GERMANY: The first of the Type JK trainsets for the Berlin U-Bahn’s small-profile lines was ceremonially handed over to operator BVG by Stadler on January 11.
‘Today is a good day for BVG and a good day for Berlin’, said Mayor Kai Wegner. ‘These new and modern trains will shape the image of the U-Bahn for decades — and thus also contribute to the mobility transition in Berlin. Our goal is for even more people to switch to BVG and local public transport.’
The Type JK vehicles are 2 400 mm wide, and three of their four axles are powered. They have flat wall-mounted passenger information screens, wi-fi lighting that adjusts to the time of day, and handrails designed to provide space for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
‘The mobility transition not only needs good infrastructure, it also needs modern vehicles’, said Manja Schreiner, Berlin Senator for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection & the Environment.
In March 2020 BVG finalised a €3bn framework contract with Stadler covering the supply of up to 1 500 vehicles by 2035, along with the provision of spare parts for 32 years. So far firm orders have been placed for 140 small-profile Type JK cars for lines 1 to 4 and 236 of the large-profile Type J cars for lines 5 to 9.
This includes 12 pre-series cars of each type which will be used for testing ahead of series deliveries. The fleet is being manufactured by Stadler in Berlin.
Production has been delayed by problems with global supply chains, and the first Type JK sets are now expected to carry passengers later this year.
