I remember when this set came out when I was about 9 or 10. It was a must-have since I had a whole train setup and display. Needless to say, this set did not disappoint. I would recommend it for any parent looking to give their kid lots of play value, for any collector looking to capture Lego City in its prime, or for any city builder looking for more detail and value to add to their display.

The set features an entourage of unique vehicles that were not regularly released at the time for the City subtheme. The Tram of course paralleled the Trains theme that was re-released around the same time. The coach bus was certainly unique. The street sweeper had a few iterations previously, and the yellow sports car of course is a great addition.

The tram station is really modern and sleek looking, but otherwise not much to write home about. I think my favourite part of this set as a kid was the little travel kiosk. No other set had featured something like that that offered a lot of depth and playability to the city streets. It features a transit map, a coffee maker, and a swivelling postcard stand.

The little bus stop was neat as well, with the bike rack and bench. At the time, Lego bikes were almost always red. This one came with a green bike, which added some much-needed variety. You also get a great cast of unique figures. Maybe could have done with one more, but six is still a decent amount.

The only gripe I had about this set was that it featured no tracks for the tram. I figured for 100USD, the least they could do was add a small oval-worth of track. But I had a train setup so it didn't matter much to me. This is the only reason I give a "value for money" rating a 4 instead of a 5.

Overall, a great set to own and definitely one worth scouring eBay or Bricklinks for.

This set includes a tram, bus, car, and minifigure drivers and passengers. 3 stations are included as well, and makes for great transport. Particularly if your building a large city. In that case, this is a must. But for $100? If transit isn't your thing in a city, or if city isn't your thing, this isn't a good set in that case, but for city lovers, it's worth it.

Pros:

Vehicles

Stations

Minifigs

Cons:

Slightly overpriced.

Nit Picks:

Stations are too big for a dense city.

This set gets a 5/5.

The intructions are easy to understand, making de construction something simple.

Minifigures

There is 6 minifigures, 2 cunductor (1 for the bus and other for the Light Rail), 3 passengers and 1 worker.

They have good details, like the hair of the woman minifigure.

The build

The contruction is easy and fast,with modular pieces to help, well divided in numbered bags.

The completed model

The completed model, gives you a very good layout for your city,and complet the essentials services in your city, but, could be better, if they had included some train tracks, for the Light Rail.

The set also have 1 car, 1 street sweeper and 1 bike.

Summary

The 8404 set is good but you maybe will miss the tracks, but beyond that, it is a great set to acquire.

It just does not get any better than this! This is a great addition to your town, works perfect with the airport, comes with 6 minifigs and looks cool on display. It also has the first ever lego tram.

Box/Instructions

Comes with instruction booklets for each model of this set. The box is pretty cool and at the back it shows you the set in detail.

Parts

Some parts you have probably seen before, but there are some new bricks in this set and they work quite well. My favourite part is that black piece at the top of the tram (dunno what it is called). This set comes with over 800 pieces!!

Minifigures

There are six minifigs that come with this set: the tram driver, the bus driver, the street sweeper driver, a man in a green sweater with glasses, a man with long hair and a hoodie and of course a lady with brown hair.

The build

The build is fairly easy and the instructions are clear. I especially enjoyed building the bus (although the tram was also pretty fun).

TRAM

Lego's first ever tram. This is able to fit up to 6 passengers and there are to seats for the driver (1 one each end of the tram). The tram also fits on lego track new or old. The tram is my favourite part of this set and is the main reason i got it.

BUS

I may have gotten this set for the tram, but the bus is just as goo. It can also fit up to 6 passengers and the bus driver sits at the front with 2 doors next to him. The bus also has 2 storage cupboards on each side and can fit up to 2 suitcases in each cupboard. As i mentioned before, this bus is ideal for the airport.

STREET SWEEPER

The bus and the tram may be the stars of this set and less people notice the street sweeper. The street sweeper is also a good addition to your town. The back of the truck can open up and it comes with a broom clipped at the back. Another great part of this set.

SPORTS CAR

Many people think this is the same car as 8402. Wrong. This car is completely different. In fact, hardly any of the pieces are used from 8404 in this. The rich lady in this set drives this. You can never have too many cars.

PLATFORMS

3 platforms come with this set, each very different. Firstly there is the kiosk. The man with the green sweater works there. This platform is very detailed. There is a mailbox, postcard stand and a coffee machine. Next there is the platform with the bike stand, bench and recycling bin. It also has a timetable. Last but not least is the glass - roofed platform. It has a screen and also has a bench to sit on.

Summary

There are only a few problems to point out in this set. Firstly, there is no track for the tram. At the price u are paying you would expect at least some track. Thats why i had to go and buy some. Secondly, when i opened this, the stickers were all bent and i still have not ordered new ones. Lastly, the price is a little too expensive. Other than that it is a great set. If u are a transport fan like me, you will definitely love this set. It is a great addition to your town and comes with plenty of minifigs.

Lego City Public Transport is a great set. With 6 minifigures and 4 vehicles, its hard to say this is a bad set. I got it for Christmas along with the 2008 Police truck.

Minifigures:
Great additions to the set. There is a bus driver with standard back hair and the normal black and white sleeves suit. There is also the Tram conductor, which is pretty cool since he has a black suit and a black police hat. Next there is the driver for the Street Sweeper, which is my favorite minifigure in the set. The street sweeper guy has orange pants and a blue and orange top. There is a girl in the yellow sports car, which is good since girls are very hard to find in Lego form. Then there is some guy with long hair that goes with the GREEN bike. Lastly, there is a guy in a green shirt and blue pants with glasses on.
Minifigures: 5/5.