Baselland Transport AG (BLT), the public transport operator in Basel and the surrounding areas, is considering transferring 20 Schindler Be 4/8 trams to Lviv.
BLT announced this in a press release, the CFTS portal reports.
According to the press release, the company will gradually retire the Schindler trams, which were manufactured in the late 1970s and early 1980s, because of the introduction of new TINA trams. The first four trams were retired in the last week of May, and the entire process is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Previously, the Serbian capital Belgrade actively sought to acquire 50 used trams from Basel. However, the Serbs withdrew from the deal shortly before the contract was due to be signed, opting instead to purchase new trams in 2027.
Considering this, BLT plans to recycle most of the Schindler trams: 80-90% of the materials are reusable.
In this context, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) proposed transferring 20 articulated Be 4/8 trams to Lviv.
According to the press release, BLT will host a delegation from Lviv in Oberwil, near Basel, in June. Representatives of the Lviv transport administration will inspect the vehicles and discuss the possible transfer and operation of the Swiss trams. In case of a positive decision, the transfer could take place by the end of 2024 at the earliest.
Both the Lviv and Basel tram systems use the 1000 mm track gauge.
As reported previously, earlier this year, Lviv signed an agreement with the transport company of Bern (Switzerland) to receive 11 used Vevey low-floor trams.
Additionally, used trams from a new batch from Berlin have started arriving in Lviv.
