As usual, the two authors present this compilation in the first half of the year. It dates back to 1993 and is now the 26th list of its kind.

The past year in Germany has been marked by turbulence in the field of new rolling stock: the insolvency of a manufacturer (Heiterblick), the return of an unsatisfactory batch of vehicles to the manufacturer (Frankfurt am Main), problems with vehicles already in service (Darmstadt), further significant delivery delays due to design issues (Cologne), and increasingly lengthy approval processes (Augsburg, Berlin) have posed, in some cases, major challenges for both manufacturers and operators. Rising costs and financing difficulties are making it ever harder to ensure the continuous renewal and expansion of vehicle fleets. This, in turn, necessitates equally costly measures to maintain existing fleets.

Deliveries completed—and therefore no longer appearing in future lists—include those for Bonn, Brandenburg, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt (Oder), Jena, Rhein-Neckar-Verkehrsgesellschaft (types 36T, 37T, 38T), and Ruhrbahn (Essen/Mülheim) (type NF4).

The first vehicles from newly awarded contracts arrived in 2025 in Chemnitz (eCitylink tram-train) and Potsdam. From the joint VDV tram-train order, AVG Karlsruhe and Saarbrücken also received their first vehicles.

In Berlin, Cottbus, Darmstadt, Duisburg, Halle (Saale), Magdeburg, Munich, Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr (rnv), Rostock and Ruhrbahn (HF1), deliveries of series vehicles continued—albeit in some cases very slowly and in small quantities.

If we take into account all trams and underground trains currently in delivery, production or on order in Germany, I can clearly identify Stadler as the market leader for the period 2022 to 2035 (with 1,413 vehicles on order, representing a 44% market share). Alstom is in second place with 787 vehicles (24%), followed by CAF (358 = 11%), Siemens (323 = 10%) and Skoda (273 = 8%). Heiterblick (now part of Pesa) is in last place with its current order book of 93 vehicles, representing a market share of 3%.

The tender in Braunschweig for 12 low-floor trams from 2024 remains unchanged.

Approval for the Tramlink vehicles supplied by Stadler (first delivered August 2023) was finally granted in March 2026. Four vehicles are now available for training; passenger service is planned from mid-April. Remaining vehicles will be delivered gradually.

By spring 2026 only four of the nine-section “Urbanliner” units have been delivered. One additional unit has been returned from Berlin to the manufacturer. So far, only test runs have been carried out with the four vehicles as part of the approval process. An entry into service announced for mid-February was cancelled at short notice. It is understood that the Technical Supervisory Authority has not granted the necessary approval for the intended route, as the operator had provided incorrect information regarding axle loads in the relevant applications. Checks and recalculations are now required. It is not yet known when another attempt will be made to introduce the vehicles into regular service.

The complete refurbishment of the standard-gauge light rail vehicles made little progress in 2025. The second vehicle was delivered in March. Since then, the conversion work has stalled. Both vehicles were returned once again to the manufacturer Stadler in Berlin for modifications. After their return, operation in double traction could be tested. A further three units were sent to Berlin, one of which returned to Bochum in spring. There is currently no date for acceptance by the Technical Supervisory Authority or for approval.

The new Škoda 41T tram units have been steadily introduced into service, with the 28th and final vehicle delivered at the end of February 2026. However, due to accident damage and technical issues, some of the vehicles are not operational, meaning that six units from the previous 1994 series remain in service. It was only in the second half of December 2025 that the vehicles were permitted to operate on the line crossing the Rhine, which partly runs through a tunnel, as approval had previously been withheld pending necessary modifications.

There are delays with the high-floor light rail vehicles ordered from CAF, also linked to the delivery of almost identical vehicles for Ruhrbahn in Essen. Originally, two pre-series vehicles were to be delivered to Bonn by the end of 2024 for testing. These are now expected in the first half of 2026. Series deliveries will be delayed accordingly. As a consequence, a network reform planned for December 2026, including service increases, has been postponed indefinitely due to the lack of available vehicles. There are also increasing doubts as to whether sufficient route capacity exists in certain sections to accommodate the planned increases.

