The world's largest tram network is in Melbourne, Australia. Finally, after years of watching iterations of diagrams of this large, sprawling network being released - both official and unofficial - I thought I'd toss my hat in the ring with this version.
I'd be the first to admit that the diagram does take some cues from the very competent official diagram, although it does depart from the official diagram in a number of deliberate ways that I will explain in more detail below.
The key design cue, similar to the official diagram, is that the map adopts a 30 degree tilt to the left in depicting the Melbourne CBD grid of streets, and the tilt extends downwards along St Kilda Road, which represents the key spine for the tram network fanning out towards the South East of the CBD.
A closeup of the Melbourne CBD section of the diagram, showing the 30 degree tilt
Trams are by nature far more embedded in the urban environment they traverse than suburban trains and metros. Travellers will see what they're passing. They will notice every sharp turn as the tram takes a corner and switches to running on another street. Hence, the diagram does incorporate, to the extent possible, far more detail about attractions and places of interest that are near the tram lines. The precincts are colour-coded to add visual interest and help quickly identify what type of place of interest is in frame.
Melbourne's tram network is not particularly accessible for persons with mobility impairments. The diagram illustrates the relatively few lines that are served by tram routes running with some or all modern low-floor trams, and stops that allow for easy boarding and alighting by mobility-impaired passengers. (There aren't many of them.)
The official diagram is decidedly more minimalist in its approach and by adopting that approach, it is able to be presented in a relatively compact manner. Since I don't have the same design constraints, I have added details that place the tram network in better context. In particular, I have drawn in the very important complement to the tram network - Melbourne's suburban train network. The two networks do make meaningful connections in several places, and it makes sense for the user of the diagram to plan a journey by being able to see both networks presented together.
Every stop is represented by a dot. This ensures that even if the diagram is highly stylised and the size of Melbourne CBD is disporportionately enlarged, the user of the diagram has some sense of just how far they're travelling once they're out in the suburbs.
Tram network diagrams present their own challenges, especially when we are talking about a network with hundreds of stops, with lines reaching very deep into the suburbs of a large city, and with such an extensive network of lines. Compromises need to be made to make the diagram readable and usable.
For starters, this diagram does not list every stop by name, but it does insist on showing every stop as a dot. This ensures the diagram user at least has a sense of just how far they are travelling once they're out in the suburbs. For example, routes 70, 86 and 109 go very deep into the east of Melbourne, but if you were to use the official diagram, you would have no idea because that diagram only shows a few stops - and does not convey in any sense the distance travelled or the number of stops involved.
Another key point of departure from the official diagram is the incorporation of key cross-streets on the diagram. I felt this is a really important piece of information as it gives a lot more context on how the lines - the majority of which run on roads - fit in. It adds a sense of place in a much less cluttered way than showing the names of individual or selected stops. This effect is particularly pronounced in the northern suburbs, where several lines all run, almost in parallel, towards the CBD.
Finally, here is a screencap of the route roster. The official diagram deliberately chooses high-contrast colours for its lines - and I can tell the designer was very mindful that the lines running along St Kilda Road should be very distinct so the user can easily tell one line from the adjacent one. Without the same design constraints, I have chosen to go with aesthetics over practicality, and have decided to have lines with a decidedly lower level of contrast. Instead, I have adopted an approach comparable to fellow designer Philip Mallis, grouping lines by colour based on the street they traverse in Melbourne CBD. It just looks nicer!
I hope you like this diagram. Feedback and comments most welcome. Please reach out if you have any.
