Stadler wins tender from Bernmobil for up to 50 trams for the Swiss capital

Bernmobil today awarded Stadler the contract to supply up to 50 TRAMLINK trams. The first procurement batch comprises 27 vehicles. The order volume for the first procurement batch amounts to around 125 million francs.

As part of an initial batch, Bernmobil will order 20 bidirectional and 7 unidirectional TRAMLINK vehicles from Stadler. Between 2023 and 2025, these vehicles will replace the twelve Vevey and nine RBS trams which will have reached the end of their service life. The trams for the extension of line 9 to Kleinwabern and more frequent services on line 9 will also form part of this delivery. Bernmobil can subsequently place a call-off order for additional vehicles from the tender option for the expansion of the tram fleet for Tram Bern Ostermundigen as well as any further expansion of services from 2027 onwards.

Three offers

On 31 October 2018, Bernmobil put 20 low-floor trams out to tender as bidirectional vehicles together with 30 callable options for further vehicles. By the deadline of 18 March 2019, offers had been submitted by Stadler, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles S.A. (CAF) and Siemens. Stadler’s offer proved to be most economical according to Bernmobil. In particular, it consists of low acquisition and maintenance costs, low energy consumption, high passenger capacity and a successful interior design. The order volume for the first procurement batch of 27 vehicles, including a spare parts package and special tools, amounts to around 125 million francs.

TRAMLINK for Bern

After Ferrovie Luganesi SA, Aargau Verkehr AG and Baselland Transport AG, Bernmobil is Stadler's fourth customer in Switzerland to procure the TRAMLINK vehicle model within a short time. All the new trams for Bern are 42.5 metres long and have 52 seats in the bidirectional vehicles and 68 seats in the unidirectional vehicles. The entire interior has a low floor throughout for optimised passenger flow and standing space, and is equipped with spacious multifunctional zones for wheelchairs, prams and luggage. Each door, of which there are seven on the unidirectional trams and six on each side on the bidirectional trams, has a sliding step to bridge the gap at the stops to ensure accessible boarding and alighting. The passenger compartment is fully air-conditioned for a pleasant inside temperature. The trams will be given their own special design to match the city of Bern and Bernmobil, and will offer a high level of travelling comfort thanks to their modern wooden seats and bright interior. In order to further improve driving safety, the new vehicles will feature a brake assist system to avoid collisions. According to the contract, the first new tram is expected to be put into operation at the beginning of 2023, while the last of the 27 trams from the first tranche is scheduled to arrive in the summer of 2025.