An unusual Second Life project is set to link tram and rail operations in the Czech Republic: a former KT8D5 tram from Brno is to carry passengers on the Kopidlno–Dolní Bousov regional rail line, north-east of Prague. The vehicle has been converted into a light, battery-powered rail vehicle by staff at the Brno transport company DPMB.
The articulated tram, built in 1990, underwent extensive technical modifications to enable its use on a non-electrified railway line. The vehicle is set to be used in future by the signalling and railway company AŽD Praha, which has been operating the Kopidlno–Dolní Bousov line as a test and demonstration line for several years. There, AŽD is testing, among other things, autonomous driving technologies, modern safety systems and alternative operating concepts for branch lines.
According to figures from the Czech Republic, the cost of the conversion amounted to around 5.8 million CZK (approximately 240,000 EUR). The former tram is now called ‘Lenka’.
The project highlights the growing trend of repurposing decommissioned trams for new applications. At the same time, AŽD is once again demonstrating cost-effective options for operating on low-traffic regional routes. Battery-electric operation is intended to help reduce infrastructure costs and enable zero-emission mobility even without overhead lines.
The three-car KT8D5 articulated trams were originally developed by the Czechoslovakian manufacturer ČKD Tatra and were a familiar sight on the tram networks of several Central and Eastern European cities for decades. Whilst many of these trams have been modernised or taken out of service, the Brno tram is now embarking on an unusual second career on the railways.
Test field
The Kopidlno–Dolní Bousov line (Kopidlnka) in the Czech Republic is primarily known as one of Europe’s leading testbeds for autonomous and digitalised regional rail concepts. On this non-fenced secondary line operating in real-world service conditions, technologies such as ETCS, ATO over ETCS, digital interlocking solutions, 5G communications, as well as AI-based object detection and automated driving functions are being tested in an open network environment. This makes the line fundamentally different from conventional closed test facilities, as autonomy, sensor systems and operational control are evaluated under real operating conditions with level crossings, vegetation and mixed traffic. Overall, it is regarded as a ‘living lab’ for the digitalisation and automation of regional railways in Europe.
23.05.2026
