Škoda ForCity

A Škoda 15 T ForCity Alfa tram in Prague

Škoda ForCity is a family of low-floor trams manufactured by Škoda Transportation and its subsidiaries. The range comprises four main product lines: ForCity Alfa, Classic, Plus and Smart.[1] ForCity Smart is Škoda's newest modular platform, while development has continued across the range, including the latest 52T ForCity Plus tram.

The ForCity Smart range also includes the Artic trams developed in Finland by Transtech.[2] After Škoda Transportation acquired Transtech, the vehicles became part of the ForCity Smart range and are marketed as ForCity Smart Artic.[3]

Development

Škoda introduced the ForCity generation in 2008 as a successor to its earlier Astra and Elektra low-floor tram designs.[4] The first model was the 15T, developed for Prague as a fully low-floor, three-section tram; 250 vehicles were ordered for the city's network.[5] A modified version was subsequently supplied to Riga.[6]

The range was later expanded with the ForCity Classic, Plus and Smart product lines. Škoda also incorporated the Finnish-developed Artic design after acquiring a controlling stake in its manufacturer, Transtech, in 2015 and became its sole owner in 2018.[7][8]

Design

ForCity Smart

ForCity Smart uses pivoting bogies and a vehicle layout designed to distribute weight more evenly between them, resulting in lower axle loads.[9] Variants have been developed for networks including Ostrava, Plzeň, Brno, Bonn, the Rhein-Neckar region and Kassel.[9]

Škoda also markets the Finnish-developed Artic design as part of the ForCity Smart range. ForCity Smart Artic vehicles include trams for Helsinki, Tampere and the Jokeri light rail line.[9]

ForCity Plus

ForCity Plus combines pivoting and non-pivoting bogies. Pivoting bogies at the ends of the vehicle reduce wear when negotiating curves, while the proportion of low-floor area varies between configurations.[10] The design has been used for the 29T and 30T in Bratislava, the 46T–48T for Frankfurt (Oder), Cottbus and Brandenburg an der Havel, and the 52T for Prague.[10]

ForCity Alfa

ForCity Alfa uses pivoting bogies and is fully low-floor. The use of an additional bogie allows the vehicle weight to be distributed over more axles, reducing axle loads, while the pivoting bogies reduce wear when negotiating curves.[11] The design has been used for the 15T, supplied to Prague and Riga.[11]

ForCity Classic

ForCity Classic uses non-pivoting bogies with conventional rigid axles and is fully low-floor.[12] The design can be adapted to different vehicle lengths and widths, track gauges and drive configurations. Variants have been supplied to Miskolc, Konya, Eskişehir and Chemnitz, with the 49T developed for Bergamo.[12]


Orders and operators

Country Network Image Family Type Quantity Delivery Gauge Notes
Czech Republic Prague ForCity Alfa 15T 250[13] 2011–2019 1,435 mm
Latvia Riga ForCity Alfa 15T 46[14] 2010–2021 1,524 mm
Hungary Miskolc ForCity Classic 26T 31[15] 2013–2014 1,435 mm
Turkey Konya ForCity Classic 28T 72[16] 2013–2015 1,435 mm 12 vehicles are fitted with batteries for catenary-free operation.[16]
Turkey Eskişehir — ForCity Classic 18T 14[17] 2018–2019 1,000 mm[18] Fitted with batteries for catenary-free operation.[18]
Germany Chemnitz ForCity Classic 35T 14[19] 2018–2020 1,435 mm[20]
Italy Bergamo — ForCity Classic 49T 10[21] 2026 1,435 mm For the T2 line between Bergamo and Villa d'Almè.[21]
Slovakia Bratislava ForCity Plus 29T 60[22][23][24] 2015–2016; 2023; 2026 1,000 mm
Slovakia Bratislava ForCity Plus 30T 40[22][25] 2014–2015; 2024 1,000 mm
Germany Frankfurt (Oder) ForCity Plus 46T 13[26] 2024– 1,000 mm
Germany Cottbus ForCity Plus 47T 22[27] 2024– 1,000 mm
Germany Brandenburg an der Havel — ForCity Plus 48T 8[28] 2024– 1,000 mm Four additional vehicles were ordered in August 2026.[28]
Czech Republic Prague ForCity Plus 52T 71[29] 2025–2027 1,435 mm Option for 129 additional vehicles.[29]
Finland Helsinki ForCity Smart Artic 70[30] 2013–2019 1,000 mm
Germany Schöneiche ForCity Smart Artic 3[31] 2018–2020 1,000 mm Two vehicles were former Helsinki pre-series trams; the third was newly built.[31]
Finland Tampere ForCity Smart Artic X34 / X45 35[32] 2020–2028 1,435 mm By August 2028 the fleet is planned to comprise 16 X34 and 19 X45 vehicles.[32]
Finland Jokeri light rail (Helsinki and Espoo) ForCity Smart Artic X54 29[30] 2021–2023 1,000 mm
Finland Crown Bridges (Helsinki) — ForCity Smart Artic X54 23[30] 2025– 1,000 mm Ordered under an option from the Jokeri light rail procurement.
Czech Republic Ostrava ForCity Smart 39T 38[33] 2021–2024 1,435 mm
Czech Republic Plzeň ForCity Smart 40T 22[34] 2021–2025 1,435 mm
Germany Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr (Mannheim, Ludwigshafen and Heidelberg) ForCity Smart 36T / 37T / 38T 114[35] 2022– 1,000 mm Supplied in approximately 30, 40 and 60 m versions.[35]
Germany Bonn ForCity Smart 41T 28[36] 2023–2026 1,435 mm
Czech Republic Brno ForCity Smart 45T 40[37] 2022–2026 1,435 mm
Germany Kassel — ForCity Smart 50T 22[38] 2026– 1,435 mm Option for 18 additional vehicles.[38]
Germany Mainz — ForCity Smart 53T[39] 22[40] 2028–2030[39] 1,000 mm[40] Option for 8 additional vehicles.[40]
Sweden Uppsala — ForCity Smart Artic X34[41] 20[42] 2028– 1,435 mm[43] Option for 18 additional vehicles.[42]

