For its people, Alexandria is not merely a city; it is a state of being in which history intersects with the present, creating something akin to an unfinished painting, still awaiting an artist’s final touch. The residents of this ancient city may feel caught between nostalgia and a longing for rejuvenation. Despite this, some Alexandrian scenes feel uniquely complete, and those who live here are happy to keep them so.
Trams stand at the start of the line at Raml Station in front of the small ‘Venice’ building (as it is commonly known) or the Miramar Building, designed by Italian-Egyptian architect Giacomo Alessandro Luria in 1926. To its right stands the Haikal Building, designed by the architect Riccardo Smith in 1929. They are among the oldest buildings in Raml district and are unmistakably Alexandrian, especially with the old red tram carriage nearby, recently restored and returned to service after decades of absence, looking like a scene from an old film.
The Alexandria tram has long been more than just a means of transport. It is a city guide, one of its most distinctive landmarks, and a silent witness. In 1800, Alexandria’s eastern coast, known as al-Raml (the Sand), was little more than an empty stretch of desert. Over time, wealthy Alexandrian families began to revive the area by building summer retreats there, until it became a beautiful, tranquil city suburb.
Permission to build
In August 1860, the Egyptian government granted the British engineer Sir Edward St John Firman a concession to build a railway connecting Alexandria to al-Raml. In October 1860, it granted him permission to build a tram line, although Cairo retained the right to withdraw it at any time. The city’s tram became the first means of mass public transport not just in Alexandria but in Africa. After Liverpool (in England) and Hong Kong, it was only the third tram network to employ double-decker tram carriages.
The creation of the Raml Tram coincided with the development of Raml Station Square, designed by the Italian architect Antonio Lasciac in 1887. The station was planned as a central point, reflecting both its functional importance and its aesthetics. The railway company connecting Alexandria and al-Raml was known as Strada Ferrata Tra Alessandria e Ramleh and was founded on 16 April 1862 as a joint-stock company with £12,000, divided into 1,200 shares priced at £10 each. The Egyptian government owned most of the shares. Firman relinquished the concession in return for 30% of net profits over the first three years.
In September 1862, the first iron rails were laid in the city near Cleopatra’s Obelisk. On 8 January 1863, the first tram was inaugurated. Four carriages were drawn by four horses, one first-class, two second-class, and one third-class, transporting passengers between Alexandria Station and Customs Station. Despite their novelty, the horses were soon replaced by a steam locomotive in August 1863 to expedite transport. In October 1865, the company signed an agreement with the postal authority to carry letters to post offices built alongside the new stations.
Expanding the lines
From March 1883, the line was managed by the Alexandria and Ramleh Railway Company Ltd, founded with £110,000. It included representatives of the city’s leading families, including Greeks, Armenians, and other foreign residents. It undertook the completion of the rail extension from Sporting to Mustafa Pasha. In 1897, the company said it would build a double track, replacing the single line. This produced the two lines that exist to this day: the Bakos Line and the Victory Line.
The company continued extending the tram line eastward. By 1901, it had expanded to 12 additional stations, in addition to the main station. These stops became a recurring subject on postcards, preserving fragments of a past, a visualisation of days and scenes that no longer exist on the city’s streets.
