BVG is renewing its tram fleet. After the waiting period under public procurement law expired, Germany’s largest local transport operator, awarded the contract for the procurement of up to 117 new bi-directional vehicles on 15 December 2020 to the rail vehicle manufacturer Bombardier. Bombardier itself will be taken over by Alstom on 1 February 2021. In how far and if the takeover of Bombardier by Alstom will have an impact on the Berlin tram order, is not known.
The exterior and interior design of the new trams has not yet been communicated. However, it can be assumed that the design will change slightly compared to the existing Flexity fleet. This would of course also have a positive impact on the number of identical parts between the existing fleet and the new generation. There is also currently no further information about the product name and type designation. According to the Sächsische Zeitung, the new trams will no longer be assembled in Hennigsdorf near Berlin, but in Bautzen. The car bodies will be manufactured in Görlitz, where the new trams for Dresden are currently being built. We reported here.
The framework contract for Berlin’s next generation of trams includes variants consisting of five or nine modules. The vehicle lengths are 30 or – for the first time in Berlin – 50 metres. The minimum contract volume is around 350 million euros. In addition, a spare parts supply by the vehicle manufacturer for more than 30 years has been agreed.
Picture gallery (please click to open):
By 2021, a total of 231 Bombardier Flexity trains will be running in Berlin I © UTM 
Flexity trams dominate most of Berlin’s inner-city tram lines I © UTM 
On the M4, the seven-car Flexity trains are only used on Sundays I © UTM
Eva Kreienkamp, CEO of BVG: “We are one of the largest tram operators in the world. And our services continue to grow, both in terms of services and route network. I am very pleased that we are now investing again in our fleet. In this way, we will continue to offer our passengers modern and high-quality public transport in the future. And with mobility on rails, we are relieving congestion on our roads.”
Dr. Rolf Erfurt, BVG’s Chief Operating Officer: “The order for up to 1,500 new underground vehicles in the summer (2020), newly delivered double-decker and electric buses and now a major order for up to 117 new trams: The modernisation of our fleets is in full swing. This is good for our operations and thus good for passengers and for Berlin. You can rely on BVG.”
Picture gallery (please click to open):
GT6 double-traction on line M4 at Alexanderplatz I © UTM 
The new generation of trams will replace the GT6 double traction units I © UTM 
KT4D and GT6 are still in use together – here at the Falkenberg I terminus © UTM
Currently, BVG’s tram fleet consists of 150 GT6 vehicles, procured from 1994 onwards, and 207 Flexity vehicles, procured from 2008 onwards. By 2021, the total fleet of Flexity vehicles will comprise 231 vehicles, which are also expected to replace the last Tatra KT4Dmod trams, of which around 20 trams (10 trains) are still in use on the M17 line.
The trains of the newly ordered vehicle generation will successively replace the vehicles of the GT6 type and will come to Berlin from the end of 2022. Deliveries under the framework agreement will then take place until 2033.
The 50-metre versions are to be operated on the M4 line, which is in particularly high demand and where GT6 vehicles currently run in double traction. The 30-metre versions will replace the GT6s mainly in south-eastern Berlin.
Picture gallery (please click to open):
The GT6 dominate Berlin’s southeast – here at Adlershof I station © UTM 
For a while, the last KT4Ds were used as amplifiers on the M6 line I © UTM 
“Family photo”: The BVG tram fleet still consists of the last Tatra KT4D, AEG/ ADtranz GT6 and Bombardier Flexity I © UTM
