Italy: A five-section Urbos tram from Spanish CAF has been delivered to a depot of ATAC, Rome’s transport operator. Prior to entry into service it must undergo acceptance and a test programme.
A total of 10 such trams are expected by mid-year, with a further 10 units by December. Delivery is running six months late due to supply chain disruption affecting components.
Each bidirectional low-floor 33.5 m tram is stated to accommodate up to 215 passengers, 68 seated. The rolling stock is equipped with batteries for autonomous running and a collision avoidance system.
New tram for Roma from Spanish CAF. Source: ATAC
In 2023 CAF won the tender to supply up to 121 trams to Rome. The €457 mln framework contract equates to around €3.8 mln per tram. The firm portion covered 40 units, subsequently increased to 80 via options exercised in 2024 and 2026. The contract also includes five years’ maintenance. Hitachi Rail, which bid for the contract, challenged the decision, with legal proceedings running until spring 2025.
The new rolling stock is expected to replace Series 7000 trams built by Italian firm Stanga in 1947–52 and refurbished in the 1980s, plus partially low-floor Series 9000 trams from local firm SOCIMI dating from the early 1990s. Rome’s newest operating trams—Cityway I and II models—were built by local firm Fiat Ferrovaria with Alstom in 1997–2000. Of the 79 trams in the fleet, almost half are out of service.
