THE first of 29 LRVs for the Hovedstadens light rail project has arrived in the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

Built by Siemens, the low-floor Avenio LRV travelled around 800km by road to Denmark from the manufacturer’s test facility in Wildenrath, Germany, including a ferry crossing from Puttgarden to Rødby.

The vehicle’s destination was the new light rail line’s control and maintenance centre where it will undergo a series of tests, including on the 2km of track at the site, ahead of the start of trials on a section of the new line in 2024.

“It is one of the clearest milestones in the project,” says Mr Henrik Bentsen, project director for the Hovedstadens light rail line. “It is an event we are proud to be part of and there are many who are an important part of it. Both Siemens, who built the train got it here safely, and the Siemens-Aarsleff Rail consortium that created the framework for our control and maintenance centre.”

The LRVs are due to enter service in 2025 on the 28km line, which runs from Ishøj in the south to Lundtofte, north of Lyngby. The Siemens-Aarsleff consortium is delivering the transport systems component of the project comprising both infrastructure and rolling stock. Currently 13 LRVs are in production with manufacturing of another LRV commencing every three weeks. Metro Service, Copenhagen’s metro operator, will operate and maintain the line under a 15-year contract.

The 36.9m-long, 2.65m-wide vehicles have a top speed of 70km/h and 64 seats, with capacity for up to 260 passengers. The new LRVs offer step-free access throughout and there are four areas designated for bicycles, prams, and wheelchairs.

Services will operate every five minutes on weekdays and at 10-minute intervals at weekends on the line, serving 29 stops, and completing a journey on the entire length of the line, which mainly follows the city’s Ring 3 highway in a dedicated alignment, in around an hour. The line will interchange with six S-Bane lines and up to 14.7 million people are expected to use the service annually by 2030.

Overall, the DKr 6.2bn ($US 892m) project will connect eight of the city’s municipalities and is supported financially by 11, which together are contributing 34% to the cost of the project. The Danish government is providing 40% while the capital region is putting up the remaining 26%.

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