Stadler and Ferrovie Luganesi (FLP) signed a contract for the delivery of nine TRAMLINK tram-trains which will soon be running on the regional line between Lugano and Ponte Tresa (Ticino), in the sunniest part of Switzerland.
Roberto Ferroni, the Director of Ferrovie Luganesi SA, and Thomas Ahlburg, Group CEO of Stadler, signed a contract for the supply of nine seven-car metre-gauge TRAMLINK tram-trains. The order is linked to an option for three additional vehicles. Negotiations for a twenty-year maintenance contract for the vehicles are well under way.
“We are proud to be able to supply a TRAMLINK rail vehicle to Switzerland for the first time. It meets the highest passenger demands in terms of local transport as well as being designed for extremely economic operation, both now and in the future following the expansion of the network”, Thomas Ahlburg commented.
“These new trains represent a huge step forward. Up to 300 passengers can now experience a journey in air-conditioned vehicles with a low-floor design throughout that makes it easy for everyone, including those with limited mobility, to board and alight”, Roberto Ferroni, the Director of FLP said.
Purchasing the new trains is the FLP’s response to increased demand in commuter traffic and the planned expansion of the network. In an initial phase, the new tram-trains will be put into service on the route between Lugano and Ponte Tresa. From 2027 they will then run through the new 2.3 kilometers tunnel right into the centre of Lugano. The trains will ultimately also be used on the new track section between Bioggio and Manno.
The new TRAMLINK trains will be ready for commercial use in 2020, when they will replace the complete fleet of current Be 4/12 built in 1978. The tram-train for the FLP is a sevencar bi-directional vehicle. It can reach a maximum speed of 80 km/h. It can seat 70 people, and offers standing room for a further 228 passengers. The trains can also be operated in double traction mode to transport a total of almost 600 passengers.
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