A fleet of new low-floor Škoda ForCity Plus 47T trams have now entered operation in Cottbus, Germany.
The vehicles, which were manufactured by Škoda Group, have been decked in colours of local transport company Cottbusverkehr GmbH, and officially began services following a launch ceremony at the Thiemstraße tram terminus on Friday 15 August.
The event was attended by representatives from the City of Cottbus, Cottbusverkehr, and Škoda Group.
Jan Christoph Harder, President Region West & North at Škoda Group, commented:We are proud that our modern Škoda 47T trams are taking off to the streets of Cottbus for the first time today, offering passengers and the entire city a new standard of travel with quiet, environmentally friendly operation.
We are continuing the tradition of operating Czechoslovak-made trams in Cottbus and believe that these new vehicles will become a symbol of modern and sustainable urban transport, serving residents and visitors alike for many years to come.
The new three-section trams measure in at almost 29 metres in length, are 70% low-floor, 2.4 metres wide and are capable of carrying up to 158 passengers.
Cottbusverkehr has ordered a total of 22 of the vehicles, and has also confirmed an option for an additional 15 units on top of the 7 initially ordered.
The delivery forms part of a joint contract between Škoda Group and the cities of Frankfurt (Oder), Cottbus, and Brandenburg (Havel), which will also see Škoda supply a unified vehicle platform marketed under its ForCity Plus FCB brand which has been tailored to the requirements of each city.
Operation of the trams will be handled by Cottbusverkehr, whose fleet until now has consisted mainly of more than twenty modernised KTNF6 trams, which were created through the conversion of a number of original high-floor KT4D vehicles built in Czechoslovakia.
Each of the vehicles had a low-floor middle section inserted, as well as a modern control system installed.
