Pesa to deliver record-length trams to Gdańsk

Gdańsk is set to introduce the longest trams in Poland after selecting domestic manufacturer Pesa Bydgoszcz to supply a new generation of high-capacity vehicles for the city’s expanding network.

Record contract brings extra-long trams to the coast

Publicly available information indicates that Gdańsk’s municipal operator has signed a contract with Pesa for 20 new low floor trams, described in local coverage as the longest vehicles yet ordered for service in Poland. The deal follows a competitive tender launched earlier this year for modern, bidirectional units between roughly 45 and 47 meters in length.

Reports on the agreement suggest the order is valued at more than 500 million złoty, including maintenance and accompanying services over a multi year period. The investment is framed locally as a strategic step in improving comfort and capacity on some of the busiest lines in the Tri City metropolitan area.

The trams will be produced at Pesa’s factory in Bydgoszcz and are expected to begin arriving in Gdańsk in the second half of this decade, according to information released by the city and the manufacturer. Once delivered, the new units are intended to operate primarily on routes with heavy commuter and student traffic, where longer trains can replace shorter sets without increasing congestion at stops.

Industry coverage notes that the vehicles, provisionally associated with the Twist family of trams, will be only slightly shorter than some of the world’s longest light rail vehicles. Their length is designed to maximize capacity while remaining compatible with Gdańsk’s existing street geometry and stop infrastructure.

Why Gdańsk is betting on longer, bidirectional vehicles

The decision to purchase very long, bidirectional trams reflects both operational and urban planning priorities. Bidirectional units with driver cabs and doors on both sides can reverse without balloon loops, which allows the operator to terminate services at simple stub tracks and to adapt more easily to partial closures or construction.

Urban transport analyses underline that longer trams offer an efficient way to increase capacity along constrained corridors where adding more services is limited by tram priority at junctions and mixed traffic conditions. By adding length rather than additional frequency, Gdańsk can move more passengers per hour while keeping timetable stability and energy consumption in check.

The new vehicles are also expected to support accessibility goals. Public materials describe a fully low floor interior, wide doorways and step free boarding along the entire length of the tram. These features are particularly important in a city with an aging population and growing numbers of passengers using strollers, bicycles and mobility devices.

Local planning documents highlight ongoing development of southern districts, where demand for reliable tram connections to central Gdańsk and the Wrzeszcz hub is projected to rise. Longer, modern trams are presented as a core element of this expansion strategy, complementing new track and interchange projects already under construction or in design.

Financing tied to European recovery and green transport goals

According to published coverage from municipal and national bodies, the order for Gdańsk’s new trams is closely linked to European Union funding mechanisms supporting low emission public transport. The project is associated with Poland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which channels EU resources toward cleaner mobility and infrastructure upgrades.

Such financing frameworks typically require measurable environmental and social benefits, including reduced car dependency, lower emissions and improved accessibility. In this context, shifting more passengers to large capacity electric trams aligns with broader European climate and energy objectives as well as national transport policy.

Complementary EU backed projects in the city include the construction of a new tram corridor linking southern neighborhoods with the key interchange district of Wrzeszcz. Official project descriptions forecast improved travel times and the ability to carry several thousand passengers per hour during peak periods when the line is fully equipped with modern rolling stock.

By pairing rolling stock investments with new infrastructure, Gdańsk aims to create a more resilient and attractive network for daily commuters, students and visitors. The Pesa contract is therefore part of a broader portfolio of EU supported improvements that also encompasses regional rail upgrades in the wider Pomeranian region.

A new chapter in Gdańsk’s partnership with Pesa

The latest order continues a long standing relationship between Gdańsk and Pesa, which has already supplied dozens of Swing and Jazz series trams to the city over the past decade. Those vehicles helped replace older high floor stock and introduced a consistent low floor standard on key routes.

Transport reports point out that many of the existing Pesa trams in Gdańsk have undergone or are undergoing major overhauls to extend their lifespan. The new extra long units will therefore join a fleet where maintenance programs and operating practices are already familiar with the manufacturer’s technology and components.

At the national level, Pesa has become one of Poland’s most prominent rail and tram suppliers, delivering vehicles not only to cities such as Warsaw, Kraków and Katowice but also to customers elsewhere in Europe. The Gdańsk contract reinforces the company’s position in its home market while showcasing the evolution of its tram portfolio toward higher capacity, modular designs.

Local commentators note that the choice of a domestic supplier also carries an economic dimension, supporting jobs and technical expertise within Poland. The order is expected to involve a supply chain of local firms providing equipment, interiors and systems for the new trams.

What the new fleet will mean for passengers

For everyday users, the most visible change will be the length and interior layout of the new trams. With more articulated sections, additional doors and a spacious passenger area, the vehicles are anticipated to reduce crowding during peak periods and to offer more standing room combined with strategically placed seating.

Public information suggests that the design will prioritize clear passenger circulation, with wide aisles and multi purpose spaces near the doors for wheelchairs, strollers and bicycles. Air conditioning, modern passenger information displays and energy efficient lighting are also expected to form part of the specification, reflecting current standards in European light rail fleets.

The arrival of the new trams should allow the operator to deploy the longest vehicles on the busiest lines while reallocating existing stock to less crowded routes. This cascading effect can raise overall service quality across the network, not only on the corridors directly served by the record length units.

As Gdańsk prepares for future growth in both resident and tourist numbers, the Pesa order signals a continued shift toward rail based public transport as the backbone of urban mobility along the Baltic coast. The appearance of these extra long trams on city streets will mark a visible step in that transition, reshaping the image and capacity of the network for years to come.