References

  1. ↑ "Trams". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "NIB finances energy-efficient trams in Helsinki". Nordic Investment Bank. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Trams". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "Škoda trams celebrate their 25th birthday". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Tram on test". Railway Gazette International. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Riga receives its first ForCity". Railway Gazette International. 20 April 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Škoda Transportation buys majority stake in Transtech". Railway Gazette International. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Škoda becomes sole owner of Transtech". Railway Gazette International. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 "ForCity Smart". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  10. 1 2 "ForCity Plus". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  11. 1 2 "ForCity Alfa". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  12. 1 2 "ForCity Classic". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "The last 250th ForCity Alfa tram for DPP from Škoda Transportation has arrived in Prague". Prague Public Transit Company. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Rīgas satiksme has received all twenty low-floor trams intended for the last delivery". Rīgas satiksme. 27 September 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Miskolz". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Konya". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "ForCity Trams In Eskişehir Achieved 2,000,000 km". Railvolution. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  18. 1 2 "Eskişehir". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "First Chemnitz ForCity Classic Tram Handed Over". Railvolution. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  20. ↑ "Chemnitz". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  21. 1 2 "Škoda Group unveils the first tram for Bergamo's new T2 line to Villa d'Almè". Škoda Group. 25 March 2026. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  22. 1 2 "The number of trams in Bratislava will increase to 100". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  23. ↑ "Major upgrade and greening of the vehicle fleet: the Bratislava Transport Company (DPB) introduces new trams and articulated trolleybuses". City of Bratislava. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  24. ↑ "Modernizujeme električkovú dopravu: Dnes päť, do júna desať a spolu až sto nízkopodlažných električiek". Dopravný podnik Bratislava (in Slovak). 10 March 2026. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  25. ↑ "Bratislava Transport Company (DPB) receives its first new two-way trams". City of Bratislava. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  26. ↑ "Frankfurt (Oder) – Cottbus – Brandenburg an der Havel (FCB)". Škoda Group. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  27. ↑ "New Škoda ForCity Plus 47T trams enter service in Cottbus". Škoda Group. 18 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  28. 1 2 Stoate, Joey (26 August 2026). "Four Additional Škoda ForCity Plus 48T Trams Headed to Brandenburg". Railway-News. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  29. 1 2 "Na rozvoj tramvají, trolejbusů a elektrobusů v Praze jde z dotací EU z programů Národní plán obnovy a TRANSGov téměř 7 miliard korun. DPP si objednal dalších 31 tramvají Škoda 52T". Prague Public Transit Company (in Czech). 26 January 2026. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  30. 1 2 3 "Tram fleet". Metropolitan Area Transport. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  31. 1 2 "Škoda Transtech verkaufte die dritte Straßenbahn an die deutsche Stadt Schöneiche". Škoda Group (in German). 23 April 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  32. 1 2 "The first extended Tampere Tram is the longest tram in the Nordic countries". Tampereen Ratikka. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  33. ↑ "Ostravou už jezdí všech 38 nových tramvají Škoda 39T". Sdružení dopravních podniků ČR (in Czech). 1 September 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  34. ↑ "Plzeň i nadále pokračuje v obnově vozového parku dopravních podniků". City of Plzeň (in Czech). Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  35. 1 2 "World's longest tram is produced by Škoda Group in Pilsen". Škoda Group. 18 March 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  36. ↑ "Bonn takes delivery of its first Škoda 41T tram". Tramways & Urban Transit. Light Rail Transit Association. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  37. ↑ "40 nových šalín 45T v jedné řadě. Brno se chystá na český rekord". Dopravní podnik města Brna (in Czech). 26 June 2026. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  38. 1 2 "Škoda Group to deliver up to 40 new trams for the German city of Kassel". Škoda Group. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  39. 1 2 "Germany's tram, light rail and metro rolling stock market: orders, options and tenders in 2026". Urban Transport Magazine. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  40. 1 2 3 "Škoda Group stärkt ihre Position in Deutschland mit neuem Auftrag für Straßenbahnen in Mainz". Škoda Group (in German). 2 July 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  41. ↑ "Så ser Uppsalas spårvagnar ut". Uppsala Municipality (in Swedish). 1 July 2026. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  42. 1 2 "Škoda Group Wins Contract to Supply Trams for Uppsala's New Tramway System". Škoda Group. 30 June 2026. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  43. ↑ "Spårvägsutformningens grundprinciper" (PDF). Uppsala Municipality (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 August 2026.
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