What is the Boardwalk tram?
The Boardwalk tram is the open-air, rubber-tired train that runs the full length of the Ocean City Boardwalk between the Inlet and 27th Street during the season. Riders flag it down anywhere along the route and pay per ride, and it stops on request rather than at fixed stations. It exists because the Boardwalk is longer than most visitors expect, and it is the standard rescue plan when a family walks farther south than the youngest member can walk back.
Also called: the tram, Boardwalk train.
How to use the tram well
Walk one direction, ride back. That lets a group cover the interesting southern blocks on foot without committing to a round trip on tired legs. Because it stops on request, you can also ride two blocks when the weather turns or someone needs to reach a bathroom quickly.
Seasonality and cost
Fares are per person, per ride. That adds up for a large family making several trips, and the schedule expands in summer and contracts at the edges of the year. Confirm current operating dates and pricing with the Town rather than assuming it will be running in May or October.
Sharing the boards
The tram has right of way. It moves through pedestrian traffic with a recorded warning ahead of it. Keep children on one side, watch for it when stepping out of a shop, and pull strollers in when you hear it. This is the single most common near-miss on the Boardwalk and the easiest one to avoid.
Covering the Boardwalk
Walk both ways
Choose it when: Short section, everyone has energy.
Tradeoff: Distance is deceptive; the return is always longer.
Walk one way, tram back
Choose it when: Families and mixed-ability groups.
Tradeoff: Per-ride cost for each person.
Tram both ways
Choose it when: You want the length of the boards with limited walking.
Tradeoff: You miss the reason people walk it.
Current source: Ocean City Tourism Boardwalk guide. Fees, hours, posted rules: all of it moves without much notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive on the day you go.