Most are aware that Malta had a railway system, due to the various parts of the railway that still exist to this day, such as the stations at Birkirkara and Mdina, along with various bridges and tunnels. Less people know, however, that a tram service was also in operation on the island between 1905 and 1929!

Operating on a metre-wide track that ran parallel to the Valletta-Mdina railway line, the tram had three routes – one connected Valletta to Marsa, Paola and The Three Cities, another that would operate between Valletta, Hamrun, Qormi and Zebbug, and the third that linked Valletta to Birkirkara, at the centre of Malta. If you look closely at the image below, you'll see signage showing 'Birchircara', using the spelling of the town's name before Maltese developed the 'k' for the same sound!

Unfortunately, the company operating the tram ran into bankruptcy once buses were introduced, leading to the termination of the service in 1929.

Could you imagine using trams to get around Malta?