Cottbusverkehr GmbH awarded a contract in 2021 to Škoda Group for the delivery of seven trams and has opted to utilise the option to order a further 15 modern uni-directional three-unit trams.

The contract signed in 2021 saw the delivery of new trams to the state of Brandenburg for three cities of Frankfurt (Oder), Brandenburg and Cottbus.

Škoda Group has been extremely successful in the face of strong European competition in order to create a solution which resolved the various needs of each of the three transport companies.

The solution saw extremely similar vehicles which could operate in three differing environments at the same time creating a unique public tender.

Mike Niebling, President of Region West at Škoda Group said: “The use of an option in a contract is always a strong signal to us that the partnership with the customer is on a solid foundation. I am very pleased that CV has decided to purchase additional modern vehicles.”

“The German market is a big challenge for us, one that we are facing with confidence that we have a lot to offer. In addition to the modern trams, we are currently producing for seven German cities and the push-pull trains that are already operating from Munich to Nuremberg, we also have fully emission-free buses in our portfolio, which are an excellent choice for sustainable transport in the cities of the future. In addition, all our products are backed by our high-quality technology. This year at InnoTrans we presented our own anti-collision system for rolling stock, which transport companies have been calling for for a while. I am therefore convinced that our presence on the German market will continue to strengthen.”

The new trams are made up of modern uni-directional three-unit as well as 70% low-floor vehicles which feature two swivels and one non-swivel bogie. The vehicle will support improved accessibility for the city and its residents.

Passengers will also benefit from comfortable and spacious air-conditioned interiors which are wheelchair accessible, the multifunctional interior spaces are great for wheelchairs, prams and bicycles, and the trams are also easily adapted to allow easy boarding and disembarking. Information systems onboard the new trams are clear and feature several screens and panels.

Camera systems are also part of the car’s equipment which provide improved driver visibility creating better traffic safety. The operator will also enjoy reduced operating costs that the Škoda ForCity Plus platform provides. The new trams will replace the high-floor trams which are currently operating.

Škoda Group products are seeing great success in the German market an example of this is the delivery of trams to Chemnitz and Schöneiche as well as passengers being able to travel on a push-pull train set on the line between Nuremberg and Munich. Further to delivering the trams to Brandenburg, the company is also working on trams for the city of Bonn and also for the transport operator Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr, which provides transport for the cities of Mannheim, Ludwigshafen and Heidelberg.