Archive: July 2026

In May 2026, the NGO “Vision Zero” organized a study trip to the cities of the Czech Republic to study their experience in the development, arrangement and operation of tram and trolleybus systems. The participants of this trip were managers and specialists of the State Enterprise “Scientific Research and Design and Technological Institute of Urban Economy”, representatives of the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine and the State Service of Ukraine for Transport Safety.

In the cities of Prague and Brno, participants conducted field surveys of the infrastructure, assessed the operation of rolling stock on routes, visited depots, and discussed the features of organizing transport services with local carriers.

Why Czech Republic?

The Czech Republic is a country of electric transport. With a population of about 11 million people, as many as 21 cities in the Czech Republic have trams or trolleybuses. For comparison, in Belgium, with about the same number of inhabitants, electric transport is much less developed and covers only 7 cities, and in all three Baltic countries (with a combined population of about 6 million people) only 5 cities have electric transport. In terms of its historical, economic and geographical context, this country is much closer to Ukraine than, for example, Switzerland, Italy or France, where tram and trolleybus systems also exist in large numbers. Therefore, it was the Czech Republic that was chosen for the research trip.

The cities of Prague (1.4 million people), Brno (400,000 people), Ostrava (290,000 people) and Pilsen (190,000 people) have both tram and trolleybus systems. This article focuses on the tram networks of the two largest cities in the country, Prague and Brno.

Tram system in Prague

The Prague tram network has a total length of over 150 km of lines (over 570 km of routes in total) and 292 stops. The network covers the entire city and even some suburban areas. It operates 26 daytime and 9 night routes, with an interval of 4-8 min. during peak hours on daytime routes and 30 min. on night routes.

The tram fleet consists of about 780 units of various models, based in eight depots around the city. About half of the rolling stock is accessible to people with reduced mobility, i.e. has a low floor. The annual passenger traffic of the tram network is almost 350 million passengers (2024).

The tram network is constantly developing: an additional link-bridge is being built on Václavské Nameste and ul. Vinohradská in the city center and a new line on ul. Počernická. There are plans to develop the network on other streets and districts, into the suburban area.

Tram system in Brno

The Brno tram network has a total length of over 70 km ( over 120 km of routes in total) and 150 stops. The network has 14 routes, with an interval of 5-10 minutes , most of which run from 5 am to 11 pm.

The tram fleet consists of over 300 units of various models, two thirds of which are accessible to people with reduced mobility. The rolling stock is based in 2 depots: Pisárky and Medlánky. The annual passenger traffic of the tram network is over 14 million passengers .

The tram network is actively developing: sections in the historic center are being reconstructed, new sections are being opened both along the streets and high-speed sections in tunnels and on a separate track, especially in the neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. Currently, an extension of route No. 1 along ul. Vejrostova is being built.

Research trip results

The participants of the research trip conducted and documented field observations, comparing what they saw with the provisions of regulatory documents of the Czech Republic and Ukraine. Attention was focused on infrastructure: tracks, contact networks, stops, design solutions for integrating trams into city streets and combining with other mobility modes.

Distance to development

Ukrainian building codes create serious restrictions and obstacles for designing tram lines in existing urban development: DBN B.2.2-12 “Planning and development of territories” allows tram lines to be laid exclusively along main streets, and in historical city centers it prescribes “off-street areas… in shallow tunnels or on overpasses”. In addition, according to DBN B.2.3-18 “Tram and trolleybus lines”, the distance from the track axis to residential or public buildings must be at least 20 (19.8) meters, which actually makes it impossible to integrate modern ecological transport into a dense urban fabric. So, let's see how it works in the Czech Republic.

Prague: ul. Spálená, metro stop “Národní trída”. Distance to the houses is about 3-5 m. Private transport is prohibited on the street: tram-bicycle-pedestrian zone.

Prague: ul. Zenklova. Mixed traffic of trams and vehicles. Distance to houses about 3 m.

Brno: ul. Masarykova. Tram in the pedestrian zone of the historic center, at the same level as the sidewalk (line under reconstruction). Distance to the houses about 2-4 m.

Brno: ul. Renneská. High-speed section (60 km/h) on a residential street (zone “30”) in a dense residential area - fenced with a net and bushes. Distance to houses from 5 to 10 m. The contact network is suspended on brackets.

