The History of the Baku Tram

Baku today runs on buses and the metro, but for most of the 20th century the tram was a city icon.

Horse cars and a steam tram

In the late 19th century Baku got a horse-drawn tram. In the 1880s a steam tram line ran to the industrial Black City, but it was unprofitable and soon closed.

The electric tram

On 8 February 1924 Baku's first electric tram ran. The network grew fast, linking the centre with workers' settlements and oil fields, and by mid-century the tram was the city's main transport.

End of an era

With the metro (1967), buses and trolleybuses, trams gradually lost out. The last lines closed in 2004 and the rails were later removed. Older Bakuvians still remember the tram fondly, and its photos often feature in exhibitions about the city.

Curious about old Baku? Read about the oil boom and Baku on film.