Clang. The sound of metal on metal echoes. This is the Bonde the Sao Paulo tram. Right here before you stands a piece of history. A testament to a bygone era.
The Bonde in Sao Paulo wasn’t always electric. Did you know it started its journey in 1872? Pulled by donkeys. Imagine the sight the first journey between Rua do Carmo and the Luz railway station.
Then came the electric revolution. In 1900 Sao Paulo Tramway Light & Power Company introduced electric trams. The city’s growth accelerated. By the 1930s Sao Paulo boasted 160 kilometers of tracks. That’s four times the length of the metro system in 2006. Think of the intricate network weaving through the city.
The Sao Paulo Bonde system didn’t last forever. The last journey took place on March 27 1968. The route was from Praca da Se to Santo Amaro. A poignant end to an era. Yet Sao Paulo held onto its bondes longer than any other Brazilian metropolis.
The name ‘Bonde’ itself is a curious story. It came from the tickets. Five for a thousand reis. Printed in the United States some called them ‘bond’. The name stuck. It’s a small detail but it speaks volumes about the Bonde’s influence.
Today the Bonde is a memory. A cherished memory for many Paulistanos. A reminder of a time when the city moved at a different pace. A slower pace. You are standing where that history unfolded. Where the clang of the Bonde once filled the streets. Remember this sound the legacy of the Sao Paulo Bonde.