Metrotenerife celebrates the 18th anniversary of the tram service on June 2, which in the last two years has seen 47.6 million passengers, bringing its historical demand close to 280 million travelers, according to the Island Council.
In these 18 years of service, the tram of Tenerife has become a symbol of identity and modernity in the metropolitan area, as well as “a benchmark” for the guided transport industry.
It was one of the first national systems to implement uninterrupted nighttime service on weekends or operate with double trams during the Santa Cruz Carnival celebrations.
It also became the first tram in Spain to obtain the AENOR Universal Accessibility certification for all its services (2011), which it maintains after passing follow-up and renewal audits.
The development and deployment of the comprehensive electronic ticketing system Vía-Móvil, now ten+móvil; the creation and application of engineering solutions like the Rail Insulating Jacket (Remov-IN) or technologies like SIMOVE, a driving safety system to prevent speeding accidents, have positioned the Tenerife Tram at the forefront of public transportation.
According to data from the Island Council, from June 2, 2007, to date, demand has been characterized by “constant growth, going from 6 million validated passengers in 2007 to 25 million in 2024.”
However, the island corporation also notes that there have been “significant drops” in the number of travelers, such as in 2013 due to the economic crisis in Spain, and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During this time, the tram continued to operate as a public service within the established mobility restrictions.
A year before the pandemic, the tram had reached its highest number of travelers, 15.5 million, which was greatly surpassed with 22.6 million and 25 million passengers recorded in 2023 and 2024, respectively, following the implementation of free public transport. With all this, the Tenerife Tram, which has two lines and a total of 16 kilometers of track, is approaching a historical demand of 280 million passengers after closing the previous fiscal year with more than 256 million travelers.
Coinciding with this anniversary, the company is hosting the 30th Meeting of Technical Committees of the Latin American Metro and Subway Association (ALAMYS).
From this Monday, June 2, to next Thursday, June 5, representatives from the railway sector in Latin America, Spain, and Portugal will gather to analyze the challenges and roadmaps for the future of guided transport. This is the first time the island hosts a forum of ALAMYS Technical Committees, in which the Island Council of Tenerife also collaborates.
More than 150 representatives of the main operators and guided transport experts from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal will address topics related to the management, planning, maintenance, operation, and marketing of metros and trams on the island.
The work program includes 54 presentations, of which 8 will be given by Metrotenerife officials, as well as bilateral meetings, plenary sessions, and a visit to the Metrotenerife headquarters.
The opening of this meeting will be attended by, among others, the president of the Tenerife Island Council, Rosa Dávila, the mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, and the president of Metrotenerife and insular mobility councilor, Eulalia García, as well as Lola Bravo and Xavier Flores, general secretary and first member of ALAMYS.
