Stadler has celebrated the official commissioning of a new set of TINA trams for GVB Verkehrs- und Betriebsgesellschaft Gera mbH (GVB).

These vehicles, the delivery of which has been made possible due to an investment of 49 million EUR from both GVB and its various funding providers and financing partners, are expected to form the key bases for the further development of local public transport services throughout the city of Gera.

The new TINA trams will enter service in the German city of Gera

© Stadler Rail

Introduction of the new trams began as early as 2018, when GVB first began a full market analysis with a goal to find a vehicle generation ideally suited to the unique requirements of the Gera tram network, as well as one that would offer passengers greater comfort and accessibility in the long term. This analysis was followed by a comprehensive, multi-year procurement process, and, after a Europe-wide tender in February 2023, Stadler was awarded the contract in November 2023.

Roughly two years and four months later, the first TINA tram entered the tracks in Gera, following more than 15,000 project hours invested on GVB’s part, as well as contributions from planning offices, service providers, and project partners.

GVB Managing Director Thorsten Rühle, said:

Today we see the result of a project that has been with us since 2018.

This project represents many years of intensive work. That we can celebrate this milestone together today is thanks to the dedication of our employees and the trusting collaboration with our funding providers, financing partners, and our manufacturer, Stadler.

On 5 March, 2026, the very first TINA tram arrived at Gera-Zwötzen station by rail, and was welcomed by GVB employees, tram enthusiasts and interested citizens, all of which gathered to witness the arrival of the first vehicle. Once it had successfully unloaded, the new tram was transported via the Gera tram network to the depot.

The new low-floor TINA trams feature air conditioning, offer larger panoramic windows and a spacious interior. Expanded multi-purpose areas aim to provide more room for wheelchairs, walkers, strollers, and bicycles.

With their introduction, GVB has begun gradually replacing the existing, non-accessible Tatra trams and, as soon as sufficiently long vehicles are available, particularly for line 3, a 7.5-minute frequency throughout the day is planned for 2027. Each of the new trams will cover a distance equivalent to approximately two trips around the Earth annually.

In total, the GVB (Gera Public Transport Company) is investing roughly 49 million EUR in the procurement of the new trams. The Free State of Thuringia is supporting the vehicle acquisition with a total of around 24.9 million EUR, and of this, approximately 17 million EUR is allocated to the six vehicles of the basic order, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the 2021-2027 funding period, and approximately 7.85 million EUR from state funds for the three optional vehicles.

The city of Gera is contributing investment subsidies totalling approximately 13.5 million EUR – around 7.2 million EUR for the basic order and around 6.28 million EUR for the optional vehicles. The remaining equity capital is being provided jointly with the financing partners Deutsche Leasing and Sparkasse Gera-Greiz.

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