Sapporo Streetcar



The Sapporo Streetcar (札幌市電) is a tram loop located in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is operated by the Sapporo City Transportation Bureau. The system is sometimes referred to by residents as simply the "shiden" (市電). The first section of the network opened in 1909 as the "Sapporo Stone Horsecar Railway" (札幌石材馬車鉄道); it was electrified in 1918. The Transportation Bureau took over the network in 1927.

Lines and routes
At its peak in 1958, the network was 25 km in length with 11 lines and 7 routes. However, the network shrank due to increased automobile ownership and the opening of the Sapporo Municipal Subway.

After the closures in the 1970s, three lines remained. They were collectively called the Ichijō-Yamahana Streetcar Line (一条・山鼻軌道線) or simply the Streetcar Line (軌道線), since the lines covered an incomplete city center route.
 * Ichijō Line (一条線): Nishi-Yon-Chōme – Nishi-Jūgo-Chōme
 * Yamahana-Nishi Line (山鼻西線): Nishi-Jūgo-Chōme – Chūō-Toshokan-Mae
 * Yamahana Line (山鼻線): Chūō-Toshokan-Mae – Susukino

The lines were combined into a single circle route following the opening of the Toshin Line (都心線) between Susukino and Nishi-Yon-Chōme in December 2015.

Almost all trams run the full circle line, with several trams running between Nishi-Yon-Chōme and Nishisen-Jūroku-Jō during the morning rush hours. Trams run at a frequency of 7 to 8 minutes during the day and 3 minutes during weekday peak periods between Nishi-Yon-Chōme and Nishisen-Jūroku-Jō stations. Vehicles are taken out of service at Chūō-Toshokan-Mae.

The fare is ¥200. Like the subway, the tram accepts the SAPICA card, a prepaid magnetic card. Any other electronic IC cards (like Kitaca or Suica) can also be used.

Stations

 * All stations are located in Chūō-ku, Sapporo.