All three operators have received their initial deliveries: Brandenburg 4, Cottbus 7, and Frankfurt (Oder) 13 vehicles. In Cottbus, nine of the 13 vehicles from the second batch had already been delivered by spring 2026. Operations are not yet stable everywhere; particularly in Brandenburg and Cottbus, vehicles are repeatedly withdrawn from service for periods to undergo modifications.

The delivery of the first eCitylink tram-train to City-Bahn Chemnitz marks the start of the series delivery of a total of 19 vehicles (with an option for a further 27) by Stadler, following the arrival of the first train in Chemnitz in mid-December 2025, which is now undergoing extensive testing and approval runs; the remaining units are set to follow in the coming months, before the fleet gradually enters passenger service from 2027 onwards, serving key routes on the Chemnitz network.

The five-section TINA trams continue to suffer from noise issues. Three vehicles from the second batch are still missing. Throughout 2025, the operator and manufacturer jointly investigated possible causes and evaluated commissioned expert reports. Test runs with modified bogies reduced vibrations by one third. As similar problems occurred with the same vehicle type in Basel, the modifications implemented there are gradually being applied to the Darmstadt fleet. One finding is that the issues occur only in the metre-gauge version. Otherwise, the new vehicles are operating reliably.

This operator is one of three affected by the insolvency of manufacturer Heiterblick, having ordered 34 Vamos light rail vehicles built in Leipzig. The manufacturer was also to modernise the existing B-type light rail fleet. By spring 2025, 24 new units had been delivered, while one modernised prototype had been supplied in June 2024. Following the rescue of the manufacturer at the end of 2025, agreement was reached on delivery of the remaining ten vehicles by 2027. The modernisation programme, however, has been suspended for the time being, although a resumption cannot be ruled out if long-term stability of the manufacturer can be secured through investors.

Delivery of the 59 HF6 light rail vehicles was completed with the final two units in autumn 2025.

For the jointly ordered high-floor light rail vehicles (91 for Düsseldorf and 18 for Duisburg), Siemens has announced delays amounting to around 29 months. The two prototype vehicles for each city were originally scheduled for delivery in summer and autumn 2023. By spring 2026, three vehicles were in production, and construction of the second Duisburg unit was expected to begin. No concrete delivery dates have been announced. Series deliveries will be delayed accordingly.

Delivery of the NF4 low-floor vehicles continues slowly, with occasional longer interruptions. Of the 69 units ordered, 40 had been delivered by February 2026, including some outstanding vehicles from earlier batches. Only nine of the older four-section vehicles remain in service. With such a tight fleet, it is rarely possible to operate the full timetable.

Delivery of ten additional Tramlink vehicles from Stadler, originally planned from the end of 2025, has been delayed. The first five are now expected by the end of 2026, with the remainder in 2027.

The six additional NF4 low-floor units were delivered in 2025, bringing the total fleet to 32.

Of the 51 standard-gauge high-floor vehicles ordered from CAF, the two prototype units were delivered on time in July 2024. However, extensive reworking delayed the start of series deliveries; only three vehicles arrived in Essen in November 2025. In February 2026, one prototype returned to the manufacturer for adaptation. Approval and entry into service were still not in sight as of March 2026.

By spring 2026, only the revised prototype of the Type T low-floor vehicle, delivered in August 2025, is in the city. A second unit for testing multiple operation has not yet been delivered. The operator expects the prototype to enter passenger service after approval in summer 2026, followed by further units at roughly fortnightly intervals. Of the 24 ordered 31.5-metre three-section vehicles, 14 had already been in Frankfurt before being returned to the manufacturer in 2025. The delivery schedule for the 40-metre four-section version remains completely open. Planned timetable improvements for December 2025 have been suspended indefinitely.

For the Regionaltangente West tram-train project, Stadler was awarded a contract in December 2025 to supply 27 four-section Citylink units. The first three prototypes are expected in autumn 2028, with series delivery by the planned start of operations in December 2030. The dual-system, bi-directional vehicles will be around 50 metres long and must accommodate differing platform heights between heavy rail and tram networks.

