23.06.10
More Variobahn trams for the Ruhr area
BOGESTRA exercises its option to order 15 more trams from Stadler Pankow GmbH
BOGESTRA is moving ahead with the modernisation of its fleet of trams: the company specialising in local transport systems is to buy 15 further Variobahn trams from Stadler Pankow GmbH and is thus exercising the option it arranged in 2005 when it ordered the first 30 trams. The delivery of the trams is due to take place between 2013 and 2015. The total investment in the new vehicles is approximately EUR 30 million.
BOGESTRA has been running modern, low-floored trains of the Variobahn type on its routes since 2008. They were first used on the 301 line (Gelsenkirchen main station–Gelsenkirchen-Horst), then later on the 306 line (Bochum main station–Wanne-Eickel main station). They have more space and are more comfortable. The 30 trams in the first order will be delivered gradually until the end of 2011. Two thirds of them are already in use.
The Variobahn trams are all low-floored and stand out thanks to their award-winning design as well as their fully air-conditioned interiors. Five door areas on each side allow passengers to get on and off the tram comfortably at all times. Passengers with restricted mobility also have the use of the four convenient folding ramps (two on each side). These are the first BOGESTRA trams that are fitted with closed-circuit television, and tickets may also be bought from the driver. The trams will gradually replace the “M carriages” from the 1970s and 1980s. Among other routes, the further 15 Variobahn trams are mainly intended to serve the extended 310 line.
The Variobahn trams are manufactured at Stadler Rail Group’s competence centre for trams in Berlin. In addition to locations in Germany (Berlin-Pankow and Velten) and in Switzerland (Altenrhein, Bussnang and Winterthur), rail vehicle manufacturer Stadler Rail has locations in Poland (Siedlce), in Hungary (Budapest, Pusztaszabolcs and Szolnok), in the Czech Republic (Prague), in Italy (Merano) and in Algeria (Algiers). The Group has a workforce of over 3,000 people around the world. The best-known vehicle series from Stadler Rail Group are the articulated multiple-unit trains GTW (501 trains sold), the Regio-Shuttle RS1 (442 trains sold), the FLIRT (579 trains sold), the double-decker DOSTO (125 trains sold) in the railway segment, and the Variobahn (284 trains sold) and the newly-developed Tango (122 trains sold) in the tram segment. Furthermore Stadler Rail manufactures passenger carriages and locomotives and is the world’s leading manufacturer of rack-and-pinion rail vehicles.
For further information please contact:
Sandra Bruns
Media Spokesperson
Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen AG
Telephone: +49 (0)23 4303 2384
sandra.bruns@bogestra.de
Katrin Block
Sales and Marketing
Stadler Pankow GmbH
Telephone: +49 (0)30 9191 1501
katrin.block@stadlerrail.de
- Downloads
- 2010-06-23_Bogestra_variobahn_English.pdf (Deutsch)
- 2010-06-23_Bogestra_variobahn_English.pdf (Angol)
