Tram systems in Phoenix
Phoenix is the capital and largest city of Arizona, in the southwestern United States. It lies in the Salt River Valley within the Sonoran Desert and forms the centre of a large metropolitan area that includes Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale and Glendale. Government, technology, education and tourism are important parts of the regional economy, with major employment and visitor destinations spread across the valley.
Public transport across the metropolitan area is provided under the Valley Metro brand, combining light rail, local and express buses, neighbourhood circulators and accessible transport services. Light rail forms the main rail connection between Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, while the Tempe Streetcar provides a more local service through central Tempe.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is connected to light rail at 44th Street/Washington by the free PHX Sky Train, an automated people mover serving the passenger terminals and other airport facilities.
The metropolitan area’s tram and light rail network comprises two Valley Metro light rail lines and the Tempe Streetcar.
The A Line runs between downtown Phoenix and Gilbert Road/Main Street in Mesa, serving the airport interchange at 44th Street/Washington, central Tempe and downtown Mesa.
The B Line runs between Metro Parkway in northwest Phoenix and Baseline/Central Avenue in south Phoenix, passing through central Phoenix and downtown.
The Tempe Streetcar (S Line) connects Marina Heights on Rio Salado Parkway with Dorsey Lane/Apache Boulevard, serving downtown Tempe and the Arizona State University area.
The two light rail lines meet at the Downtown Hub in Phoenix. The streetcar connects with light rail in Tempe, providing local links to destinations beyond the light rail corridor. This city page covers the metropolitan network across Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa.
Phoenix currently has 3 tram lines, details of which can be found on the Lines tab.
Valley Metro operates the light rail and Tempe Streetcar services, working with the participating cities as part of the regional public transport network. Its passenger information covers rail and bus journeys, fares, maps and service changes.
Useful official links:
Phoenix’s first streetcar service began in 1887, with animal-drawn cars running along Washington Street. Developed with the backing of businessman Moses Hazeltine Sherman, the railway helped connect the growing town and supported the development of new residential areas.
Electric operation began in 1893, and the network expanded to serve destinations including the Arizona State Capitol, the state fairgrounds and the Phoenix Indian School. A route also extended northwest to Glendale, giving the system a reach beyond the city’s central neighbourhoods.
The City of Phoenix took over the street railway in 1928. The system remained an important means of transport through the Great Depression and the Second World War, although buses gradually took over routes as the streetcars and infrastructure aged.
A depot fire in October 1947 destroyed most of the remaining fleet, accelerating the conversion to buses. The final streetcar service ended on 17 February 1948, bringing the original network’s history to a close. Surviving vehicles and other material from this period are preserved by the Phoenix Trolley Museum.
Urban passenger rail returned on 27 December 2008, when the initial Valley Metro light rail line opened. The approximately 20-mile route linked Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, creating a new regional connection through downtown Phoenix and the Arizona State University area.
The system initially operated as a single through route. An eastern extension brought light rail into downtown Mesa in 2015, followed by a northwest extension along 19th Avenue to Dunlap Avenue in 2016. A further extension along Main Street reached Gilbert Road in Mesa in 2019.
The Tempe Streetcar opened on 20 May 2022, adding a local urban rail service alongside the regional light rail network. Its route linked Marina Heights and the Rio Salado Parkway waterfront with downtown Tempe, the university area and Dorsey Lane/Apache Boulevard, with connections to light rail.
On 27 January 2024, the Northwest Extension Phase II opened, taking light rail beyond 19th Avenue/Dunlap to Metro Parkway near the former Metrocenter shopping mall. This extended the network’s reach into northwest Phoenix.
The South Central Extension and Downtown Hub opened on 7 June 2025. The new route extended light rail south along Central Avenue to Baseline Road and brought a major change to the way the network operated.
The previous single through service was replaced by two lines. The A Line connected downtown Phoenix with Mesa through Tempe, while the B Line linked Metro Parkway with south Phoenix. The new Downtown Hub provided the interchange between them, establishing the structure of the present light rail network.
Phoenix currently has 3 tram lines, which are listed below.
| Line | Description |
|---|---|
| A | The A line runs between Downtown Phoenix and Gilbert Road/Main Street via Tempe and downtown Mesa. |
| B | The B line runs between Metro Parkway and Baseline/Central Avenue via central and downtown Phoenix. |
| S | The Tempe Streetcar (S Line) runs between Marina Heights/Rio Salado Parkway and Dorsey Lane/Apache Boulevard via downtown Tempe and Arizona State University. |
Valley Metro light rail uses 1,435 mm standard-gauge track and 750 V DC overhead electrification, with power collected by pantograph. The network is predominantly at street level, with tracks generally separated from road traffic but crossing streets at controlled junctions. Sections through downtown Phoenix use separate streets for opposing directions.
The network also includes dedicated bridges and elevated infrastructure. The northwest approach to Metro Parkway crosses Interstate 17 on a rail-only bridge and terminates at the system’s first elevated station, part of the Thelda Williams Transit Center.
Tempe Streetcar has a more conventional street-running layout, sharing traffic lanes with other vehicles. Its overhead power supply is supplemented by onboard batteries, allowing operation without overhead wires through parts of downtown Tempe. The batteries recharge while the vehicles run beneath the overhead supply. Stops provide level access to the vehicles.
The light rail fleet comprises articulated Kinkisharyo vehicles and newer Siemens S700 vehicles. Both types provide low-floor boarding and can operate coupled together in trains of their respective type.
Kinkisharyo supplied the original fleet for the network’s opening in 2008. These vehicles have driving cabs at both ends and can operate in formations of up to three cars. The Siemens S700 fleet was acquired for subsequent expansion, with low-level entrances, wider internal aisles, bicycle accommodation and heavy-duty air conditioning suited to the desert climate.
Tempe Streetcar uses six Brookville Liberty NXT articulated vehicles, operating individually. Each is approximately 22 metres long, with three body sections and a predominantly low-floor interior. Their combination of overhead power collection and lithium-ion battery storage enables the route’s sections without overhead wires. Level boarding and designated wheelchair spaces provide accessible accommodation.
Phoenix and Valley Metro are developing a light rail extension to serve the Maryvale area of west Phoenix. The proposed route would run west along Indian School Road, turn south on 75th Avenue and continue to the Desert Sky Transit Center via Thomas Road. Two possible connections to the existing network remain under consideration: Indian School Road/Central Avenue and 19th Avenue/Camelback Road.
Phoenix City Council prioritised this corridor in January 2026, and planning and public consultation are continuing. The final alignment, funding arrangements and delivery timetable remain to be established.
The planned Rio East–Dobson extension would take the Tempe Streetcar east from its existing terminus at Marina Heights along Rio Salado Parkway into Mesa, then south along Dobson Road to Main Street.
Tempe and Mesa approved the preferred route in December 2024. The project has subsequently entered engineering design, supported by a federal grant for development work. Planning, environmental review and public consultation are scheduled through 2026–2027, including refinement of the track alignment and stop locations. An opening date has not yet been confirmed.