Kassel orders new trams from Skoda

KVG, the public transport operator in the German city of Kassel has placed an order with Skoda group for 22 new 30m three-section double-ended trams. 

 

The EUR 88M contract includes an option for a further 18 trams. Delivery will start in 2026 and passenger service in 2027. This represents the largest investment by value in new trams for the German city. The new trams will feature an anti-collision system using LIDAR to offer the driver assistance. Trams have run in Kassel since 1877 and today there is a 78km system with 11 lines and over 100 trams carrying 48M passengers each year. There is also RegioTram service on three railway lines worked by tram-trains. 

 

Dr Olaf Hornfeck from the KVG board said, ‘Efficient and attractive local rail transport ensures a sustainable quality of life in cities, and for this we need a strong vehicle fleet. Skoda produces well-designed and reliable trams and gave us the most cost-effective bid. The contract paves the way for the gradual modernisation of our public transport system, a prerequisite for revamping mobility in Kassel and the surrounding area’.