Alstom and Magdeburger Verkehrsbetriebe sign contract for the delivery of new Flexity trams

Alstom and Magdeburg, Germany’s local transport authority Magdeburger Verkehrsbetriebe (MVB) have signed a contract yesterday for the delivery of new Flexity trams and their accompanying spare part supply

The first call off for 35 vehicles and 24 years of parts supply is valued at around 190 million euro and includes options for a total of 28 additional vehicles. The state of Saxony-Anhalt is funding the new vehicle procurement with almost 60 million euro.

“We thank MVB for the trust they have placed in Alstom. The Flexity impresses with its unmistakably dynamic and modern appearance. It will leave a lasting mark on the cityscape. But more importantly, passengers can look forward to the highest levels of ride comfort, safety, and reliability”, says Müslüm Yakisan, President of Alstom in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

“With Alstom, we have found the ideal partner for our new generation of trams. I am pleased to be able to raise public transport in Magdeburg to a new level with the modern Flexity low-floor trams and, thanks to the new comfort, to encourage even more people to switch to our means of transport”, says Birgit Münster-Rendel, Managing Director of MVB.

The Minister of Transport of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, Thomas Webel, emphasised the importance of MVB’s investment, “The new trams are barrier-free and offer more space for passengers. MVB is thus making a sustainable investment in attractive public transport for the people of this city. As a state, we are supporting this major project with funding, as we are certain that the transformation of transport can only succeed if we work together.”

“We thank MVB for the trust they have placed in Alstom. The Flexity impresses with its unmistakably dynamic and modern appearance. It will leave a lasting mark on the cityscape. But more importantly, passengers can look forward to the highest levels of ride comfort, safety, and reliability.” Müslüm Yakisan , President of Alstom in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

At 38 metres, the four-car Flexity trams are eight metres longer than the vehicles currently in use with MVB. They impress with a unique and timeless design that was specifically developed for Magdeburg. Designed with passenger safety and comfort in mind, each of the new trams can transport up to 241 passengers and has two multi-purpose areas that offers ample space for strollers, bicycles, and wheelchairs. The wide, barrier-free entrance areas enable fast boarding while broad window strips running the length of the vehicle ensure that the passenger area is filled with natural light. Inside, energy-efficient ambient illumination always provides excellent lighting and outside, LED light strips improve the visibility of the trams as they navigate urban traffic. The fully air-conditioned vehicles also score with high energy efficiency and noise-optimised design that keeps the interior quiet while in operation. Magdeburg’s Flexity passengers can also look forward to enjoying free Wi-Fi access while in the trams.

The vehicles will also be equipped with the state-of-the-art driver assistance system ODAS[1] which assists the driver in detecting obstacles during operation. In addition, the newly designed and ergonomically optimised driver's stand and the driver's large vision field contribute to increased safety.

MVB plans to have a mock-up of a part of the vehicle produced. The life-size 1:1 model will make it possible to experience the new Flexity tram before it goes into service. This way, passengers and various interest groups, such as the MVB Passenger Advisory Council, can contribute their suggestions, criticisms and ideas, which will then be taken into account in the manufacturing process.

The new trams are scheduled for delivery starting in 2023 and are expected to enter passenger service in 2024. They will replace old TATRA vehicles and then successively replace the city’s first low-floor trams originally delivered in the 1990s. In view of increasing passenger numbers and route extensions related to the 2nd North-South Link construction project, the tram fleet will also be expanded by ten vehicles.

With this order, the number of trams supplied by Alstom to Magdeburg will grow to a total of 118 vehicles. MVB has been using trams from Alstom since 1994, with 83 NGT8D trams delivered between 1994 and 2012. Around 1,000 Alstom Flexity trams operate in 42 German cities with more than 8,000 Alstom trams and light rail vehicles in successful passenger service, or on order worldwide.

[1] Obstacle Detection Assistance System

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