On 4 March 2026, the first of the six TINA railcars ordered from Stadler was delivered by rail to Gera. Six units have been ordered. At the end of 2025, the option for three further units was exercised. Delivery is scheduled to take place in 2026.

None of the low-floor trams purchased from Darmstadt are currently in service. Instead, an ST14 from Darmstadt has been in use as a loan vehicle since the end of 2025; it is virtually identical in construction to the existing NGT8G low-floor trams.

This operator was also affected by the insolvency of Heiterblick and had participated in a joint procurement with Leipzig and Zwickau. Eight tram units had been ordered, with options for six more. The operator decided to cancel the contract and retender the same quantity. A mock-up of the new vehicles to be built by the LEIWAG consortium had already been presented. The project for a hydrogen-powered tram, unveiled in early 2024, is therefore likely to be shelved for the time being.

In April 2026, the contract was awarded to Stadler for 30-metre, five-section TINA vehicles in the quantities mentioned above, including options. Delivery is scheduled from 2028. Unlike the original tender, the newly ordered vehicles will be bi-directional.

Delivery of the four Tramlink units ordered from Stadler is now scheduled for 2027.

There are options for up to six additional vehicles. The contract also includes maintenance services. In the longer term, the new fleet is intended to replace the existing vehicles, some of which are more than 40 years old, while significantly increasing the proportion of fully accessible trams in the network. Delivery is scheduled to begin in mid-2027, with passenger service expected to start by summer 2028 at the latest.

The new vehicles will be 32.5 m long five-section bidirectional trams with a fully low-floor interior layout. With a width of 2.45 m, each tram will accommodate up to 180 passengers, including 50 seated passengers. Five double doors on each side are designed to ensure rapid passenger flow and reduced dwell times.

The specification includes dedicated wheelchair areas, emergency intercom and call systems, as well as modern TFT passenger information displays. Drivers will benefit from an ergonomically designed cab with improved visibility and intuitive controls.

From a technical perspective, the TRAMLINK vehicles feature a duplex stainless-steel bodyshell offering high corrosion resistance. Enhanced insulation and the use of regenerative braking energy recovery contribute to improved energy efficiency. The order marks the introduction of a modern fully accessible tram generation for Gotha’s metre-gauge tram network.

Of the short three-section TINA variant from Stadler, only one unit has so far been delivered; it entered passenger service at the end of January 2026. By contrast, twelve units of the longer five-section version had already been delivered by spring 2026, and these have been in passenger service since early September 2025.

:

All eight ordered 32-metre five-section Tramlink units were delivered in 2025. A further nine units were called up from an option for delivery in 2026–2027. There are also five remaining options for each vehicle length. Apart from a delayed start to deliveries, the overall process has proceeded smoothly.

From the joint VDV tram-train order, the first of 75 vehicles from Stadler arrived in Karlsruhe in mid-December. It forms part of an order for the Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft (AVG) for 75 dual-system, bi-directional units. These have an entrance height of 55 cm and are equipped with an accessible toilet. According to unconfirmed reports, 30 units have already been called up from an existing option for 73 additional vehicles.

“Schiene Oberösterreich” also received its first vehicle for routes in the Linz area. Together with Saarbahn Saarbrücken, three operators have now received vehicles from this joint order.

Upon arrival in Karlsruhe, route, braking and system tests will be carried out, along with training for drivers and workshop teams. Subject to approval, passenger service is scheduled to begin in summer 2026. Further vehicles for AVG and VBK will be delivered in stages from 2026 onwards. The full roll-out of the fleets will take place over several years.

“Schiene Oberösterreich” has also taken delivery of its first vehicle for routes in the Linz an der Donau area. This means that, together with Saarbahn Saarbrücken, three customers have now received vehicles from the joint order.

For the first time, Alstom announced concrete delivery dates in April 2026. The two prototype units of each type are now scheduled for delivery at the end of 2026, although they were originally due in 2023—meaning delays of over four years. Following resolution of the original design issues, half of the 60 ordered long trainsets (each consisting of two six-axle units with gangways) are expected to be operational by 2030, with full delivery and entry into service by 2033.