As can be seen in the photo, neither the small distance to the houses, nor the category or mode of traffic on the street are obstacles to the arrangement of tram traffic in the Czech Republic and do not lead to negative consequences. The absence of excessive restrictions in regulations and in practice allows Czech cities to plan and lay tram lines in dense buildings and harmoniously combine tram traffic with bicycle and pedestrian traffic in the historic centers of cities.

Features of the catenary network

Ukrainian standards (DBN V.2.3-18 “Tram and trolleybus lines”) require a specific height for hanging the contact wire: not less than 4.7 m in the gates (passages) of buildings and not less than 4.2-4.4 m under engineering structures (usually overpasses). Only in “high-speed tram” tunnels – which in Ukraine are only available in Kryvyi Rih – is the contact wire height allowed to be 3.9 m. The standards also require a distance of not less than 3.5 m between the contact wires of adjacent tram and trolleybus lines. The practice of the Czech Republic has shown a different regulatory regulation, more flexible and focused on safety and functionality.

Prague: ul. Evropská, stop Dívoká Šárka.

In Prague, in different districts, the research group observed common lanes and common stops for trams and trolleybuses, and the distance between tram and trolleybus wires was 1.0-1.5 m. It is also visible that the trolleybus wires are placed above the landing area of the stop, which is prohibited in Ukraine. The entire contact network is suspended from a common bracket on a support on one side of the canvas.

Prague: ul. Křižovnická, a famous location in Prague, where the tram runs under the arch of an old house. The height to the contact wire is about 3.8-3.9 m, the distance from the track to the walls of the arch is no more than 2 m.

Prague: ul. Svatovítská, stop Vítězné náměstí.

Here and on most sections of the tram network, the catenary has a “delta” suspension, which makes the contact of the pantograph with the wire softer, allows higher speeds (than with a rigid suspension), and does not require longitudinal supporting cables (as with a compensated contact suspension). It is also stated that the wear of the wire over time is half that of a conventional “rigid” suspension.

Prague: new tram line Dívoká Šárka – Dědina, turning circle at the Dědina terminus. Catenary of both tracks on common brackets fixed to supports on one side of the tracks.

Organization of stops

Ukrainian standards ( DBN V.2.3-5 “Streets and roads of settlements”, DBN V.2.3-18 “Tram and trolleybus lines”) provide for the placement of tram stops, as a rule, spaced apart (in front of intersections and crossings, separately for trams and trolleybuses). Landing platforms should be the width of a 2-sided ramp (1.8 m, but in other standards - from 1.5 m), but it is allowed to exit directly onto the carriageway without a landing platform. Stops should be located only on straight sections with a slope of up to 4%. A survey of stops in the Czech Republic revealed many differences.

Prague: ul. Makovského, Slánská stop.

The long landing platforms of the stops (65 m each) are located opposite each other next to the shopping center (at both ends of the stops there are ramps and pedesrtian passes, one of which leads directly to the entrance to the shopping center). The height of the platforms above the rail head level is 20 cm. The stop is located on a slope of about 5%.

Prague: Nádraží Veleslavín interchange - tram stop.

The Nádraží Veleslavín stop is a transfer point between the metro, suburban and regional trains, buses and trolleybuses (line 59 to the airport). The underpass (also known as the entrance to the metro) is duplicated by above-ground controlled crossings to ensure barrier-free access to the stop.

Brno: ul. Křenova, combined tram and trolleybus stop Vlhká.

The trolleybus moves on a dedicated track along tram tracks and uses stops shared with the tram. The trolleybus wires are close to the trams and above the stop platform, and the platform itself, 20 cm high, is located in a curve. A convenient level pedestrian crossing between stops is provided.

Brno: Nemocnice Bohunice transport hub.

Nemocnice Bohunice in the “Campus” district is the tram terminus and a significant interchange. It has three adjacent parallel platforms, connected by pedesrtian passes at both ends of the interchange. Transfers from bus to tram take place within one platform. Boarding and alighting are carried out on both sides of the tram (a two-cabin rolling stock with doors on both sides). Nearby is a hospital, a university campus and a shopping mall.

