[IMAGE]BombardierFLEXITY-Karlsruhe-Germany-HRFull.jpg[/IMAGE] The Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft mbH (AVG) and the Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe GmbH (VBK) have ordered 30 dual-system tram-trains from Bombardier Transportation.

The vehicles, valued at approximately $190 million, will be delivered between August 2011 and September 2013. There is also an option for up to another 45 vehicles.

The new tram-trains will be manufactured in the Bombardier sites Bautzen, Germany and Vienna, Austria. The Bombardier Mitrac propulsion and control system will be provided by Bombardier Mannheim and Bombardier Flexx Urban 2500 bogies by Bombardier Siegen, both sites located in Germany.

The Flexity Swift vehicles are customized to meet the requirements of the city and the region of Karlsruhe. For an optimum fit to the existing infrastructure, all access areas are 50 percent low-floor, ensuring a rapid passenger flow and facilitating easy access for the mobility-impaired as well as passengers traveling with prams or heavy luggage. The new vehicles consist of three modules, and the interior is walkable throughout its entire length. The 121-foot-long light rail vehicles with a width of 8.6 feet offer a capacity for 244 passengers. Conventional bogies with air springs guarantee a smooth ride reducing wear and tear of both wheels and tracks to an absolute minimum.