Charleroi is a conglomeration of several towns and villages where iron processing industry was evident present. Mining industries and steel processing had great influence on the city.

In 1881 a small horse tram opened connecting the railway station Charleroi-Sud via Place Verte to the Rue de Marcinelle. It was laid with track width 1435 mm. The line did not last long. Already two years later the line was closed.

In 1881 a new line was opened from the Sud Railway station to Gilly. This was partly ran by steam trams, partly by horse tram. For more information see the page about the horse tram in Charleroi.

Around 1900 the great NMVB, which had lines in the west of the city, made the conversion to electric trams. The city of Charleroi wanted also to change the steam and horse powered lines in the east of the city to electric running. A new consession was given to the RELSE (s.a. des Railways Economiques de Liège-Seraing et Extensions), the company that ran tram lines in the surroundings of the city of Liège. A sub-company was created the TEPCE (s.a. des Tramways Electriques du Pays de Charleroi et Extensions). The two existing lines were transferred from normal gauge to meter gauge and electrified. They were opened on 4 july 1904.

In the following yeard new lines were opened. Below you can read in what year this happened. Closure began after World War Two, and in 1974 the last tram was gone into the depot.

Later on the network was extended. Below you will find the list of opening and closure dates of the lines. See also the map of the network with the line numbers below.

The line 4 (Gilly - Chatelineau Gare) is special. From earlier date it was part of the network of the NMVB, the line went on westwards to Jumet and also eastwards. After the First World War the line was taken over by TEPCE. But that lasted only for some years. Because of struggling of the right of transport the line went back on 1 january 1923 two NMVB, and after long lasting talkings the line was taken over on 17 september 1929 by the TEPC.

Another singularity was on line 7 to Fleurus. The TEPC planned a ground level crossing with a railay line near Fleurus. All of the line to Fleurus was ready, except the crossing. The railway was steady in forbidding the level crossing. On 6 april 1931 the TEPC brought one tram wagon to the other side of the railway crossing. So it could offer from the opening date on (6 june 1931) a tram service to both sides of the railway crossing, where passengers had to disembark and pass it by foot. This situation lasted until 12 january 1932, when a new viaduct was built over which trams could pass.

The fleet of rolling stock was extended with the length of the lines in exploitation. The first 17 motor coaches were ordered in 1904. In 19011, 1918 and 1932 some more motor coaches were ordered. And the last 25 motor coaches, built in the NMVB workshop (SELVOP) in Oostende during war time. All carriages were of the type of two axles.

There were also not-motored carriages. Twelve were ordered in the beginning in 1904, some 12 more in 1909 and 8 more in 1915. The first 24 were of type convertible. That means that the side panels could be removed so that the carriages could be run as open carriages. In winter the panels were present so it were closed carriages.

Trailer coaches