Görlitz to modernise tramway

Görlitz on Germany’s border with Poland has one of the country’s smaller tramway systems, metre-gauge, operating since 1882, over 10.6km and two lines with 14 high-floor Tatra KT4D trams dating from 1987-1990. 

 

The municipal operator has placed a joint order with Leipzig and Zwickau, and will receive eight new low-floor trams, with the option of another six. Alstom owns the rolling stock factory in Görlitz thanks to its takeover of Bombardier, and there was some disappointment locally that the order did not go to the ‘local’ company. However Heiterblick has since announced that body shells for the LEIWAG trams will be subcontracted to Alstom and fabricated in the city. 

 

Now the Land of Saxony has allocated EUR 67M to the city for the ÖPNV Modellstadt (public transport demonstration city) project, to be spent by the end of 2026. Half will be allocated to the purchase of eight new low-floor trams from the LEIWAG consortium (Heiterblick/Kiepe). The rest will be spent on infrastructure including adjusting clearances for the 2.4m-wide trams and technical improvements including a hydrogen energy system for the depot.