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This list suggests that tram systems are massively unpopular in most of the countries outside the Western sphere.

Why is not tram popular in most countries?

luchonacho
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My guess: high investment costs, low gains relative to alternatives such as buses. You need rails and electric lines, which are expensive. In the western hemisphere trams already existed before alternatives such as large buses came about, so the costs consist mainly of maintenance. In other parts of the world the infrastructure is not in place, and getting it is expensive. For buses the infrastructure is already there as all you need is a decent road.

Maarten Punt
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  • this doesn't make sense. Ethiopia started lite train service in Addis Ababa very recently. Secondly, some countries like Pakistan removed tram service just after independence. –  Oct 17 '17 at 13:27
  • Well it was a guess. But anyway a light rail service is different from a tram system. In my experience trams are used for relatively short distances, at not too high speed, whereas the light railway in AA seems more like a metro (longer distances, higher speed) with its own dedicated infrastructure. I don't know why other countries removed their tram systems, but if they did and they are good alternatives why did they not reinstall them? – Maarten Punt Oct 17 '17 at 14:52