马家堡修建火车站后，为了方便与城内联络，光绪二十五年（1899）德国西门子公司承建永定门至马家堡的有轨电车线路。结果次年就爆发了义和团运动，这些还未投入运营的有轨电车在一片“灭洋”声中被毁坏殆尽。1924年12月17日，北京的第一条有轨电车在前门正式通车，一直运营到1966年，由正阳门直达西直门。

Since Majiapu Railway Station was built, in order to make it easy to connect with the city, German company Siemens was contracted to build tramcar construction from Yongding Gate to Maojiapu in the twenty-fifth year of Guangxu (1899). However, the Boxers Movement broke out in the next year, the completed tramcar system was destroyed before coming into operation. On December 17 in 1924, the initial tramcar serve was officially opened to public. It started from Zhengyang Gate to Xizhi Gate until 1966.

老北京又把有轨电车称为铛铛车。因为有轨电车的车头挂了一只铜铃铛，司机只要一踩脚下的踏板，铃铛便会发出“铛铛”的声响，提醒行人闪避车辆。

Tramcars were called as “DiangDiangChe”in old Beijing. Because there was a bell hanged in front of tramcar, when the driver stamped on the foot-board, the bell would send out sound of "diangdiang" to alarm the passerby to take cautions.