photo: Marek Mróz/Wikipedia/23 Twist Trams from Pesa: How is Tallinn Expanding Its Tram Fleet?
TLT, Tallinn's public transport company, has chosen a company to sign a EUR 52 million contract for the 23 Twist trams supply. The winner is Pesa, the Polish concern that will deliver eight low-floor trams with an option for an additional fleet of 15 vehicles.
The tender was announced in June 2021, after which TLT announced in November the same year that Pesa Bydgoszcz, CAF and Škoda had submitted bids. Pesa won the contract thanks to its proposal for 28.56-metre long Twist three-section light rail trams, which have 65 seats and can carry up to 300 passengers. They are designed for travel at a maximum speed of 80 km/h, with a service speed of 50 km/h. The service life of these trams has been defined as 35 years, and Pesa has offered a 48-month warranty.
"The passenger compartment of the new trams is largely low-floor to ensure the safe and comfortable use of trams for people with different needs. Of course, the new trams will also run on 100% green electricity, as all trams and trolleys in Tallinn are already running today," said Deniss Boroditš, the Chairman of the Board of TLT.
Twist trams will expand the Tallinna Linnatransport fleet, which currently consists of 64 vehicles, and as a result, expand the reach of the Tallinn tram service.
"With the arrival of new trams, we will be able to serve more passengers both at today's capacity and when new tram lines, such as the Old Port line. Our desire is to provide the best public transport service in the capital; for that purpose, new trams are needed to make public transport even more convenient, faster, and more environmentally friendly for passengers, which is especially important in the context of Tallinn as Europe's green capital," Andrei Novikov, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn, said.