Prague's Škoda 15T Trams to Be Retrofitted with Air Conditioning

The Prague Public Transit Company is launching the retrofit of 123 Škoda 15T trams with air conditioning for the passenger compartment. At least 20 vehicles are to be modernised each year in future, significantly improving passenger comfort.

A total of 123 Škoda 15T trams will be retrofitted with air conditioning for the passenger compartment. The work will be carried out gradually on the basis of individual orders. The cost of equipping a single tram amounts to around CZK 3.2 million. The total contract value for all 123 vehicles is therefore approximately CZK 396 million. This is almost CZK 36 million below the originally estimated value of the public tender. Under the contract, at least 20 trams are to be fitted with air conditioning each year.

The installation of the air conditioning units will be carried out at the workshops of public transport operator MPK Łódź, which is participating in the project as a subcontractor to the successful bidder, ENIKA. Following the signing of the contract, an initial coordination meeting with the supplier is scheduled to take place in July. The detailed timetable and the subsequent stages of the project will then be agreed.

Foto: PID - mobilita budoucnosti

Initially, the first tram will be fitted with the new air conditioning system. The vehicle must then undergo an approval process under the requirements of the Czech Railway Authority.

“Once the first tram has been retrofitted, the supplier has obtained all the necessary certificates and approvals, and we have tested the performance of the installed air conditioning system during trial operation in Prague, we will place orders for work on additional vehicles,” said Jan Šurovský, Deputy Chairman of the Board and Technical Director of the Prague Public Transit Company.

The vehicles will be selected in accordance with the prescribed maintenance intervals and the operational requirements of the transport company. The retrofit programme will be carried out gradually and only on individual vehicles at a time.

“Under no circumstances will 20 trams be taken out of service simultaneously and transported to Łódź,” Šurovský emphasised. The aim is to retrofit at least 20 vehicles within a twelve-month period without unnecessarily disrupting regular tram services.

Once the project has been completed, non-air-conditioned vehicles are expected to account for only around one-third of the Prague Public Transit Company's tram fleet.

Foto: Dopravní podnik hlavního města Prahy

Each Škoda 15T tram will be equipped with three air conditioning units, one in each vehicle section. The system will operate automatically via a dedicated control system with four operating modes: cooling, ventilation, ventilation with pre-heating of the incoming air at low temperatures, and temperature regulation of the vehicle.

According to the Prague Public Transit Company, only environmentally friendly refrigerant will be used. The air conditioning units will be covered by a 60-month warranty.

ENIKA already has experience with comparable projects. Among other things, the company previously retrofitted Bombardier NGT6 trams with air conditioning for the public transport operator in Kraków.