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 introduction of the Škoda ForCity Plus 47T trams represents a major technological advancement and a significant modernisation of the city’s tram network. The three-section trams, nearly 29 metres in length, are 70% low-floor, 2.4 metres wide, and can carry up to 158 passengers (including 61 fixed seats and 5 fold-down seats). They offer a high standard of comfort and safety, with design and cutting-edge operating technologies that help save energy and reduce operating costs. Cottbusverkehr has ordered a total of 22 vehicles — having confirmed an option for additional 15 units on top of the 7 originally ordered.

The delivery is part of a joint contract concluded in 2021 between Škoda Group and the German cities of Frankfurt (Oder), Cottbus, and Brandenburg (Havel). Under this agreement, Škoda Group is supplying a unified vehicle platform marketed under the ForCity Plus FCB brand, tailored to the specific requirements of each city. Although the trams are visually very similar, they must perform under different operating conditions. In Frankfurt (Oder), new trams designated as type 46T entered service in June this year, while Brandenburg (Havel) is expecting to launch operations with type 48T trams soon.

Cottbus has operated a 1,000 mm gauge tram network continuously since 1903. It forms the backbone of the city’s public transport system, currently comprising four lines (three at weekends) serving 49 stops along approximately 35 kilometres of track. Operations are handled by Cottbusverkehr, whose fleet until now has consisted mainly of more than twenty modernised KTNF6 trams. These were created by converting original high-floor KT4D vehicles built in Czechoslovakia, inserting a low-floor middle section, and installing a modern control system.

Škoda Group is the largest supplier of 1,000 mm gauge trams to Germany, and its vehicles will soon be operating in eleven German cities. The deliveries for Cottbus, Frankfurt (Oder) and Brandenburg (Havel) confirm the Czech manufacturer’s strong position in this market. Recently, Škoda Group also unveiled the world’s longest tram – the Škoda ForCity Smart 38T – for the German transport operator Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH (rnv), which operates public transport in Mannheim, Heidelberg and Ludwigshafen. These trams will serve both urban and interurban lines, with a total of 114 vehicles in three different lengths to be delivered.