As we can see, tram stops are often located opposite each other - with convenient exits to attractions. They are long (60+ m) to accommodate several cars at the same time. Often, several parallel platforms are equipped for different types of transport, or trams and trolleybuses use common platforms. The height of the platforms (20–25 cm) is suitable for different rolling stock. The research group has never seen stops where the exit from trams is provided directly onto the roadway. Even in tight urban planning conditions in Prague, a platform is equipped, albeit of minimal width, sometimes narrower than 1.5 m.

Interaction with pedestrians, tram in pedestrian zones

Ukrainian norms (DBN B.2.2-12 “Planning and development of territories”, DBN V.2.3-5 “Streets and roads of settlements”) do not provide for tram traffic in pedestrian zones. The exceptions are Lviv and, to a lesser extent, Dnipro and Mykolaiv, where such areas have been formed historically. In addition, according to the same norms, the intersection of lines or the approach to stops (stations) of a light rail tram is provided only at different levels (underground or overpasses), despite the existing exceptions in Kyiv. And if the transfer node includes a metro or light rail station, all crossings at the node must be at different levels with transport (including through streets). Let's look at how the tram interacts with pedestrians in the Czech Republic.

Prague: ul. Vodičkova, Václavské námestí stop.

A tram in a pedestrian zone in Prague has a separate lane marked by a curb and posts. People can freely cross the tracks when there is no tram in motion.

Brno: Náměstí Svobody - the central square in the historic city center. Tram line after reconstruction.

The tram line in Brno runs right through the central square - Liberty Square. The track is made at the same level as the pedestrian surface, highlighted only by the pattern of the paving stones. Free movement of people on the square.

Brno: ul. Renneská, a winding section of the tram line.

In Brno, there is a high-speed section (60 km/h) on a residential street (zone “30”) in a dense residential area. An unregulated level pedestrian crossing with a zigzag path to ensure safety and proper visibility. Trams have absolute priority at the crossing.

Brno: ul. Hlinky, stop Lipová.

Stop at the new sports complex "Arena Brno", next to the Pisárky depot. The level crossing is laid through "pull-out" switches with flexible tips. Trams have priority at the crossing.

As we can see, in the Czech Republic there are no excessive restrictions on the placement of tram lines in pedestrian zones, instead, various options for safe traffic organization in such places are used (without separation, with separation by paving stones, demarcation by curbs and columns). Ground pedestrian crossings are also available across expressways, in particular at intersections and stops. There are solutions with laying ground crossings in the zone of switch points, which is unacceptable in Ukraine.

Tramway track: different approaches to solutions

The norms of Ukraine (DBN V.2.3-18 “Tram and trolleybus lines”) provide for a combined track for all types of transport, separated from the carriageway or its own track, independent of the road (outside the built-up area). A separate track common to trams and non-rail transport is not provided for, and the so-called “green tracks” (lawn or mixed grass) are not provided for, with structures other than the rail-sleeper grid. In Ukraine, the norms provide only for the so-called “block track” of one technology ( BKV-plates ), with neckless rails (rail profile without a base and “legs”), despite the fact that other structures with concrete slabs are used, for example in Lviv, Dnipro and Kharkiv. In the Czech Republic, different solutions are used for the arrangement of the track and the design of tram tracks.

Prague: ul. Jičínská. The steepest descent in Prague with a gradient of 8%. The track is combined, there are no restrictions for car traffic. The street is paved with basalt paving stones.

Brno: ul. Křenova. A dedicated lane for the combined movement of trams, trolleybuses and buses on the common carriageway of the street, separated only by markings.

Prague: ul. Evropská, stop Dívoká Šárka - combined bus, trolleybus, tram stop. Separate lane for trams and trolleybuses, paved with cobblestones in the stop area.

Prague: ul. Makovského, stop Slánská. Separate tram track, open tracks (no filling between the rails). Rubber flooring for pedesrtian passes.

Brno: ul. Nové sady. Separate tramway track with “green tracks”. On both sides - meadow grasses of perennial cereals.

Prague: transition section of dedicated tram track

The transition from the paved surface near the stop to the “green tracks” is arranged with a ditch as a means of counteracting accidental or intentional vehicle movement onto the tracks.

