SWU Stadtwerke Ulm Neu-Ulm GmbH announces the signing of the contract with Siemens Mobility: Two additional modules will be installed in each of the 18 Avenio M trams in Ulm. To date, each of these trams can accommodate 185 passengers – the installation of two additional modules will increase the capacity per vehicle to up to 256 passengers in future. The strong passenger demand, which already requires an extended 5-minute interval on Line 2, for example, led to this procurement decision.
The order for the modules was signed by SWU and Siemens. The contract was signed by SWU Managing Director Klaus Eder, SWU Transport Managing Director Ralf Gummersbach, Vice President Finance Light Rail and People Mover at Siemens Mobility GmbH Florian Stößer and Sales Director Light Rail and Metros Germany at Siemens Mobility GmbH Jürgen Zöbl. The first converted vehicle is expected to arrive in Ulm in early 2027. This will be followed by test runs on the SWU network and, following successful approval of the extension, deployment in regular service. All 18 trams are expected to be fully converted by mid-2028.
The vehicle extension for all 18 trams requires an investment of 45.9 million EUR. 40 per cent of this amount will be covered by funding from the state of Baden-Württemberg. In addition, conversion work in the depot and workshops will cost 28 million EUR, approximately half of which is expected to be subsidised by the state.
The contract award had already been announced in March 2024 as part of a so-called voluntary ex ante transparency notice because extension parts from another provider would not be compatible. Before the extension was awarded, the procurement of additional new vehicles, the replacement of the fleet at this point in time with completely new seven-part vehicles and also covering the additional demand with e-buses were rejected as alternatives.
