INNOTRANS: Nürnberg operator VAG expects to put the first of its Siemens Mobility Avenio trams into service by Christmas.
This will enable an increase in service frequencies and expand the fleet ahead of the introduction next year of Routes 10 Dutzendteich – Plärrer – Am Wegfeld and 11 Gibitzenhof – Hauptbahnhof – Mögeldorf.
In November 2019 VAG awarded Siemens Mobility a €44m contract to supply an initial 12 trams, 40% funded by the Land of Bayern. The agreement includes options to order a further 75 trams by 2034, and a firm order for a second batch of 14 was confirmed in late 2021 to take the total on order to 26. Four have so far been delivered for testing.
The four-section 100% low-floor trams are 36·9 m long, 2 300 mm wide and 3 550 mm high. Wide double doors lead to multi-purpose areas with space for passengers with wheelchairs, prams or bulky luggage.
Features include LED lighting, multi-function spaces, regenerative braking and wi-fi, red and green LEDs on the doors and auo alerts, wi-fi and air-conditioning.
The trams will be maintenance at the Heinrich-Alfes-Strasse depot, which is being modernised to provide what the operator says will be ‘efficient workflows and attractive places to work’.
