Verkehrs- und Betriebsgesellschaft Gera (GVB), The German city of Gera’s public transport operator, has officially placed the first new TINA trams built by Stadler into service. The new vehicles mark the beginning of the gradual replacement of the Tatra trams currently in operation, which are not accessible for passengers with reduced mobility. GVB is investing approximately €49 million in total in the procurement of the new vehicles.
The procurement project began in 2018 with a market assessment. Following a Europe-wide tender in February 2023, Stadler was awarded the contract in November 2023. The first TINA arrived in Gera by rail on 5 March 2026 and was subsequently transferred to the depot via the tram network.
The new vehicles are low-floor, air-conditioned trams. Large panoramic windows and a spacious interior are designed to enhance passenger comfort. Expanded multi-purpose areas provide additional space for wheelchairs, walking frames, pushchairs and bicycles. The gradual introduction of the TINA vehicles is intended to significantly improve accessibility across Gera’s tram network. Until now, the city has continued to rely on a large number of older, in some cases modernised, Tatra KT4D vehicles. We previously reported on the initial order of six vehicles here:
https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/stadler-delivers-six-tina-trams-to-gera/
Once a sufficient number of the new vehicles are available, an all-day 7.5-minute interval is planned for route 3 from 2027.
The procurement is being co-financed through public funding. The Free State of Thuringia is providing a total of around €24.9 million. Of this amount, approximately €17 million is allocated to the six vehicles covered by the initial order, which are co-financed in part through funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). A further €7.85 million in state funding is available for three additional option vehicles.
The City of Gera is contributing around €13.5 million in total through investment grants. The remaining funds are being provided as own contributions together with the financing partners Deutsche Leasing and Sparkasse Gera-Greiz.
Modifications to Reduce Vibrations Caused by TINA Trams
Stadler continues to work intensively on improvements to address vibrations caused by TINA trams, which have been criticised by several operators, including the associated increase in noise levels. In Darmstadt, HEAG mobilo and Stadler continued their investigations in June 2026 into vibrations along selected sections of the city’s tram network. The focus was on determining the influence of a further-developed wheel modification on the vibrations generated by TINA vehicles. For this purpose, a technically modified vehicle was compared with a series-production vehicle under real operating conditions. Test runs were carried out at four locations, with a further reduction in wheel stiffness compared with previous tests being investigated.
The results show that the tested wheel modification can further reduce vibrations at individual locations, such as Kranichstein and Arheilgen. At these locations, the modified wheels resulted in a reduction of measured vibrations of between three and ten per cent compared with the series-production vehicle. At two other locations that were also investigated, the results were inconclusive. There, the effect of the tested wheel modification varied depending on the measurement location and direction of travel.
Based on the results, Stadler will pursue two technical approaches. A further-softened version of the wheel tyres is intended to reduce the transmission of vibrations even further. In addition, Stadler has developed a further technical damping device in the area of the running gear. Both solutions are currently being tested with another Stadler customer – BLT in Basel. By the end of the year, a further modified TINA prototype is then expected to undergo testing in Darmstadt once again.
02.09.2026