Brno: ul. Hlinky, stop Lipová, near the “Brno Arena”.

New infrastructure facility near the Pisárky depot in Brno. The tram track and stops are built on a trestle on a concrete monolithic bed, with open fastenings (without filling between the rails). The trestle was built to ensure the trams can turn around and to reduce empty runs.

Brno: high-speed section (60 km/h) in the southwest of the city.

In Brno, on the high-speed tram section, on the overpass across ul. Vídeňská, a rail-sleeper grid (wooden sleepers) on a crushed stone base was fixed.

Brno: Západní Vrána underground tram station.

The station is located below ground level at the end of the high-speed section in the southwest of the city. The tracks run in a shared tunnel (diverging at the station), secured to a monolithic concrete base. The section is scheduled to open in 2022.

Prague: Václavské námestí, new construction of tram track for route No. 1.

Construction of a new tram line (a bridge between the existing sections) is underway on the famous Wenceslas Square. The space between the rails on a monolithic concrete base is being paved to match the surface of the entire square. Car traffic on the square will be limited.

As you can see, in the Czech Republic, a tram line can be organized in different conditions and with different infrastructure solutions: in a pedestrian zone, combined with motor vehicles, combined with other public transport, separated from the road by a curb and lawn, or with complete isolation, including on overpasses and in tunnels. There is no such separate type of transport as a “high-speed tram” in the Czech Republic. Each tram route is as fast as possible where it is possible and safe, carrying people from the outskirts of the city to the center, and becomes “slow” in pedestrian zones.

Depot arrangement

Brno: Pisárky tram depot. General view of the track park.

The territory of the Pisárky depot after the recent reconstruction is paved, the track development is arranged using successive switches, overlapping each other with crosses - to increase the space for trams to settle in the open park. Brno is proud that this is the "largest harp in the Czech Republic", because from above these tracks of sediment resemble a harp.

Brno: Pisárky tram depot. Daily car inspection shop.

The daily inspection shop was built recently. There is a trestle (tower) for inspecting the roof equipment of the cars and a space for inspecting the underbody equipment. The shop has markings for the dimensions of the trams and passageways.

Brno: Pisárky tram depot. The depot has a covered area for arranging cars before leaving for the line.

Brno: Pisárky tram depot. The workroom of the senior master.

The senior depot foreman's workplace has a computer system with monitors - for controlling the arrangement of cars and switching points with communication systems .

Conclusions for Ukraine

A field study of the Czech Republic's practices in the development of tram infrastructure showed that the Czech Republic's norms and practices lack excessive restrictions and prohibitions inherent in Ukrainian norms. The necessary safety requirements are provided by planning and engineering solutions, without the need for excessive investments and without violating the principles of barrier-free access. The knowledge gained and examples of infrastructure in the Czech Republic will be used in the preparation of proposals for the content of the new edition of the state construction norms of Ukraine for tram and trolleybus lines, which is being worked on by the public organization "Vision Zero" together with the State Enterprise "Scientific Research and Design and Technological Institute of Urban Economy".

The visit to the Czech Republic took place within the framework of the project "Removing Obstacles in the Regulatory Framework for the Development of Electric Transport in Ukraine", which is being implemented with the support of the European Climate Foundation in 2025-2026.

Text: Yuriy Lozovenko, Viktor Zagreba

Photo: Anna Atamanchuk, Volodymyr Kryvulya, Viktor Zagreba.

Berlin Economics presented a study of the industrial potential and prospects for the development of electric public transport in Ukraine, prepared in partnership with the Central Transport Service and the Vision Zero NGO with the support of the European Climate Fund (ECF).

( Original article from partners )

The official presentation of the study took place in Kyiv against the backdrop of the official opening of Ukraine's negotiations on EU accession and preparations for the Ukrainian Recovery Conference in Gdansk. So it is natural that its participants emphasized: strengthening the energy and transport infrastructure is not only an opportunity to update the transport fleet, but also a full-fledged vector of Ukraine's recovery with significant prospects for business development, stimulation of domestic demand and export opportunities.

