1895- 1952
In the year 1895, the "Acte constitutif et statuts de la société anonyme d'exploitation des tramways de Galatz et de Roumanie" ("Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Anonymous Company for the Operation of Trams in Galati and Romania") was published. The document, printed in 1895 at the "J. Schenk" printing press, consisted of 20 pages written in the French language and is currently held at the Romanian Academy.
The Articles of Incorporation were signed by the 14 shareholders on September 22, 1895.
In the year 1900, the company was granted the concession for operating trams in Galati. The company, formed with Belgian capital, installed 5 lines of electric trams with a gauge of 1000 mm, using old Phoenix rails and turnouts with counterweights. The lines totaled 26.5 km of single track on the following routes: CFR Station – Docks; Piata Mare – Barbosi Tunnel; Brailei Street; Palace of the European Commission of the Danube – Public Garden; Tecuci Street.
The first tram line was inaugurated on August 14, 1900.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Galati was equipped with the most modern means of transportation, the electric tram. The infrastructure included tracks, an overhead wire system, an electric power plant, a tram depot (830 sqm), and six tram parking lines, with each line accommodating six trams. Beneath the lines, there were inspection channels that allowed for the inspection and repair of axles, motors, and wheels. Additionally, there was an administrative pavilion, all of which covered an area of 4620 sqm, owned by the City Hall.
The rolling stock consisted of 18 motor trams and 18 trailers; each motor tram had two axles and a 30 hp motor, as well as two braking systems. The trams had 24 seats on two benches, while the trailers had six benches with two seats each; they were illuminated during the night and fitted with removable windows in winter.
The tramway rails were mounted on a bed of crushed stone, with a gauge of 1000 mm, although the initial convention stipulated a gauge of 1435 mm. The support pillars for the overhead wire system were made of metal, and the electric lines were divided into sections to facilitate repairs in case of damage. The tram routes were as follows: from the depot, through the streets of Portului, Ana Ipătescu, Dogăriei, Tecuci, N. Bălcescu, Brăilei, Mihai Bravu, and Traian. Currently, the respective land and buildings located at 8 Gării Street are under the administration of Electrica.
From January 1917 to June 1919, due to the First World War, trams did not circulate in the city of Galați.
In 1931, the Galați Communal Works took over public transportation and introduced buses on a 3.5 km route along Domnească Street (since 1925, a few private individuals had already put the first buses on the streets). Furthermore, the electric transport was equipped with 19 new trams, constructed at the Galați Shipyard.
In 1944, the city lost its electric transport. In 1948, the Galați Communal Enterprise (ICG) was established (only 7 trams recovered and repaired from those destroyed by fascists were in operation).