Currently, there are no passenger trains in Aruba. In the past there were industrial railways in Aruba. In 2012 tram in Oranjestad was reinstated. The tram is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Aruba.
Railways in Aruba – history
At the end of the 19th century, two narrow-gauge lines were built in Aruba to transport mineral resources mined on the island. The first line was put into operation in 1850 at a mine near Balashi. A second line was laid to the southern end of the island to the phosphate mines in the 1880s. Initially, the wagons were pulled by donkeys.
In 1881 steam locomotives were delivered to the island. In 1928, the Lago Oil company opened a railway line to the refinery in Sint Nicolaas, and the Eagle Oil company launched trains on the line to the refinery in Oranjestad. It is not known what happened to the first two lines, but Aruba was the world’s largest producer of jet fuel and the railway lines operated at full capacity until 1942, when the refineries were seriously damaged by torpedoes from German submarines.
After World War II, Aruba focused on the tourist industry, the importance of industry and railways in Aruba gradually decreased. On November 1, 1955, all freight traffic was ceased. In 1961, the tracks were demolished and roads were built in their place. There are very few preserved traces of the old railways in Aruba, and there is a model railway museum on the island.
Railways in Aruba – Arutram
One of the youngest and most popular tourist attractions in Aruba is the Arutram – a tourist tram from the port through the most important places in the center of Oranjestad. The inaugural tram ride took place on December 22, 2012, with the participation of the island’s authorities and hundreds of spectators gathered along the track. The first vehicle – a single-decker tram – had been delivered to the island just seven days earlier. Currently the line is served by double-decker trams. The double-decker will allow passengers to experience the downtown area with 360-degree views.
The tram operates between the hours of 10 AM and 5 PM, it does not run on Sundays but timetable can change depending on the season.
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