Last Train Home, 1890s
Malta's railway system lasted for nearly 50 years and forms a fascinating chapter in the island’s transport history as it played an important role in connecting the main urban areas of the island. The efficient railway was designed by the same team which 25 years earlier had drawn up the plans for the London Tube. The line was approximately 15 km long spanning from Valletta to Mtarfa.
The Malta Railway proved to be quite popular when it was introduced in 1883 - until this time, travellers only knew the horse-drawn karozzin (carriage) and the karrettun (cart) pulled by a donkey or mule. The train known as il - vapur tal-art (the land ship), cut down to 25 minutes a trip that would otherwise last over three hours on a mule drawn cart. At one point, the Malta Railway was carrying a million passengers a year.
Along the years, the railway line faced many operational challenges and could in no way compete with the cheap and more flexible bus service. The railway system ceased to operate in 1931.
Today, the legacy of the Malta Railway serves as a reminder of the island's development during the British colonial period and its transition to modern transportation methods.
Malta's railway system lasted for nearly 50 years and forms a fascinating chapter in the island’s transport history as it played an important role in connecting the main urban areas of the island. The efficient railway was designed by the same team which 25 years earlier had drawn up the plans for the London Tube. The line was approximately 15 km long spanning from Valletta to Mtarfa.
The Malta Railway proved to be quite popular when it was introduced in 1883 - until this time, travellers only knew the horse-drawn karozzin (carriage) and the karrettun (cart) pulled by a donkey or mule. The train known as il - vapur tal-art (the land ship), cut down to 25 minutes a trip that would otherwise last over three hours on a mule drawn cart. At one point, the Malta Railway was carrying a million passengers a year.
Along the years, the railway line faced many operational challenges and could in no way compete with the cheap and more flexible bus service. The railway system ceased to operate in 1931.
Today, the legacy of the Malta Railway serves as a reminder of the island's development during the British colonial period and its transition to modern transportation methods.
Malta's railway system lasted for nearly 50 years and forms a fascinating chapter in the island’s transport history as it played an important role in connecting the main urban areas of the island. The efficient railway was designed by the same team which 25 years earlier had drawn up the plans for the London Tube. The line was approximately 15 km long spanning from Valletta to Mtarfa.
The Malta Railway proved to be quite popular when it was introduced in 1883 - until this time, travellers only knew the horse-drawn karozzin (carriage) and the karrettun (cart) pulled by a donkey or mule. The train known as il - vapur tal-art (the land ship), cut down to 25 minutes a trip that would otherwise last over three hours on a mule drawn cart. At one point, the Malta Railway was carrying a million passengers a year.
Along the years, the railway line faced many operational challenges and could in no way compete with the cheap and more flexible bus service. The railway system ceased to operate in 1931.
Today, the legacy of the Malta Railway serves as a reminder of the island's development during the British colonial period and its transition to modern transportation methods.