The Difference Between Trains and Trams

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Trains and trams! At first glance, they might seem quite similar. After all, they both run on tracks and carry people.

However, depending on which city you live in, trains and trams have very different functions. For starters, trams, often called trolleys or streetcars, run on roadways, sharing their path with other cars and
pedestrians whereas trains travel on defined rail lines, which are separate from city streets.

While this is a major distinction between the two, it's by far not the only one. Another notable difference is that trains travel at very fast speeds and get the right of way when they cross another transportation line whereas trams have to abide by normal traffic laws.

Trains, except for subways, also don’t generally stop between stations, reaching their intended destinations faster with fewer interruptions. Trams, however, make frequent stops dropping off people closer to their intended destinations.

In that sense, trains and trams can not be compared to each other because they are actually not in competition. In the end, trains and trams complement each other each covering a specific route and specific destinations.

Want to know more about how trains and trams function? Then, don't miss our video.