Details of the St. Petersburg 519-M USD Tram Project Unveiled

Details of the St. Petersburg tram development project are unveiled, the RZD-Partner reports. Transport Concession Company (TCC), the winner in the city tender for tram refurbishment, has submitted 10 requests to St. Petersburg Investor Office for tram sites, the RZD-Partner reports.

By 2018 TCC is to rebuild 14 km of tram lines, build 40 stopping points and establish an automated transport management system at crossings. Furthermore, the concessioner would buy rolling stock, build a tram depot with 2.5 km of approaching track. TCC would operate, repair, overhaul and replace the rolling stock upon 20-25 years of operation.

The concession agreement was signed by St. Petersburg and TCC for 30 years. Under the agreement, TCC has to launch tram operation in 2017; in exchange, the concessioner is to retain all profit of the project.

The Vedomosti unveils details on the rolling stock portion of the project. The concessioner is to buy 23 three-section trams with 100% low floor and doors on both sides of the trams. TCC chose Stadler as its supplier: it offers five-year warranty on trams. In addition to it, Stadler’s price was better than Skoda’s, another potential supplier who bid in the project.

Tramrus (Transmashholding and Alstom joint venture) did not pass the pre-qualification phase - its request did not comply with the tender technical requirements. Pesa did not pass pre-qualification either - the company did not submit the commercial offer at all.

TCC expects to sign the contract with Stadler on August 1, TCC Chairman Sergey Kerber said. “Prior to that date we will be clarifying the contract parameters and, if we do not come to the final agreement, we might change the supplier”, he commented.

Stadler is to supply the first six cars by August 1, 2017. The tram’s capacity would be 260 passengers; trams will be 33 m long.

TCC estimates total investments into the project at 33.7 B RUB (519 M USD).

TCC is co-owned by Lider Investment Company (60%), LSR (20%), Glavnaya Doroga (10%) and Novoe Kachestvo Dorogi (10%). The latter two companies are affiliated with LSR.