Operated by Swanston Trams Malvern Depot.
Melbourne's tram route 8 starts at the Melbourne University terminus of St Kilda Rd services at the corner of Swanston and Elgin Sts Carlton. Route 8 shares Swanston St and St Kilda Rd with routes 1,3,5,6,16,22,64,67 and 72. Trams have their first pickup at Faraday St and then follow Swanston St past the Royal Women's Hospital in Grattan St and enter the CBD at Victoria St opposite the City Baths.
On their way through the city, trams cross LaTrobe St (routes 23,24,30, 34 and the City Circle tourist tram), Bourke St ( route 86 to Bundoora RMIT and route 96 between St Kilda Beach and East Brunswick), Collins St ( route 11 to West Preston, route 12 to St Kilda and route 109 between Mont Albert and Port Melbourne) and Flinders St ( route 48 to North Balwyn, route 70 to Wattle Park, route 75 to East Burwood and the City Circle
Crossing Flinders St, route 8 trams pass Federation Square on the left and Flinders St station on the right before crossing Princes Bridge over the Yarra River and pass the Alexandra Gardens on the left and the Victorian Arts Centre and the National Gallery on the right before arriving at Southbank Boulevarde, where route 1 turns right on its way to Sth Melb Beach.
Trams now pass through an area faeturing mainly high rise office blocks, virtually an extension of Melbourne's CBD, a situation that ensures heavy loading for St Kilda Rd trams in both directions during the peak hours and to a lesser extent during office lunch hours. Part of Melbourne's parks and gardens can also be seen on the left as trams proceed along St Kilda Rd past the Shrine of Remembrance before arriving at the Domain Rd Interchange, built in 1988 as a Federal Government Bicentenniel project. Route 55 to West Coburg via the Zoo leaves here monday to Saturday, it has its own siding meant to keep it clear of St Kilda Rd when shunting. Route 8 turns left here into Domain Rd.
After turning, trams go up the hill past the Melbourne Church Of England Grammar School and the Botanical Gardens before turning right into Park St South Yarra past flats and boarding houses before turning left into Toorak Rd opposite Fawkner Park. A little further along, trams arrive at Punt Rd and the start of the exclusive and snobby South Yarra shopping centre, which lasts until Chapel St, crossing over the Sandringham, Frankston, Pakenham and Cranbourne railway suburban lines at South Yarra station.
Arriving at Chapel St, which carries route 78 between Prahran and North Richmond, trams pass the Como Centre and some other shops before going back to suburbia in the suburb of Toorak. This is Melbourne's super - snob territory, with millionaires wandering all over the scenery. Soon, trams arrive at Toorak Village shopping centre where you can see the aforementioned millionaires all driving around in their nice shiny Rolls Royces and Mercedes Benz's - all stuck behind a no. 8 tram offloading plebians into the street. Funny - you never see a millionaire on a tram.
Back into residential areas goes the tram, soon to arrive at the Glenferrie Rd terminus, which is a scissors crossover enabling trams to terminate on either road clear of peak hour traffic, though most trams continue around into Glenferrie Rd to terminate at Malvern depot. Seating is provided on the footpath adjacent to the roadway.
Monday to Friday
Toorak Melbourne
Glenferrie Rd University
First tram 5.31 am 6.05 am
Last tram 11.32 pm 12.09 am
SaturdayFirst tram 5.31 am 6.11 amSunday
Last tram 11.32 pm 12.09 am
First tram 8.08 am 8.51 am
Last tram 11.10 pm 11.44 pm
Monday to Friday
Before AM Peak AM Peak Between Peak PM Peak Night
10 - 15 min. 7 min. 12 min. 6 min. 20 min.
Saturday
Before 8 am Daytime Night
12 - 20 min. 12 min. 20 min.
Sunday
Before 10.30 am Daytime Night
30 min. 12 min. 30 min.
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