NETHERLANDS: Amsterdam transport operator GVB has begun the procurement of up to 78 trams to replace vehicles which will reach the end of their service lives within the next few years.
The tram fleet strategy adopted by regional transport body Vervoerregio Amsterdam at the end of 2022 envisages that GVB’s trams will be replaced in phases, so that it can always provide a reliable service and does not end up with large numbers of outdated vehicles at the same time.
Vervoerregio Amsterdam has allocated €391m for the purchase of the 30 m long trams and associated costs. ‘We are committed to comfortable vehicles for both passengers and drivers’, board member Gerard Slegers said on July 10. ‘In addition, we ask for extra attention to accessibility, safety and sustainability.’
The tendering process is expected to take around 1½ years, with the supplier to be selected and costs finalised in H1 2027. The trams are expected to enter services from 2032 and have a life of 30 years.
GVB’s Director of Technology Paul Carstens said plans also include a limited trial of autonomous operation ‘to investigate how technology can support, not replace, the work of tram drivers’.
