Switzerland to send old trams for use in Ukrainian cities

Swiss capital Bern is cross-crossed by various tram lines. © Keystone / Alessandro Della Valle

Bern and Zurich are making decommissioned but fully operational trams available to Ukraine, where they will be used in the cities of Lviv and Vinnytsia.

Some of the trams provided were presented to the media in Bern on Friday. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is organising transport to war-torn Ukraine, as well as the training of employees of the Ukrainian transport companies.

The Bernmobil public transport company is donating eleven “Vevey” trams – the first low-floor trams to be built in Switzerland – to the city of Lviv.

The vehicles are in good condition and could be used for another ten to twelve years, said Bernmobil Director René Schmied. The first trams are due to be delivered in late summer 2024.

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Many displaced persons have come to Lviv due to the Russian war of aggression. In addition, many companies have relocated to the city, which has led to a sharp increase in population. SECO is also financing the construction of a new tram line to a hospital in the city, which can be operated with the vehicles from Bern.

SECO is spending some CHF1.2 million ($1.4 million) on the transport of the Bern trams, staff training and spare parts, a spokeswoman told the Keystone-SDA news agency.

‘Great gratitude’

SECO already reached an agreement with the Zurich public transport company VBZ in 2021. So far, 28 Tram2000 vehicles have been transported to Vinnytsia. In the end, there will be 67. These can continue to be used in Ukraine for up to 15 years.

Ukrainian embassy counsellor Andrii Biriuchenko expressed his “great gratitude” for the fast and uncomplicated cooperation. The trams are an important contribution to a better future for his country, he said.

Zurich trams are nothing new in Vinnytsia. Between 2007 and 2011, 88 older models were already sent to the Ukrainian city.

The export of Swiss trams to partner countries has a long tradition. For example, Bernmobil and SECO have transferred more than a dozen trams to Romania since 2003, and the Basel transport company delivered 65 trams to Belgrade in Serbia. Most of them are still in operation.

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