Prior to that, trams on the northern section of Sydney Road would run via Swanston Street to the southern suburbs.

Due to congestion during peak hours at the crossover, some trams continued north to Melbourne University.

The section of track between Queensberry Street (Stop 4) and St Kilda Junction (Stop 30) is the oldest section of this route, dating back to the Brighton Road cable tram which opened on 11 October 1888 by the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company.

This cable tram line was electrified in stages by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board.

The section between Queensberry Street and City Road (near Stop 14) was electrified on the same day.

The line between Luna Park and the terminus at Cotham Road (Stop 80) was all constructed by the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust.