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light rail transit
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A yellow light rail train approaches on elevated tracks in Changchun, China, with modern city buildings visible in the background.
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A yellow light rail train approaches on elevated tracks in Changchun, China, with modern city buildings visible in the background.
light rail transit Light rail transit in Changchun, Jilin province, China.

light rail transit

transportation
Also known as: LRV, electric trolley system
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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•History

News •

Simple math suggests LRT east extension can't open before 2027 • Nov. 6, 2026, 6:11 PM ET (CBC)
Youth sexually assaulted on North York LRT; Toronto man accused of hate crimes • Oct. 29, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (Toronto Sun)
East San Fernando Valley light rail line gets underway — five years behind schedule. • Oct. 20, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (Los Angeles Times)

light rail transit, system of railways usually powered by overhead electrical wires and used for medium-capacity local transportation in metropolitan areas. Light rail vehicles (LRVs) are a technological outgrowth of streetcars (trams). Light rail transit lines are more segregated from street traffic than are tramways (particularly in congested urban areas) but less so than are rapid transit (heavy rail) lines. See mass transit.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.