Helsinki City Transport (HKL) has received the first Škoda Artic tram car from serial production. The car complements two Artic trams that have been in successful test use since 2013. The Artic tram was designed with close attention to the special features of the Helsinki tram rail network and climatic conditions.
The first serially produced Artic tram will be in service on all lines in February. More Artic tram cars will be delivered to Helsinki in January onwards at about three-week intervals. The entire delivery of 40 cars will be handed over to HKL by summer 2018.
The tram car is spacious and quiet. The low-floor design is particularly friendly to passengers with baby carriages and those in wheelchair. Based on the user experience gained from test use, some adjustments were made to the serially produced cars, for example, the seat cushions were made thicker and the signage was improved. The design pays special attention to material choices and ensures easy maintenance in order to keep the life time cost low.
The first serially produced Artic tram car is the first car manufactured by Škoda Transportation. The Group acquired a controlling stake in the Finnish company Transtech last year, which is the supplier of the Artic trams. The trams are manufactured at the Transtech plant in Otamäki, Kainuu.
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