Zagreb to get brand new trams – how they will look

The new tram (Photo: KONČAR)

The Croatian capital will soon be getting 60 new trams for the city, Grad Zagreb has said. 

Mayor of the City of Zagreb, Tomislav Tomašević, and the CEO of KONČAR – Electric Vehicles, Josip Ninić, signed a contract this week for the delivery of 20 low-floor trams for public transport company ZET, with a total value of €37,780,000.

“I am pleased that KONČAR has won the international public procurement tender and that a domestic company from Zagreb will continue to manufacture trams for ZET,” said Mayor Tomašević. He added that this is just the first purchase of a total of 60 new trams that they will initiate very soon. 

He mentioned that the deadline for the delivery of the first tram is two years, but he hopes that it will arrive even sooner to ensure the reliability of the fleet. He also reminded that the city’s bus fleet recently welcomed 65 new urban buses, and they are negotiating with the Ministry for the purchase of around 100 new electric or hydrogen buses.

The deadline for the delivery of the first tram is expected no later than 24 months from the signing of the contract, which is June 2025, while the delivery of the last tram is expected by December 15, 2025. 

Part of the current tram fleet

Additionally, a gradual delivery schedule is planned, with a minimum of four trams to be delivered each month.

Croatia’s Transport Minister Oleg Butković emphasised that this is a historic because the procurement of new trams is being funded entirely by European funds through the National Recovery and Resilience Program, and they will be manufactured by a Croatian company. “I believe that we will continue to successfully collaborate with the City of Zagreb on numerous projects that lie ahead of us,” he said.

“Our trams, along with trains, undoubtedly belong to the forefront of high-tech products in the Croatian industry, and their realisation involves a whole range of Croatian companies. By improving existing products and developing new ones in the rail segment, we are fulfilling the vision of an innovative European partner for advanced solutions in the green transition,” emphasised Gordan Kolak, CEO of KONČAR.

(Photo: Grad Zagreb/KONČAR)

The trams will be 20.8 meters long, with four doors and a capacity of 115 passengers. They will be equipped with air conditioning systems, ramps for easy access for persons with disabilities, door-zone cameras, and USB ports for mobile devices.

Josip Ninić, CEO of KONČAR – Electric Vehicles, emphasised the importance of the signed contract for KONČAR and the domestic industry. “This project is a continuation of the cooperation that started with a tram delivery contract in 2003. Our collaboration with ZET also includes the joint maintenance of the tram fleet, which has covered over 120 million kilometers so far and is the backbone of Zagreb’s public transportation,” he added.

The new tram (Photo: KONČAR)

“I am pleased that most of the components for the new trams will be produced by KONČAR and other domestic companies,” said Dragan Jelić, Director of the Central Financing and Contracting Agency, expressing his belief that many more contracts will be signed to improve and enhance the lives of citizens.

Marko Bogdanović, CEO of ZET, highlighted that the modernisation of ZET’s fleet and infrastructure continues in three parts: infrastructure renovation, renewal of the bus and tram fleet, and the transition to alternative fuels, which will also happen in the very near future.