Berlin: New tram to go into operation from mid-July

After years of delays and regulatory hurdles, Berlin's new 50-meter tram, dubbed the 'Urbanliner,' is finally scheduled to enter passenger service in mid-July.

The Berlin Transport Authority (BVG) announced that the first vehicle has received its operational permit from the Technical Supervisory Authority (TAB). Test and training runs for the 'Urbanliner' will commence next week, with the tram set to operate on the M4 line, which connects Hackescher Markt with Hohenschönhausen and Falkenberg.

The approval process was complicated by disagreements over the vehicles' weight, necessitating structural reinforcements in the subway tunnel near Alexanderplatz. The TAB must approve each tram for every specific line, which is why the current authorization is exclusively for the M4 line, though future deployment on other lines is considered possible.

The BVG aims to have approximately 15 Urbanliners operating on the M4 line by the end of this year, with plans to double that number by 2028. This expansion could eventually lead to the entire M4 line being serviced by the new trams. The 'Urbanliner,' manufactured by Alstom, can accommodate 312 passengers, including 92 seats.