The first-generation low-floor vehicles (K4000), delivered from 1994 and originally designed for a 25-year service life, have already been in operation for 32 years. To extend their lifespan, an initial batch of 40 vehicles is being refurbished by Talbot Services in Aachen. This programme has already begun, leaving a shortfall of eight vehicles in daily operations. An option exists to refurbish the remaining 84 units should further delays occur in the delivery of new vehicles. It remains unclear who will bear the considerable cost of €1.2 million per vehicle—around two-thirds of the original purchase price.

Preparations have also begun for replacing the subsequent K4500 series (69 six-axle units from 2004–2007). Following the securing of funding for an initial 33 new vehicles, the tender process can now proceed. Notably, the operator no longer wishes to procure the “long trains” favoured by politicians, but instead prefers coupled units of approximately 30 metres in length. The tender was launched in April 2026, and the new vehicles will again be equipped with two driver’s cabs for greater operational flexibility.

At the end of July 2025, Cologne’s transport operator awarded a contract to Stadler for new vehicles for the high-floor network. Stadler will supply 132 six-axle, two-section, bi-directional units with a single cab and the ability to be coupled into “long trains”. In addition, 34 intermediate modules of around ten metres in length will be built to increase capacity. These modules will be powered but will not have their own traction power supply, requiring auxiliary vehicles for shunting in depots and workshops.

Ten prototype units and five intermediate modules are expected for testing in 2029, with series deliveries scheduled for 2030–2032.

The insolvency of the local manufacturer Heiterblick had a particularly significant impact on Leipzig, where an order for 25 four-section low-floor vehicles, along with extensive options, was at risk. Following the cancellation of orders by Görlitz and Zwickau, securing Leipzig’s contract became crucial for the manufacturer’s survival. The order was financially secured through agreements involving the city, the LVV, and the state of Saxony. At the same time, the firm order was increased by 30 to a total of 55 units, while all previous options were cancelled.

The first NGT G-XXL unit is expected in 2026, with series deliveries continuing until early 2028. However, this will not be sufficient to fully replace the ageing Tatra vehicles from the early 1980s or to implement planned timetable improvements.

Series delivery of the four-section Flexity Classic vehicles began at the end of September 2025, shortly after approval for passenger service had been granted. By March 2026, eight series vehicles had been delivered.

In May 2025, Škoda Transportation was awarded a contract for 22 low-floor ForCity Smart 53T vehicles. These five-section, bi-directional trams will be 43.5 metres long, with delivery planned for 2028–2030. An option for a further eight vehicles remains.

Of the 73 four-section Avenio units ordered, 62 had been delivered by spring 2026, leaving eleven outstanding. Approval by the Technical Supervisory Authority continues to be slow; at the end of 2025, 19 vehicles were still not approved for service.

Due to a lack of space, in addition to the refurbished R1.1, the R2b and Variobahnen, which required more extensive repairs, were also moved elsewhere to make room for the new four-car trains.

All 26 four-section Avenio units had been delivered by 2025. An option for 14 additional vehicles was exercised in February 2025, while further options remain. Siemens has indicated that these cannot be built for several years due to capacity constraints. The operator therefore decided to prioritise the 14 newly ordered units, requiring short-term financing arrangements.

All Variobahn trams have now been taken out of service after around 15 years of operation. Their future in Nuremberg remains uncertain, but it is safe to assume that they will not be put back into service in the Franconian city.

The first vehicle arrived almost a year late on 13 March 2025, followed by a second in mid-September. Both were built in Valencia and entered passenger service shortly before Christmas after approval. If operations remain stable, series delivery of eleven further vehicles is expected to begin in mid-2026, with subsequent deliveries at roughly two-month intervals until the end of 2027.

By March 2026, deliveries of Škoda low-floor vehicles comprised:

These consist of separable units forming complete trains. An option for 34 additional three-section vehicles was exercised at the end of 2024, with deliveries beginning in March 2026.

The first of 28 three-section TINA units from Stadler was delivered in February 2025. Passenger service began in December 2025 following approval. By the end of March 2026, six vehicles had been delivered.

