C2-class Melbourne tram
| Company type | Tram vehicles |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transport |
| Founded | 2003–2023 (years of tram manufacture) |
| Headquarters | La Rochelle , France |
Area served | Melbourne, Australia; Mulhouse, France |
| Products | Alstom Citadis 302 trams |
C2-class trams
The C2-class trams consist of five articulated Alstom Citadis 302 units, produced by Alstom at their facility in La Rochelle, France. Initially constructed for the Mulhouse tramway system in France, these vehicles were leased to Melbourne's tram network in 2008 due to excess availability and were subsequently acquired by the Government of Victoria. All five trams are currently dedicated to service on Melbourne tram route 96.
History
In 2008, Yarra Trams secured a lease agreement for five low-floor, air-conditioned, bi-directional, five-section Alstom Citadis 302 trams from Mulhouse, France, facilitated through its former parent company, Transdev. The four-year lease deal was valued at $9 million and included shipping expenses of $500,000 per tram. The first tram arrived in Melbourne in February 2008. Commencing operation on 11 June 2008, these vehicles quickly gained the nickname Bumblebees in reference to their yellow paint scheme and primarily served route 96.
Each tram preserved its original Mulhouse name—derived from municipalities within the Mulhouse Alsace Agglomération—alongside its Bumblebee identifier:
- Tram no. 5103 (Mulhouse 2003): Bollwiller, Bumblebee 3
- Tram no. 5106 (Mulhouse 2006): Reiningue, Bumblebee 4
- Tram no. 5111 (Mulhouse 2011): Pulversheim, Bumblebee 5
- Tram no. 5113 (Mulhouse 2013): Ungersheim, Bumblebee 2
- Tram no. 5123 (Mulhouse 2023): Battenheim, Bumblebee 1
Although initially leased until December 2011 as surplus stock from Mulhouse, the State Government negotiated their purchase during 2012/13. Prior to entering full service, the trams underwent minor upgrades at Preston Workshops, including improved air-conditioning systems and updated liveries. Since acquisition, they have been repainted into the standard Yarra Trams color scheme but continue to display their Bumblebee names adjacent to the driver’s cabin.
Operation
The C2-class trams serve exclusively on route 96, which runs between East Brunswick and St Kilda Beach.