Melbourne tram route 30

Melbourne tram route 30 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from St Vincent's Plaza to Central Pier. The 2.9-kilometre (1.8 mi) route is operated out of Southbank depot with A and E class trams.

Route 30
E class tram on La Trobe Street in January 2022
Overview
System	Melbourne tramway network
Operator	Yarra Trams
Depot	Southbank
Vehicle	A class E class
Began service	25 September 1972
Route
Start	St Vincent's Plaza
End	Central Pier
Length	2.9 kilometres
Timetable	Route 30 timetable
Map	Route 30 map
Route map {{{map}}} ← Route 19  {{{system_nav}}}  Route 35 →

History

Route 30 was first allocated to the line between City (Spencer Street) to Brunswick Street (St Vincent's Plaza) via La Trobe Street on 25 September 1972. Prior to that, trams running the La Trobe Street shuttle usually ran without numbers. Most of the trams routes that ran via Brunswick Street or Victoria Parade also had peak-hour variants that would terminate at the La Trobe Street (for example route 23 and 24). For most of its operation, route 30 had never had a weekend or an evening service (services ending at 18:00).

In 1995, route 34 commenced operation between City (La Trobe Street) and East Melbourne, and operated during off-peak hours (10:00 to 15:30). Route 30 became peak-only following this point. Route 34 was discontinued from regular service on 19 September 2003, and route 30 began operating off-peak again. On 4 January 2005, route 30 was extended to Waterfront City along Harbour Esplanade and Docklands Drive, with the opening of the Docklands Drive tram extension. Route 30 started terminating in its current location in Harbour Esplanade at Central Pier in July 2008, with route 86 being extended to Waterfront City.

The line along La Trobe Street between Spencer Street (Stop 1) and St Vincent's Plaza (Stop 12) was opened by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board on 15 January 1951. On 19 June 1973, a siding was installed just east of St Vincent's Plaza in order to allow route 12 and route 30 trams to shunt out of the way of through-running trams. As part of the Docklands redevelopment project, tram tracks along La Trobe Street were extended west over the Spencer Street railyards on 26 March 2000. On 4 January 2005, the Docklands Drive tram extension opened. Route 30 initially terminated at Waterfront City following this point, but swapped termini with route 86 on 28 July 2008.

On 1 January 2019, the operation of route 30 was extended to evenings and weekends for the first time.

Between 13 July and 7 November 2020, route 30 was temporarily replaced by route 12, which was diverted via La Trobe Street from Collins Street. On 8 November 2020, route 30 recommenced operations, with E class trams commencing operation on the route. During the 2022 Australian Open between 17 January and 30 January 2022, route 30 was again temporarily replaced by a diverted route 12 along La Trobe Street.

Melbourne tram route 30 evolution

Dates	Route	Notes
25 September 1972 - 3 January 2005	City (La Trobe Street) to City (Brunswick Street)	Route operated without number prior to this date, never an evening service
4 January 2005 - 27 July 2008	Waterfront City to City (Brunswick Street)	No evening service
28 July 2008 – onwards	Central Pier to St Vincent's Plaza	No evening service until 2019 No service 13 July - 7 November 2020 & 17 January - 30 January 2022, replaced by a diverted route 12

Route

A class tram on Victoria Parade on route 30 in April 2013

B class and W class trams on route 30 in April 2013

Route 30 runs from the St Vincent's Plaza, East Melbourne west on Victoria Parade then via La Trobe Street to Central Pier.

Operation

Route 30 is operated out of Southbank depot with A and E class trams. In September 2003 operation of the route was transferred from Kew depot to Southbank. It was operated by W class trams until 23 December 2014. Until January 2019, Route 30 was the only tram route on the network that neither operated at night nor on weekends.

Route map

Route 30
St Vincent's Plaza - Central Pier via East Melbourne, La Trobe Street & City Free tram zone covers stops 10 to D2, fare zone 1 applies to stop 12
Suburb Street Stop No. St Vincent's Plaza Connections continues as Tram 12, 109 to Victoria Gardens & Box Hill St Vincent's Plaza Siding Brunswick Street Tram 11     West Preston East Melbourne Victoria Parade 12 St Vincent's Plaza 11, 12 109 ; Victoria Parade buses Gisborne Street Tram 11, 12, 109 Collins Street   10 Nicholson Street 86, 96 Nicholson Street Tram 86, 96 Bourke Street   Melbourne Museum Melbourne CBD Victoria Parade 9 La Trobe Street 402   La Trobe Street 8 Exhibition Street 250, 251 7 Russell Street 200, 207 6 Melbourne Central station 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72 Swanston Street Tram 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72 St Kilda Road   Melbourne University Melbourne Central station ●●●●●●●●●●●●●● 5 Melbourne Central station 19, 57, 59 Elizabeth Street Tram 19, 57, 59 Flinders Street station   North Melbourne 4 Queen Street Queens Street buses 3 Flagstaff station 58 William Street Tram 58 Toorak   West Coburg Flagstaff station ●●●●●●●●●●●●●● 2 King Street 1 Spencer Street 86; 216, 219, 684 Spencer Street Tram 86 Bundoora RMIT   Spencer St Siding 119 Spencer Street 86 Docklands La Trobe Street D1 Docklands Stadium Harbour Esplanade Tram 70, 75 Camberwell Junction     Harbour Esplanade D2 Central Pier 70, 75, 86 Docklands Drive Tram 70, 86 Waterfront City   Footscray Road Siding Suburb Street Stop No. Central Pier Connections
Note: Green denotes free tram zone

External links

Media related to Melbourne tram route 30 at Wikimedia Commons