a fleet of buses can.
Meanwhile, compared to metros, trams work better in shorter-distance travel around your local streets. This is because placing stops along your tram tracks is free, versus having to spend at least 10,000 to build each station (more if underground).
SCROLL
| Trams | Buses | Metro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max passenger count per vehicle (base game) | 90 | 30 | 150 |
| Depot Build Cost | ₡40,000 | ₡30,000 | none |
| Stop/Station Build Cost | none | none | ₡10,000 per station ₡15,000 per underground station |
| Tracks Cost | ₡65/cell ₡250/cell underground |
none | ₡380/cell underground |
Advantages of trams over buses
- Trams don’t cause traffic the way buses can
- Transport larger number of passengers at a time
Disadvantages of trams vs. buses
- You need to build tracks or roads with tracks for trams; buses can just use regular roads
Advantages of trams over metros
- Only need a depot, with no cost to add stops, versus having to build each metro station
- Tram tracks are much cheaper than metro tracks
- Tracks can be built into your roads
Disadvantages of trams vs. metros
- Smaller number of passengers per vehicle
- Trams may not be placed underground
Guide Navigation
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Cities: Skylines
- How To Use Trams in Cities: Skylines
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