The St. Charles Streetcar is the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world — running since 1835, which means it was carrying passengers before the Civil War, before the telephone, and before New Orleans was connected to the rest of America by railroad. The olive-green Perley Thomas cars, built in the 1920s, clatter down the neutral ground (New Orleans for 'median') of St. Charles Avenue on tracks that haven't moved since the line was electrified in 1893.
The 13-mile route from Canal Street through the Garden District, past Audubon Park, and out to the Riverbend neighbourhood is the best moving tour in New Orleans. From a wooden bench inside the streetcar — the windows open, the ceiling fans turning, the brass fittings polished — you see the full spectrum of Uptown architecture: the grand mansions of the Garden District, the Columns Hotel (used as a location in 'Pretty Baby'), Loyola and Tulane universities facing each other across the avenue, and the ancient live oaks whose branches form a tunnel over the tracks.
The streetcar costs $1.25 and runs 24 hours, making it both a transit system and an attraction. Locals use it for their commute, tourists use it as a sightseeing vehicle, and both groups share the same cars in a democracy of transportation that is very New Orleans. The ride from Canal to Carrollton takes about 45 minutes and passes through neighbourhoods that would take half a day to walk, making it the most efficient way to understand the city's geography beyond the French Quarter.
Verified Facts
The St. Charles Streetcar has been operating since 1835
It is the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world
The current Perley Thomas cars were built in the 1920s
The route is approximately 13 miles long
Get walking directions
Canal St & Carondelet St, New Orleans, LA 70130
