During that era and referring to it historically in literature or nostalgic activities, the system was known as “Nürnberg-Fürther Straßenbahn“ (Nuremberg-Fürth tramway).

For example, a local association dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of the tram network as well as old rolling stock calls itself “Freunde der Nürnberg-Fürther Straßenbahn“ (friends of the Nuremberg-Fürth tramway)[5] The system is planned to cross the municipal boundaries of Nuremberg once more, if and when the extension to Erlangen and from there to Herzogenaurach dubbed "Stadtumlandbahn" (or "StUB" for short) opens (see below).

As of 2023[update], the network consisted of seven lines,[1] running on a total operational route length of 38.4 kilometres (23.9 mi).

The city council of Nuremberg had already taken the decision to build a subway-surface system similar to that in Stuttgart on the advice of Stuttgart based traffic scientist Walther Lambert[9] before reversing course after the Bavarian State government had assured a Nuremberg subway would be on financially equal footing to the Munich one (i.e. Get significant state funding) but refused to make any such assurances for a Stadtbahn.

Due in part to being not electrified services along the Right Pegnitz line (Nuremberg Cheb railway) are branded as regional trains instead of S-Bahn.

With the establishment of a new Nuremberg Technical University (de:Technische Universität Nürnberg) on former railway real estate in the new borough "Lichtenreuth" there are plans to extend the tram into the new neighborhood.

[16] In the course of long term traffic planning the so called "Nahverkehrsentwicklungsplan 2025" (named after the year in which projects were to be finished, not the year it was issued - the term roughly translates as "(local) public transit development plan" and is commonly abbreviated NVEP 2025) was commissioned in 2011 and ultimately published in 2013 to do cost benefit analysis of numerous proposed and discussed U-Bahn and Tram projects.

[17] Among the projects with the best benefit cost ratio per the legal requirements in Germany was one crossing the northern Old Town, serving Nuremberg City Hall and roughly replacing that section of current bus line 36.

[18] Other projects included an extension of the tram network to Kornburg in the South or serving Nuremberg's port on the Main-Danube Canal.

[20][21] In 2021 the committee on transportation of the Nuremberg City Council passed a plan for numerous upgrades and expansions of the tram network, including the introduction of new lines "10" (Dutzendteich-Plärrer-Am Wegfeld) and "11" (Gibitzenhof-Hauptbahnhof-Mögeldorf) offering new direct routes on existing infrastructure, as well as the reactivation of the infrastructure towards the Stadtpark for passenger service and extensions in Minervastraße and Brunnecker Straße which will provide redundancy in the case of blockage of routes in addition to more capacity and service.

[23] In 2018, VAG borrowed one Avenio T1 from Munich, as well as one Bombardier Flexity Classic from Kraków in preparation for a tender for new trams.

[24] In November 2019, VAG ordered 12 Avenio trams from Siemens Mobility, with an option for 75 more,[3] and entry into service scheduled for 2022.