Viennese tram drivers shine: the first tram world championship is coming!

Viennese tram drivers shine: the first tram world championship is coming!

The Wiener Linien is preparing for an exciting event: On September 13th, the internal qualification for the first Tram World Championship will take place on Vienna's Rathausplatz. The winners of the qualification were announced today, April 6, 2025. A total of 40 employees took part in the competition, in which two champions prevailed: Elisabeth Urbanitsch from Remise Rudolfsheim and Florijan Isaku from Remise Hernals. The two winners were officially honored by Alexandra Reinagl, Managing Director of Wiener Linien, and Mayor Michael Ludwig. This event not only serves to promote tram riders, but also to present public transport as a unifying element.

The Tram World Championship, which will take place in Vienna in 2025, is the result of continuous development in tram competition. The European Tram Championship has been held since 2012, in which tram drivers from various European cities take part. In 2023, the Wiener Linien team won the title and secured promotion to the World Championship, which will bring together participants from 24 cities and six continents. The new event takes place exactly ten years after the last European Tram Championship, which was also held in Vienna.

Tram World Championship disciplines

The qualification tasks in Vienna included several demanding disciplines:

• Exaktes Halten an einer Haltestelle: Die Straßenbahn musste mit der dritten Türe mittig bei einer Markierung stoppen.
• Zielbremsung: Punktgenaues Halten aus hohem Tempo auf einer Messplatte.
• Geschwindigkeit: Halten von 20 km/h über 50 Meter ohne Sicht auf den Tacho.

The next European Tram Championship will be held in Frankfurt on September 14, 2024. However, the World Cup in Vienna is particularly highlighted as it attracts interest from international participants and spectators. The invitation to the first tram world championship will officially be sent out in January 2024. A total of 25 teams are expected to take part, with the vehicles for the competition being provided by the host transport company.

The mayor of Vienna, Michael Ludwig, emphasizes the role of public transport in the quality of life in the city. Alexandra Reinagl also commented positively on the daily performance of the tram drivers and emphasized their importance. In addition, there is already interest in the Tram World Championship from South America, Southeast Asia and Africa, which underlines the international reach and attractiveness of this competition. Further information about the event will be announced in spring 2024.