BVG new subway car: Delivery delayed until 2025!

BVG new subway car: Delivery delayed until 2025!

Berlin, Deutschland - The Situation around the new subway cars of the Berlin Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) remains tense. The train manufacturer Stadler is in default with the delivery of the first 110 vehicles and plans to announce detailed information about the delivery period by the end of November 2024. Transport senator Ute Bonde (CDU) announced this in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The reason for the delay? A comprehensive software update that still has to be carried out so that the new trains meet expectations. According to the managing director of BVG, Henrik Falk, the new subway wagons are expected to be taken into account in the second half of 2025 at the earliest.

technical challenges and high costs

The current BVG fleet is partly in a worrying state. According to Falk, some trains have "reached their age limit", which is particularly important for the new vehicles. These are intended to significantly improve the performance of the subway system. But in order for this to succeed, a new workshop concept is also required. "We have to build a completely new subway workshop that must be completed by the end of the 2020s," added Falk. This is particularly important because the first main inspections of the new trains are due, which will cost around three billion euros.

The Verdi union critically commented on the situation. According to Verdi spokesman Jeremy Arndt, the workshop concept that has been available since 2018 has not yet been implemented. As a result, the maintenance of many trains is difficult due to lack of space. "As a result, not all subway vehicles are available as it would need and trips are," said Arndt. This situation has not only technical, but also personnel consequences, since many employees are dissatisfied with the recent duties recently converted without consultation, which, according to Arndt, has led to displeasure and even departures of employees.

The challenge for the BVG to procure modernized and powerful subway trolleys is not only in the context of financial expenses, but also in the fact that a smooth and timely operation must be ensured during rush hour. The upcoming review of the subway car shows how urgently a comprehensive solution is needed for the existing problems. Because while the BVG is progressing with its new vehicle project, the old fleet remains a rocky path full of challenges.

For more detailed information on this topic and its development, interested readers can Reporting of www.rbb24.de throw .