New Škoda Trams Enter Passenger Service in Frankfurt

Eight trams are already in the city, with two more arriving in the coming days. The final three are in the last stages of production. Trams have been part of everyday life in Frankfurt for more than 125 years. With the new Škoda 46T vehicles now entering service, Stadtverkehrsgesellschaft mbH Frankfurt (Oder) is beginning the gradual replacement of its ageing KT4 fleet.

"This contract brought together three cities with different technical requirements but a shared vision for modern, accessible transport. Meeting all those needs with one platform wasn’t easy, but it’s exactly the kind of challenge we’re here to solve".
Jan Christoph Harder, President Region West & North Škoda Group.

“Frankfurt is the first to bring the new trams into passenger service, and it’s a key step in this ambitious project. This contract brought together three cities with different technical requirements but a shared vision for modern, accessible transport. Meeting all those needs with one platform wasn’t easy, but it’s exactly the kind of challenge we’re here to solve. It’s great to see that effort now paying off for the people who use these trams every day,” said Jan Christoph Harder, President Region West & North at Škoda Group.

The delivery is part of a joint contract signed by the cities of Frankfurt (Oder), Cottbus, and Brandenburg an der Havel. Škoda Group is supplying a shared vehicle platform tailored to the needs of each city’s network. While the trams are nearly identical in design, they are adapted for three very different operating environments – a key challenge of the project.

Progress in Cottbus and Brandenburg
In Cottbus, six Škoda 47T trams have been delivered and are now in the process of authorisation for passenger operation. A seventh is nearly finished. In 2022, Cottbusverkehr exercised an option for 15 additional vehicles, with seven already in early production.

In Brandenburg an der Havel, two trams have been delivered and two more are in the final assembly. Like those for Frankfurt and Cottbus, the vehicles offer improved accessibility, passenger comfort, and energy-efficient operation.

All three cities are expected to gradually introduce the new trams into operation in the coming months as deliveries and approvals move forward.
 

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