The study, which Berlin Economics implemented in partnership with the Ukrainian Transport Authority and Vision Zero NGO with the support of the European Climate Fund (ECF), assesses the development opportunities of the electric public transport sector, identifies barriers that may hinder this development, and measures that will help overcome these barriers and make the sector a pillar for the country's recovery and integration with the EU. The key goal of the study is to develop a full-fledged strategy for the development of the electric public transport sector in Ukraine.

As Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development Maryna Denysiuk noted during the discussion of the presentation, which was held in partnership with the German-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, "the issue is not only to buy new buses or trolleybuses, but to ensure that these investments work for the Ukrainian economy, create jobs and develop our industrial capabilities."

Berlin Economics experts agree with this: "Electric public transport is an area in which Ukraine has very important innovative potential, which must be used properly and directed in the right context. Important concepts must be developed that must be added to value chains - this is very important in this area."

Maryna Denysiuk, Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development

Infrastructure first, rolling stock later

Supporting public electric transport cannot be considered only as an environmental measure, or as a separate purchase of trolleybuses, trams or electric buses. This is a matter of the quality of transport service, accessibility for passengers, barrier-free transport, energy sustainability for communities, reducing operating costs and modernizing urban infrastructure, stressed Maryna Denisyuk. Currently, based on data from the DREAM system (Digital Restoration Ecosystem for Accountable Management), the needs of all communities in this area amount to more than 480 billion UAH. "This is a fantastic figure and at this stage is even unattainable," noted Maryna Denisyuk. "It requires attracting all types of financing in order to cover these needs in the ten-year perspective. The program is aimed at modernizing urban electric transport systems. In particular, by updating infrastructure, rolling stock and related facilities."

When updating their electric transport fleets, it is important for Ukrainian cities to simultaneously move from the logic of purchasing transport units to the logic of a comprehensive transport project, the deputy minister emphasized. "If a city purchases electric buses, trams or trolleybuses, it must simultaneously plan a route network, charging and contact infrastructure, depots, energy capacity, maintenance, personnel training, the introduction of an electronic ticket, GPS monitoring and quality control of services," she says.

Touching on the topic of power outages due to enemy attacks, Maryna Denisyuk emphasized that these are temporary circumstances. The beginning of the negotiation process with the EU, which will involve the introduction of directives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, imposes on us the obligation to switch to electronic modes of transport for the cleanliness of cities. "Any military risks and uncertainties do not stop the European integration process," she emphasized. "Including in the field of electric public transport."

Dnipro, a new tram manufactured by Tatra-Yug. Even in wartime, Ukrainian cities continue to buy electric transport, and domestic manufacturers continue to supply their products

Strengthen the value chain

Presenting the results of the study, Berlin Economics expert Yigit Tahmisoglu noted that Ukraine already has a production base for electric buses, diesel buses, trolleybuses and trams. "If we apply adequate programs, we will be able to strengthen this sector, strengthen the value-added chain, and train new personnel, and the study shows how this can be done," he noted. According to experts' calculations, by 2027, the volume of production in this sector can be increased by 15%, and finished products can be supplied to Africa and Asia.

According to Yigit Tahmisoglu, on this path, it is worth starting from such drivers as the restoration and strengthening of the value-added chain, meeting the needs of the national rolling stock market, and modernizing public transport and infrastructure. "We see a strong emerging production base in the electric bus segment. We can also use the knowledge and capabilities from the production of diesel buses and transfer these resources to the production of electric buses and reach a competitive level," Yigit Tahmisoglu emphasized.

At the same time, he noted that Ukraine already has a strong production base of battery-powered trolleybuses. This is about high added value at higher levels of production, and we can work on greater integration of all sectors of production and scaling this sector to meet national public transport needs.

Many types of trams produced in Ukraine have a localization level of 48% to 95%, the expert draws attention. Development in this direction can allow updating the outdated fleet and developing existing production capabilities. Special attention is paid to strengthening capabilities in the domestic production of components and spare parts. This, at the same time, will allow connecting us with the European market.

Among the obstacles that prevent the electric vehicle market from developing, Yigit Tahmisoglu first of all named the lack of sufficient financial support. "State support is unstable, the market is counting on foreign investors," he noted. At the same time, he drew attention to the importance of developing battery production, emphasizing that research even indicates a reduction in investment in this area.

