First VBZ Trams Sent To Vinnytsia

In December 2020, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO, Eidgenossisches Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft) signed an agreement with the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia under which Switzerland will supply 35 Tram 2000 cars from Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ) to Vinnytskiy Tramvay. The agreement between SECO and VBZ was concluded in August 2021.

The deliveries were to take place between 2022 and 2025. The total cost of asbestos removal and transport was estimated at 3.55 million CHF, of which SECO took 3.25 million CHF  and the city of Vinnytsia the rest. It was also planned to send another 35 Tram 2000 after 2025. However, the project was canceled due to the war.

As the VBZ is currently receiving 110 new 43 m long Flexity trams and therefore does not have enough stabling spaces, the two 21 m long Tram 2000s must be withdrawn with each Flexity delivered. Therefore, five Tram 2000s were stored at Welti-Furrer of Dielsdorf (north-west of Zürich), where since mid-January 2023 it stands fenced in a green field. In addition, it was decided to scrap the first few of the affected 98 Tram 2000s. SECO still hopes to be able to deliver the agreed Tram 2000s to Vinnytsia and the first transport started on 17 March 2023, involving eight cars.

Jürg D. Lüthard