The full line from Chemnitz city centre to Limbach-Oberfrohna in the northwest will be designed and built in five sections.
The Step 4 line will run from the existing LRT network on around 12km of newly-built double-track. This will connect with a disused heavy rail line, which ceased operating passenger services in 2000 and will reopen for the final 5km section between Wittgensdorf and Limbach-Oberfrohna.
The entire project is expected to be completed by 2030 at a cost of around €120m with sections designed and built concurrently from 2025 onwards.
The first stage, which is now being tendered, involves the construction of 2.3km of new city centre light rail infrastructure. This includes the creation of a ring line around the city centre using new and existing track.
Construction is due to begin in 2025 following detailed design and planning approval, with VMS expecting to open the section in 2027.
The Chemnitzer Modell tram-train network has been expanded in stages since the first former heavy rail line between Chemnitz and Stollberg (Sachs) was converted to light rail operation in 2002 using Variobahn LRVs.
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