Federal Labor has pledged $500 million to back an expansion of Adelaide's tram network, with frontbencher Chris Bowen saying he hopes to see the steel being laid within four years for the next new line.

Infrastructure Australia recently listed as a priority a reinstatement of what was an extensive trams network across Adelaide until the 1950s, when lines were removed to give buses and cars priority.

Labor's $500 million pledge would go towards the estimated $3 billion it could cost to restore trams to many suburban areas.

Mr Bowen said Labor, if elected, would work closely on the project with the Weatherill Government.

"There's the half a billion from the Commonwealth, then separately Infrastructure Australia has $10 billion of which they can choose projects to kickstart as well," he said.

"We've allocated money to this one as being very important for Adelaide's future."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said thousands of construction jobs would flow from the project.

"What AdeLINK means is 2,000 jobs, what it means is Aussie steel in the tram tracks to be able to be laid, it means opportunities for Australian cement, it's opportunities for construction work," he said.

"Labor believes that it is appropriate to use scarce taxpayer dollars to help improve public transport of our cities.

"What the people of South Australia deserve is a government in Canberra who's helping to create a more liveable city, creating thousands of jobs in South Australia, helping provide options for congestion and improving productivity."

Tram plan 'goes back to the past'

Commuters, asked by 891 ABC Adelaide, seemed generally supportive of the plan to widen the city's trams network.

Only suburban Glenelg retained a tram service after most lines were ripped up before 1960. ( ABC News: Malcolm Sutton )

"It's going back to the past where you had trams around a lot of the main roads of Adelaide many years ago. I think the tram's a great mode of transport, it gets cars off the road," one man said.

"I prefer to tram in [to the city] than drive in of a morning, much prefer it," a city worker said.

Another commuter said more trams would help satisfy demand.

"I think it's a brilliant idea, I think at the moment the tram is one of those luxury options — there's one in Adelaide — it's like providing an ice cream shop in a desert, everybody uses it and it does get crowded."

She said university students would welcome having tram services along more of North Terrace in the CBD because it would improve their access to their campuses.

The State Government said federal Labor's funding promise would support the first stage of restoring suburban trams and extending current city services.

Tram links are proposed to Norwood, Henley Beach, Mitcham, Prospect and along the existing Outer Harbor rail line.

The Government said the project had backing from local government and a Mayors for AdeLINK group had been established in the past week.

"Obviously it's a very large project but [the federal pledge] will fund at least one of the links to one of the sectors in the metropolitan area that we've planned," Premier Jay Weatherill said.

"We look forward to infrastructure Australia giving approval for this project — it has already receive priority project status. We think this is a wonderful investment in South Australia's future."