Trams in Padua

The Padua Tramway (Italian: Tranvia di Padova) serves Padua, a city in Veneto in Northern Italy. In operation since 2007, it is 10.3 kilometres (6.4 mi) long, and comprises a single line, designated SIR 1, linking the north with the south, calling at the main station and then passing the historic city centre.

Unlike the one in operation until the 1950s, it is not a tram of the classical type. The system, built in the 21st century, uses the French Translohr system (tramway sur pneumatiques, i.e., cars run on rubber tyres, with a single central rail serving for guidance and return current). This means that the system is variously referred to as tram, rubber-tyred tramway, metrotram or metrobus in order to distinguish it from the technology of the classical rail-based tram. In any case, the adopted traffic signage is that of traditional trams.

It is operated by Busitalia Veneto S.p.A., owned 55% by Busitalia Nord and 45% by APS Padova.

In 2010 the line carried 11% of the passengers of the entire APS network.

In a survey by Altroconsumo in August 2010 on public transport in ten Italian cities, the Padua tram service was rated among the ones with the highest user satisfaction.

Thanks to the introduction of the line and the consequent reduction of car traffic, public transport in Padua gained an additional 2,000,000 users over two years.

Two additional lines designated SIR 2 and SIR 3 are under construction.