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SKODA News
The first new tram for Prague, the Škoda ForCity Plus 52T, is assembled
The first tram is expected to hit the streets of Prague in April, when it will start test runs without passengers as part of the homologation process for the new vehicle type.
Thirteen months after the signing of the contract between the Prague Public Transit Company and Škoda Group and eight months after the start of production, the first Škoda ForCity Plus 52T tram for Prague has been produced
The tram rode for the first time on the test track at the Škoda production site in Pilsen. The tram's exterior has been completed and the interior is being finished, commissioning and the first tests are underway. Two more vehicles are in an advanced stage of assembly. Rough carbodies of individual sections are being welded on the others. In total, eight trams for Prague are under construction in the Pilsen production workshops. The first tram is expected to hit the streets of Prague in April, when it will start test runs without passengers as part of the homologation process for the new vehicle type.
In December 2023, a framework contract was signed between the Prague Public Transit Company and Škoda Group for the delivery of up to 200 Škoda ForCity Plus 52T trams. The total value of the contract, when fully utilised, is over CZK 16.6 billion. The Prague Public Transit Company has ordered 40 trams, which will be delivered to Prague in phases – the first 20 this year, the other 20 vehicles by the end of 2026. After signing the contract, the teams of both parties worked intensively for several months on the final form of the technical solution, especially the interior elements and fine-tuning of the complete tram design. The final version was approved in May 2024, paving the way for the finalisation of the technical documentation and the start of production. More than 230 suppliers, 76% of whom are from the Czech Republic, are working on the development and production of new trams for Prague. This project thus supports domestic industry and creates employment opportunities throughout the country.
What awaits the first Škoda 52T trams in the coming months?
In the coming weeks, the first three trams for Prague will be completed in Pilsen. After the commissioning and dynamic tests on the test track, they will be transported to Prague, where they will begin test runs without passengers in the first phase as part of the homologation of the new vehicle type. These will also include the calibration of the anti-collision system and its unit tests. In the second phase, test runs with passengers will follow. After meeting the requirements of the Czech Railway Authority and successful completion of the test runs, the trams will be homologated for operation in the Czech Republic. In the meantime, the serial production of other trams will continue in Pilsen, and they will be delivered to Prague gradually according to the contract.
Modern trams for a modern city
The new trams for Prague are 100% low-floor and offer higher passenger comfort than the types of vehicles operated so far. The interior is more spacious, with wider passages between the sections, and the full-vehicle air conditioning uses natural, ecological refrigerant. The trams are equipped with a modern information system that improves orientation during the journey. Technological solutions such as axle bogies, electromechanical brakes and energy recovery ensure lower maintenance costs and energy consumption. These features make the new trams not only environmentally friendly but also an economically viable solution for urban transport.
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