Stadler Wins €270 Million Helsinki Tram Tender as Škoda Disqualified for Failing to Meet Technical Requirements

Stadler has won one of Finland’s largest tram tenders after Škoda Group was disqualified for failing to meet technical requirements. The contract for the new generation of trams for the Helsinki metropolitan area is worth approximately €270 million.

The Helsinki Public Transit (HSL) launched a public tender in 2022 for the supply of a new generation of low-floor trams. It is one of the most significant procurements of its kind in Finland, aiming to purchase at least 63 modern vehicles for urban operation. According to Finnish media, the total contract value amounts to around €270 million, making it a key project for modernising the capital’s public transport system.

Two manufacturers competed for the contract: the Swiss Stadler and the Czech Škoda Transtech, the Finnish subsidiary of the Škoda Group. Both bidders were required to demonstrate the technological advancement of their vehicles and their long-term capacity for maintenance and service.

According to information published by the Finnish public broadcaster Yle, bidders had to meet around 1,600 mandatory technical criteria, including climate resilience, bogie design, energy consumption, maintenance, network compatibility, and safety parameters. Each criterion was binding, and failure to meet even one requirement meant automatic disqualification.

Škoda: "We Disagree with the Decision"

The Škoda Transtech offer was excluded from the competition after the evaluation committee determined that it had failed to comply with certain mandatory conditions. The Finnish contracting authority explicitly stated that these deficiencies could not be supplemented or corrected later. This approach is consistent with Finland’s strict public procurement practices, which emphasise equal treatment and transparency among bidders.

However, the Škoda Group disagreed with the decision, stating that its bid met all essential requirements of the tender and that the exclusion was unjustified.

As a result of Škoda’s exclusion, no price comparison was conducted, since only one valid bidder remained — Stadler. The evaluation committee therefore declared Stadler the winner of the tender and recommended signing a contract for 63 trams with an option for an additional 120 units.

"Stadler’s offer met all 1,600 technical and performance requirements for the new trams. We are convinced that Stadler trams are the best choice for Helsinki’s demanding conditions," said Eetu Kinnunen, Chairman of the Board of the Helsinki City Transport, in a press release.

Stadler to Provide Long-Term Maintenance

The contract also includes a long-term maintenance package, a spare parts warehouse, and the construction of technical facilities for servicing the trams. The new vehicles will gradually be deployed not only on Helsinki’s city transport routes but also on the newly built line to Espoo.

The entire project is part of the city’s broader strategy to reduce the carbon footprint of transport and improve passenger comfort under extreme Nordic conditions.