Škoda have Introduced a new Tram in Bratislava

The newest tram produced by the Škoda Pilsen plant has been introduced and put into operation today in Bratislava. It is the first ForCity Plus tram of a bidirectional type.

“I’m very happy that the first of the ForCity Plus trams generation has been introduced in Bratislava today. I have a very fond and personal bond to this city. This is also why I believe that the new tram from Škoda Transportation will be enjoyed primarily by the residents of Bratislava. Apart from the modern design, it will mainly offer comfort and safe travel, plenty of space, a well-arranged audiovisual and informative system and last but not least, air-conditioning. I would be really happy if the Škoda trams formed an integral part of the Slovakian capital city,” says Josef Bernard, Chief Executive Officer of Škoda Transportation.

“We’ve successfully completed three large orders of new vehicles primarily funded by the EU. The capital city of Bratislava will therefore gain new unidirectional and bidirectional trams and new trolleybuses. This significant step has been made possible thanks to the co-operation of the representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development of Slovakia who listened to our proposals and released funds from the Operational Transport Programme for the modernisation of our fleet. As we have also already used the option of purchasing new trams and trolleybuses, there will be a radical renewal of the outdated public transport fleet in Bratislava. I personally believe that the travelling public will appreciate the new comfort provided by carriages of European standard and the quality of public transport in our capital city will increase significantly,” adds the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bratislava Transportation Company Ing. Ľubomír Belfi.

The concept of the ForCity Plus vehicles is based on previous experience with low-floor trams. The delivery for the city of Bratislava contains both bidirectional and unidirectional vehicles equipped with modern electronics. All trams have five car bodies; the first and the last chassis are fully revolving and have a gauge of 1000 mm. The vehicle is equipped with six traction engines, each one with the output of 100 kW, providing the vehicle with excellent dynamic properties.

The vehicles, in particular, offer plenty of space for the passengers, suitable location of handholds and very quiet operation. The trams are completely air-conditioned, including the driver’s cabin. A well-arranged audiovisual informative system, including a device for voice communication between blind passengers and the driver comes as standard. Passengers with reduced mobility will find a tilting platform which enables their convenient boarding and unboarding. Safety of the passengers is guaranteed by CCTV with six internal and six external cameras.

Source & Photo : Skoda Railway