Bombardier to give new life to Graz’s oldest trams

Graz’s public transport operator, Holding Graz Linien, has enlisted the help of Bombardier to extend the life of its series 500 trams.

The series 500 trams are the oldest on the city’s network. By the middle of 2018, 10 three-car series 500 trams will have their traction and control systems replaced.

Bombardier will produce a prototype vehicle at its tram facility in Vienna which will be used to perform a series of test runs in the second half of next year. If successful, the remaining trams will undergo the same upgrade programme in Graz.

Bombardier has said the modernisation will add as much as 16 years to the operational life of the vehicles.