Bernmobil says it has reached an agreement with Bern Solothurn Regional Transport (RBS) to procure replacement vehicles for Line 6, which will enable further standardisation of the fleet.

The initial order for 20 bidirectional vehicles will enable the withdrawal of Bernmobil’s fleet of 12 Be 4/8 trams, which date from 1989-1990, as well as the nine Be 4/10 Tram 2000 vehicles used by RBS on Line 6.

The vehicles will be at least 43m long with a minimum of 52 seats.

The contract will include an option for 30 additional vehicles, reflecting the need to expand the fleet for the Bern - Ostermundingen Tram (TBO) project and the extension of Line 9 from Wabern to Kleinwabern.

Suppliers have until the beginning of March to submit bids and Bernmobil plans to award the contract by the end of 2019. Delivery of the initial batch of 20 vehicles will take place between early 2023 and autumn 2024.

Bernmobil says the total value of the order for 50 vehicles is estimated to be around SFr 100m ($US 100m), making it the largest rolling stock procurement in the company’s history.

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