Two trams donated by Baselland Transport in Switzerland have left Basel for Lviv. The vehicles are expected to arrive in Ukraine within a week and will undergo customs clearance at LKP “Lvivelectrotrans” before entering service.
New Trams for Lviv Routes
These 26-meter low-floor Schindler Be 4/8 trams are expected to enhance passenger comfort and accessibility. Lviv will receive up to 25 such trams, with an additional 10 units designated for spare parts.
Oleh Zabarilo, Head of the City Mobility Department, stated:
“This is just the beginning of our collaboration with international partners. We look forward to new deliveries throughout 2025. We are grateful to the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs for their support.”
Operational Preparations and Training
The trams do not require reconfiguration for Lviv as the track widths in both cities are identical. Before entering service, they will undergo testing and obtain Ukrainian certification.
The project also includes personnel training. For example, Iryna Kozak, a silver medalist of the 2022 International Tram Championship, has already completed training at Baselland Transport AG and will train other drivers. Engineers, mechanics, and electricians from LKP “Lvivelectrotrans” are also learning to maintain the Schindler trams.
How It Started
In July 2024, the Lviv City Council approached the Swiss Embassy in Ukraine to request used Schindler Be trams. By August, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs approved the donation of 25 trams with low floors and 10 additional units for spare parts.
International Support for Lviv’s Public Transport
This is not the first instance of Lviv receiving international assistance for its public transport:
- 2024: Berlin donated 12 energy-efficient KT4D trams along with spare parts. These trams, retrofitted in Lviv, are now operational.
- 2023: Lviv received 6 low-floor trams from Bern, with 5 more expected by March 2025.
- 2021–2024: Lviv purchased 10 modern low-floor Electron trams using a European Investment Bank loan as part of the “Urban Public Transport of Ukraine” project.