BERNMOBIL, the public transport operator of the Swiss capital city of Bern, just announces that the first of 27 brandnew TRAMLINK low-floor trams will start regular passenger service on 1 November 2023. The new vehicles from Stadler Rail will replace the Vevey Be 4/8 trams and the vehicles of Regional Transport Bern-Solothurn (RBS) on line 6.
With the introduction of the 20 bi-directional and 7 single-ended tramcars supplied by Stadler Rail, BERNMOBIL is setting another milestone in meeting the requirements of increasing mobility in the city and region of Bern. On the one hand, the vehicles will replace the 12 Vevey and the 9 RBS trams on line 6, which are reaching the end of their service life, by 2025. On the other hand, the TRAMLINKs also cover the vehicle requirements for the extension of line 9 to Kleinwabern. For 11 of the Vevey trams, at the time the first generation of low-floor trams in the Swiss capital, there may be another use in Lemberg/Lviv in Ukraine.
TRAMLINK. They operate only on route 6 to Worb Dorf. Here seen at Zytglogge terminus in July 2022 | © Dirk Budach
Scheduled operation
By the end of this year, eight TRAMLINK trams will be in regular service, gradually replacing the first Vevey 4/8 vehicles. For the time being, they will mainly run on line 7. The deployment of the bi-directional vehicles on line 6 – and the associated retirement of the BE 4/10 – will take place from mid-2024.
The TRAMLINK for Bern
The TRAMLINK is 42.5 metres long and has 56 seats in the bi-directional vehicles and 71 seats in the single-directional vehicles. The entire interior is completely low-floor for optimal passenger flow and optimised for standing passengers. Generous multifunctional zones provide plenty of space for wheelchair users as well as for prams and luggage. Each door, 7 for single-direction trams and 6 on each side for double-direction trams, has a sliding step to bridge the gap at the stops for barrier-free boarding and alighting.
The TRAMLINK is one of the most energy-efficient and safest trams currently in production. Thanks to the innovative bogies with continuous axles, it runs very smoothly and provides even more ride comfort. In addition to low energy consumption and an environmentally friendly air conditioning system, the vehicle is also equipped with a brake assistance system for collision avoidance.
Link to data sheet:
https://www.bernmobil.ch/sites/default/files/2023-10/Datenblatt%2520TL%2520BERNMOBIL%25200923d.pdf
Training on the driving simulator
With the commissioning of a driving simulator from LANDER Simulation & Training Solutions, tram training at BERNMOBIL has reached a new level. The driving simulator has a control panel for the tram link and offers tram drivers the possibility of 1:1 training in unusual situations on BERNMOBIL’s digitally visualised route network.
Open day
On Saturday 28 October 2023, BERNMOBIL and Stadler Rail will officially inaugurate the new TRAMLINK before it goes into passenger service. BERNMOBIL invites you to an open day at the expanded Tramdepot Bolligenstrasse. A brand new TRAMLINK and a historic tram train from BERNMOBIL historique will be running as a shuttle between Wankdorf station – Guisanplatz Expo and the tram depot. You can find the detailed programme at bernmobil.ch/event.
(Info: Bernmobil)