Another obstacle is the lack of a general policy for the development of the public electric sector. "Contracts for production are decreasing, substations for electricity production are quite outdated, and the infrastructure is too," the expert points out. "When new trolleybuses or trams are purchased, but outdated infrastructure is used, the desired levels of technical characteristics of the new transport are not achieved."

The study shows that currently, virtually all cities in Ukraine depend on external borrowing for public transport renovation. The process of accessing loans is very slow. It often takes up to 9 months to receive the first tranche, and tenders take a very long time.

However, certain requirements for electrification of public transport exist and they are quite real. Cities with a certain population have obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Not to mention large cities. National policy promotes the transition to electric transport. There are plans to purchase 9 thousand units of electric transport, which will be financed within the framework of European loans. But Ukraine also lacks modern municipal mobility plans that would become part of the national plan.

The lack of sufficient funding also affects Ukraine's export capabilities in the field of electric transport, the study notes. Before the war, our country exported trams to Egypt, as well as small diesel buses. Currently, the barrier to possible export to the EU is certification. It requires more than a million euros and 1-2 years of testing on European markets. However, this area is not funded at all in Ukraine, which makes domestic manufacturers uncompetitive. European manufacturers have the advantage of providing electric transport services for 7-8 years, while Ukraine cannot provide such a long guarantee. Domestic manufacturers may currently have a lower price, but due to the lack of approved European technologies for batteries and other elements, they do not have access to foreign markets. Currently, European manufacturers dominate there, and there is also fierce competition from China.

But in Europe there are plans to expand the fleet of electric vehicles, and there are also almost a thousand projects for the production of batteries for electric vehicles. Ukraine has a strong position in this segment and can compete in the trolleybus market in the best case scenario, the study notes. If the production of electric vehicles in Ukraine follows this scenario, an additional 387 million euros in added value could be added to the economy. And there will also be added benefits associated with the absence of the need to purchase diesel, which will allow saving from 9 to 15 million euros.

Before the full-scale war, a batch of Ukrainian trams was purchased by the Egyptian city of Alexandria

The problem of long-term planning

Manufacturers also emphasized the importance of a systematic approach to financing and playing the long game. "We all talk about investments, but investments without a guaranteed sales market are very risky," says Nataliya Bachurna, Sales Director of the Chernihiv Automobile Plant. "The classic production model works based on an assessment of forecasted demand. You can work on a stockpile and create a buffer zone, you can establish long-term production, but the electric vehicle market is very dependent on a specific contract. We do not have the opportunity to make a certain number of units "on stock", since it is the customers, whom we know by face, who will order each unit with certain technical characteristics. We do not know what the contract will be with this or that community, what they will want to see - what innovations."

Such production of public transport requires large working capital and large supply chains of components, including imported ones. At the Chernihiv Automobile Plant, they say that the purchase of components alone can take from 3 to 6 months. Therefore, without multi-year contracts for the renewal of rolling stock from municipalities, it is difficult to talk about proper strategic planning. "We have short-cycle production and instability. If the state had developed guaranteed multi-year plans for public procurement, this would have allowed us to push the development of the industry forward," Bachurna summarized.

At the same time, she also confirmed the information disseminated in the study about the long duration of tenders announced for the purchase of transport for Ukrainian cities at the expense of international donors: "By submitting a tender offer in 2024, we can reach a contract in 2026, and the price offer does not change. This requires a lot of financial resources, associated, for example, with very expensive bank guarantees."

At the same time, she said that the company she represents has a prototype of electric buses, but there are no orders for them. The production has also introduced a system for modernizing trams, which allows you to leave the old trolleys, but save up to 40% of electricity compared to old cars. Such modernization was once popular in the Czech Republic and Switzerland. Its cost is two to three times cheaper than purchasing new trams. But again, there are no orders. Customers are either waiting for financing to buy new cars, or are trying to carry out such modernizations on their own.

Chernihiv has developed its own electric bus model. However, our cities are currently in no hurry to purchase such vehicles.

