Swiss trams embark on a rare journey to Ukraine

Switzerland is donating decommissioned trams to Lviv and Vinnytsia, two cities in Ukraine struggling with ageing tram fleets and growing passenger numbers. SWI swissinfo.ch meets the people preparing the trams for this rare journey – along with those who are about to receive them.

Eleven decommissioned trams belonging to Bern public transport provider, BERNMOBIL, were destined for the scrapyard when the western Ukrainian city of Lviv came calling – it needed trams with low-floor entries.

Lviv and Vinnytsia, located in the centre of the country, are serving a crucial role in the war with Russia as relative safe havens for internally displaced persons, including those who have been maimed in rocket attacks or on the frontlines. Vinnytsia is set to receive up to 70 used trams from Zurich.

To prepare for the arrival of the Bern trams on the streets of Lviv, staff from the local public transport operator, LET, spent four weeks in the Swiss capital learning how to drive, maintain and repair the vehicles. SWI swissinfo.ch went to meet them and the people at BERNMOBIL who are showing them the ropes.