Tram development and urban transport integration in Chinese cities: A case study of Suzhou

This paper explores a new phenomenon of tram development in Chinese cities where tram is used as an alternative transport system to drive urban development. The Suzhou National High-tech District tram was investigated as a case study. Two key findings are highlighted. Firstly, the new tramway was routed along the “path of least resistance” – avoiding dense urban areas, to reduce conflict with cars. Secondly, regarding urban transport integration, four perspectives were evaluated, namely planning and design, service operation, transport governance and user experience. Findings show insufficient integration in the following aspects, namely tram and bus routes and services, fares on multi-modal journeys, tram station distribution, service intervals, and luggage auxiliary support. The paper argues there is a need for a critical review of the role of tram and for context-based innovative policy reform and governance that could possibly facilitate a successful introduction and integration of tram into a city.