Alstom has announced that it is to supply twelve more trams to Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ).

In 2017, VBZ ordered seventy trams to run in Switzerland‘s largest city, with the order including an option of ordering a further seventy vehicles.

This latest order means that VBZ has now ordered fifty-two of the optional extra trams, making 122 in total.

60+ already running

More than sixty of the trams are already operating in the city.

The rest of the vehicles in the initial order of seventy will be delivered by the end of this year. Alstom will deliver the additional trams by Spring 2028.

VBZ operates the public transport system in Zürich, and is wholly owned by the city. It has ordered the trams to replace older vehicles, and with a view to extending services around the city.

The fleet of ‘Flexity’ trams is equipped with the Obstacle Detection Assistance System (ODAS), which Alstom explains works to support the driver by recognising obstacles along the tracks.

The fleet is achieving a high level of availability.

Supplying to other cities

Alstom, which describes itself as “the global leader in tram and light rail solutions”, is also supplying Flexity trams to Gothenburg in Sweden and Victoria in Australia.

“We are replacing the older generation of Tram 2000 vehicles with the Flexity tram and are driving forward modernisation. Some of the vehicles will also be used to expand services in order to make public transport in Zurich even more attractive.”

Marco Lüthi, Director of VBZ.

“The order shows that VBZ is very satisfied with our tram. The cooperation is excellent and the 60 Flexity trams deployed enrich the cityscape of Zurich.”

Marie Icardo, Managing Director of Alstom Switzerland