The largest so far was the purchase of 250 trams from Škoda Transportation for 19 billion crowns, which Prague completed three years ago. Subsidies are opening the way for another giant contract, which is to be dealt with by the transport company’s supervisory board on Wednesday. Specifically, the National Recovery Plan, which is a Brussels program designed to recover to restore the economy of the troubled pandemics.

“We will be preparing a public contract for next year. The National Recovery Plan includes 1.18 billion crowns for the purchase of new trams. There must be at least twenty of them, “Petr Witowski, the head of the Prague transport company, described to the Lidovky.cz server. The amount he mentions represents 85 percent of the price that new low-floor cars should come up with. This is therefore an interesting opportunity to add a fleet with a significant discount.

The new trams could run, for example, from Divoká Šárka to Dědina, from Vinohrady on Václavské náměstí, or from Malovanka to the Strahov stadiums. These are tracks that have a great chance of transferring from paper to the open air.

Bigger than a small amount?

The order does not have to end at number twenty. According to information from the Lidovky.cz server, the organizer of the Prague public transport, the company Ropid, put in the trouble. His people were to come up with a proposal that a transport company, which fully owns the capital, consider giving the winning contractor an option for another nearly 200 sets.

From Ropid’s point of view, this makes sense: kilometers of lines are to be substantially expanded, and the metropolitan management has committed itself to offering fully barrier-free public transport in 2030, with the exception of new low-floor trams.

In any case, the Ropid planners emphasize that it will be a full decision of the Prague management and its carrier. He is now creating a concept that reflects the ideas of the Prague management of what future trams should look like. “Especially with regard to the appearance of the vehicle, the arrangement for the passengers and the check-in system, which is the main subject of interest of the traffic organizer,” said Ropida spokesman Filip Drápal.

Who can be interested

At the same time, representatives of this company, which compiles timetables, admit that new sets will be needed. “If all the considered routes were built and the city’s interest in having all trams barrier-free applies at the same time, their need is really close to the number 200,” said Drápal.

Both Czech and foreign manufacturers, such as Inekon, Siemens or Bombardier, could show interest in the contract for at least twenty trams with options. And, of course, the largest domestic player of Škoda Transportation, which delivered the last two big series to Prague: 14T trams with a Porsche design or the already mentioned giant order for the ForCity 15T set. “Of course, we monitor all opportunities in our domestic markets. However, we do not comment on business matters, “said Škoda Jan Švehla.