Following the approval of the supervisory board of Berlin's transport operator, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), a contract for 99 Bombardier Flexity Berlin trams has been signed between the BVG and Bombardier Transportation. The order is valued at around $431 million.
The order follows a framework agreement in 2006 for a maximum of 210 vehicles and includes 40 long and 24 short one-way vehicles as well as 35 short bidirectional vehicles trams.
The first vehicles will be delivered in May 2011, with an expected completion date for all vehicles in 2017. This will coincide with the deployment of the GT6 series vehicles and the phasing-out of the Tatra high-floor vehicles. The Flexity Berlin trams will be well prepared for future applications and 100 percent barrier-free.
The new trams will be produced at Bombardier German sites in Bautzen (body shell and final assembly), Hennigsdorf (final assembly and commissioning), Mannheim (electronics) and Siegen (bogies).