The first VDV tram-train unit for Saarbrücken was presented at InnoTrans in Berlin in September 2024 and delivered to Saarbrücken in June 2025. By early 2026, three of the four prototype units had been delivered. These are currently undergoing test runs, sometimes far from Saarland. As of March 2026, no date has been set for passenger service.

The first of 18 five-section, 100% low-floor GT-F trams from Heiterblick arrived on 18 December 2024, followed by a second in April 2025. The manufacturer’s insolvency then halted further deliveries. This created serious difficulties for the operator, which urgently needs replacements for ageing vehicles.

Following the manufacturer’s rescue in December 2025, commissioning resumed, and completion of the remaining 16 vehicles is now progressing. The third vehicle is expected in April 2026, with the full series available by 2028. An option for a further 16 units remains likely to be exercised.

For the company, this development was a disaster, as it is in urgent need of new vehicles to replace the DÜWAG articulated trams – some of which are up to 60 years old – that have been put back into regular service following the discovery of faults in a series of low-floor trams from 1996.

As in Görlitz, the order for new low-floor “Sachsentram” vehicles from Heiterblick was cancelled due to insolvency risks and retendered. The contract was re-awarded in April 2026, with specifications similar to those for Görlitz.

In Berlin, deliveries of new trains for both large-profile and small-profile networks continue to progress slowly. By the end of 2024, one four-car train for the large-profile Type J and several for the small-profile Type JK had been delivered.

In 2025, six additional six-car trains of Type J were delivered, currently used only for testing.

Of the 140 Type JK units delivered, 118 were in service by February 2026. Passenger service for the Type J series began on 30 April 2026.

The new DT6 metro train for Hamburger Hochbahn is currently (as of 2026) still entirely in the preparation and early implementation phase. Following the award of the contract to Alstom in 2024, technical development and industrialisation activities are now underway, with production scheduled to begin at the Salzgitter plant in 2026. The first vehicles are expected to be delivered and tested from 2028 onwards, particularly with regard to their future operation on the new fully automated U5 line.

At the same time, the project has already gained public visibility: during the UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2025 in Hamburg, Alstom presented a walk-through mock-up of the DT6, offering insights into the future vehicle design and passenger experience. The mock-up served as an important intermediate step between the conceptual phase and series production.y

xx     Number of vehicles – firm order

  Number of vehicles – firm order envisaged

(xx)      Number of vehicles – options agreed in the contract

ER       single-ended vehicles

ZR       bi-directional vehicles

(mechanical parts / electric equipment)

A            Alstom (ex BT)

AT          Alstom Transport

AS          Alstom Spain (Barcelona)

ABB        ABB Elektrik

C            Cegelec

CAF        CAF Spanien

HB-P      HeiterBlick Leipzig / PESA

K            Kiepe Electric

LEIWAG Konsortium HeiterBlick und Kiepe

M           Modertrans Poznan

SCH       Stadler Bussnang (Schweiz)

SP          Stadler Polen (zuvor Solaris)

SD          Stadler Pankow

SV          Stadler Rail Valencia

S(?)        Stadler, keine Info zur Elektrik

ST          Škoda Transportation

STF        Škoda Transtech, Finnland

SE

Škoda Electric

SM         Siemens Industrie Mobility

SW         Siemens Werk Wien

SS          Siemens Werk Serbia (Sobovica)

V            Voith Digital Solutions Austria

= Zweckverband Regional-Stadtbahn Neckar-Alb (public transport authority)

= Erms-Neckar railway Reutlingen und Tübingen

= The State Agency for Rail Vehicles of Baden-Württemberg is responsible for procuring all rail vehicles for Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft (AVG) and Eisenbahn- und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser (ENAG).

mit Spaltüberbrückung an den Türen

Einstieg auch über Stufe (betreiberabhängig) bei 34 bzw. 38 cm Bahnsteighöhe

xx     Number of vehicles – firm order

  Number of vehicles – firm order envisaged

(xx)      Number of vehicles – options agreed in the contract

ER       single-ended vehicles

ZR       bi-directional vehicles

TT        TramTrain for rail services (15 kV, 16

/

Hz)

NF        low-floor (40 cm entrance level)

MF        middle-floor  (60 cm entrance level)

– Spanien (SR-V)