The city of Tampere has announced that it will purchase five more trams from Škoda’s Kajaani plant.
There are currently 20 ForCity Smart Arctic trams operating in Tampere, of which 15 are currently in service.
The city completed its first tram line last year and the second tram line will start operating either in 2024 or 2025 from the city’s Pyynikintori to Lentävänniemi. With the expansion, Tampere’s fleet will grow to 25 trams, 20 of which will be in motion at a time.
Kajaani is happy with the news
Tampere trams were Škoda’s first high-speed trams manufactured in Finland. Škoda Transtech, which operates outside the city of Kajaani, manufactures trams to Helsinki and Tampere and to the German region of Rhineland-Palatinate and Schöneichen in Berlin in cooperation with its parent company.
CEO of Škoda Transtech Juha Vierros reported that 230 trams of the Arctic model have been sold so far.
"We believe this is just the beginning of a success story," he told Yle.
The value of the option for the five additional trams is approximately EUR 20 million.
Each Tampere tram is expected to be named after the name date it arrives, and public voting will also affect the final decision.
The new fabric of the city
Tampere’s trams have risen to the center of the IIHF World Championships and have become fabrics of artistic expression.
Artist Mari Hyden "Flair" was introduced on the tram in December 2021 and on Wednesday Juliana Hyrri "Tram of paradise" debuts. In Tampere’s trams, art changes every six months.
Watch the video below to see the first tram "Flair" work of art.
Source: The Nordic Page