My first time seeing Kansas City’s streetcar roll by was a little like watching Doc Brown’s DeLorean from Back to the Future suddenly appearing in 1955. The American Midwest, with its wide, valley-like streets and cartoonishly huge cars, feels like no home for such a jarringly European sight.
But Kansas City isn’t like most Midwest cities. Not only has this sleek tram been trundling through downtown KC (as locals call it) for almost 10 years, its 2.2-mile track is in the process of being extended (almost doubling in length) and – best of all – riding is completely free of charge. Sure, it’s not the New York Subway, but this is also no white elephant. And while it won’t put Kansas City on the map in the same way Taylor Swift’s appearances at Kansas City Chiefs NFL games have, it’s a sign of a surprisingly progressive city on the rise – and one that is hosting six matches at the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
