Russian tram builders show off new designs

 

 

The Innoprom-2025 international trade fair was held in Yekaterinburg, the capital of the Sverdlovsk region, from 7-11 July. At the start of the same month the city started passenger service with Russia's longest tram, the 71-665 Arktura, a 39.74m five-section single-ended 100% low-floor tram designed and built by Ust-Katavsky Vagonstrojitelny Zavod (UKVZ) with capacity for 270 passengers. It could be seen on line 18 between the city centre and the south-west suburbs, but had to run with some doors switched out as it was too long for the city's loading islands. The city needs to modernise its 400 strong tram fleet, mostly composed of high-floor Tatra T3 cars from the 1970s. In June Yekaterinburg ordered 15 shorter trams from UKVZ, the 25.8m 71-639 Kastor based on the experience of operating a prototype since February 2024. 

 

Innoprom-2025 gave other manufacturers the chance to exhibit rival designs, no doubt the their eye on a possible order from Yekaterinburg. Sinara Group showed a three-section 71-233 with batteries permitting 3km of autonomous operation. This 28.7m tram is said to accommodate 308 (70 seated), but this is probably based on 8 passengers/m2, twice the number that is the European norm. PK Transportnye Systemy (PKTS) exhibited the double-ended 37.5m 71-952 Voyevoda with space for 280 passengers (at 5/m2) that will be tested after the exhibition in Sankt Petersburg, site of the PKTS factory.big events’.