One of the striking examples of tram modernization based on municipal enterprises is Vinnytsia VinWay

Deputy Director of the Khmelnytskyi Municipal Enterprise "Electrotrans" Natalia Svystun-Smolyak, in fact, emphasized the importance of creating production and repair facilities on the basis of municipal public transport enterprises. In Khmelnytskyi, their own training and production site was created back in 2022. Students of higher vocational schools who have related professions - electricians, welders, body builders - were involved in the work. They are given the opportunity to undergo practice, in fact, improving their dual education in this way. The enterprise also closely cooperates with the Khmelnytskyi National University, namely with the Faculty of Engineering Machine-Building Technologies. Leading teachers in engineering specializations work here part-time. This allows us to overcome the personnel shortage that arose in connection with the mobilization processes. "It is impossible to talk about transport development and not mention who will implement all this," Natalia Svystun-Smolyak is convinced.

The loan that Khmelnytskyi received from the EBRD for the renewal of the transport fleet provides for a total amount of 16 million 555 thousand euros. Of these, 10 million 600 thousand euros are loan funds, 4 million 555 thousand are grants. One and a half million euros are co-financing from the city council. Half of the funds went to the purchase and renewal of transport. The delivery of all 44 new vehicles produced by the Chernihiv Automobile Plant has already been completed. The remaining money is provided for the complete modernization of the repair base. Thus, the city has clearly defined step-by-step updates in cooperation with international institutions until 2029. "With our own funds, we can update no more than 20% of anything," says Natalia Svystun-Smolyak. "We have 10 traction substations in the city. Their work is already controlled by telemechanics, but we also need to update the traction switches - this is very expensive. We are planning these steps in unity with European donors."

At the same time, she noted: the study indicates the implementation of an automated fare payment system (AFPS), passenger flow tracking, and digital dispatching. "AFPS has been implemented in our electric transport since 2021. Our electric transport is completely cashless. New trolleybuses and some of the older ones, the "Bogdan" brand, are equipped with passenger flow systems. We can actually compare data on payments made under the AFPS with real passenger flow. I know that only a few cities have this, but we have it," the speaker shared her experience.

According to her, the city is working on the implementation of sustainable mobility. "Electric transport is a special type of transport. And we manage to form a more positive attitude towards it," she says. Currently, trolleybuses are extremely popular for rental for birthdays or graduation parties. The city has organized unlimited broadband Internet in each car to lure students and schoolchildren away from private carriers. "Our percentage of paid passengers has increased," says a representative of the municipal enterprise. "Everyone is switching to new equipment."

The purchase of 44 new trolleybuses for Khmelnytskyi, partly financed by the EBRD, became one of the largest examples of rolling stock renewal after 2022

Despite the fact that Ukraine has to deal with the consequences of barbaric Russian attacks every day, now is the time to rethink urban mobility as a whole and its importance for ensuring the quality of life in the city, believes Serhiy Vovk, director of the Central Transport Service. The public transport system in the city is complex, as it includes both municipal and private transport. "It is precisely cooperation, not competition, that should be an element of the development of transport policy as such," he stressed. "It is absolutely unacceptable when we hear that our municipal transport is completely digital, and scheduled services operate for cash in the "shadow". Under such conditions, it is difficult to talk about competition."

Another issue is the combination of different modalities. Cities are actively developing, new types of transport are emerging, the movement of which is still not regulated or regulated to a very limited extent, suburban transport is being added... "It is desirable to combine all these modalities into one system so that the city can see where and how it is moving," notes Serhiy Vovk. At the same time, he drew attention to completely new challenges associated with the war. First of all, in the context of demography. Cities in the west of the country have received new residents as a result of internal migration from the east and center. And these are new passenger flows that need to be taken into account. A very important story is the energy infrastructure, which is also currently in the stage of active reconstruction. "Transport, as one of the main energy consumers of the city, should also be a key driver in the formation of this system," the expert notes.

The Berlin Economics study creates a solid basis for the development of the electric transport market, both in terms of domestic demand and export opportunities, and supply - new and modernized equipment and infrastructure solutions of Ukrainian production. The experts who participated in the study separately emphasized that, provided that consistent and adequately provided state support, the same amount of investment can increase domestic production capacity, ensure emission reductions and position Ukrainian manufacturers in the European value chain in the urban transport sector over the next decade.

Berlin Economics presented a study of the industrial potential and prospects for the development of electric public transport in Ukraine, prepared in partnership with the Central Transport Service and the NGO Vision Zero with the support of the European Climate Fund (ECF)