Alstom has signed a contract worth around €100 million with Stadtwerke Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt am Main (VGF), the transport operator in Frankfurt, Germany, for the supply of 38 Citadis trams with special adaptations for the German market. The contract includes an option for 15 additional vehicles.

Alstom will also provide training, repair equipment and warranty services. The first two trams will be delivered in 2020 and will run throughout the city’s entire tramway network.

“This order once again demonstrates the global success of our flagship tram Citadis. We are very proud to now introduce it to Frankfurt. By providing reliable and modern rolling stock, we commit to supporting German operators in overcoming tomorrow’s urban transport challenges,” said Jörg Nikutta, Managing Director for Alstom in Germany and Austria.

The Citadis trams will run on Frankfurt’s existing lines, reinforcing urban mobility in a city undergoing rapid growth. Demographic forecasts indicate that central Frankfurt will have a population of nearly 825,000 within its administrative boundaries by 2020 and up to 2.5 million residents living in its greater urban area.

The Citadis for Frankfurt is a 100% low floor vehicle, offering superior passenger experience with large glass surfaces, LEDs for soft, homogeneous lighting, large individual seats and travel information on large screens. It includes innovations such as driver assistance systems, automatic dipped beam, and rain sensors. The three-car tram will be 31.5 metres long with a maximum capacity of 197 passengers. Double-doors along the entire length of the tram ensure enhanced accessibility. Special adaptations for the German market include four pivoting bogies to allow maximum vehicular flexibility, and carriages made of steel.

More than 2,500 trams from the Citadis range have been sold in over 50 cities worldwide. The 2,000 trams already in operation have covered over 1 billion kilometres and transported nearly 9 billion passengers since the first tram entered service in 2000.