Škoda presented first 52T tram for Praha

On 27 January 2025, the Škoda Group presented the first Škoda ForCity Plus 52T tram destined for DPP (Dopravní podnik hlavního města Prahy) to representatives of DPP and the media. Eight months after the start of production and thirteen months after the signing of the contract, the 52T tram began its test runs on the test track at the Škoda plant in Plzeň. The vehicle is part of the framework contract for 200 trams, of which 40 have been ordered.

According to the delivery schedule, 20 units will be delivered by the end of 2025 and the next 20 the following year. The first tram, fleet number 9501, which is currently undergoing commissioning, can already run on the test track. The exterior is finished, while the interior is still under work. Two other ForCity Plus 52Ts are undergoing final assembly, and eight more are at various stages of production. Test runs without passengers on the Praha network are expected to begin in April. The new tram type will be based in the rebuilt Hloubětín tram depot. As part of the homologation of the new tram, its new anti-collision system will also be tested.

The 52Ts are built at Škoda Plzeň works and the Škoda Group is involved with 230 suppliers, of which 76 % are from the Czech Republic, 12 % from Germany and the remaining 12 % from 13 other countries. The vehicles are 100% low-floor and all axles are powered. The five-section unidirectional vehicle has four bogies, all with wheelsets with axles, the bogies at both ends of the vehicle are fully pivotable, the remaining two under two short sections have limited pivoting. The wheel diameter is 640 mm when new.

A very new for the low-floor vehicle is a mechanically actuated brake (instead of hydraulically controlled brakes), which was specifically requested by DPP in the tender. The tram has an empty weight of 48 t and a top speed of 70 km/h. It is 31,990 mm long and 2,500 mm wide. There are 70 seats and space for 173 standees (5/m²). The multi-purpose area can accommodate two prams and two wheelchair users. Entrance thresholds are 350 mm above the TOR. The double-leaf swing-plug doors are 1,300 mm wide, and there is separate mechanical door to the driver’s cab. In addition, the air-conditioning system uses more environmentally friendly refrigerant.