Without money and on a different gauge: can Mykolaiv put 40 used trams from Gothenburg into service?

In Mykolaiv they are considering receiving 40 tram cars from the Swedish city of Gothenburg. It concerns the M29 models, which are being withdrawn from service in Sweden, but they remain suitable for further use.

The project is at the stage of preliminary agreements. The final decision on the transfer of the vehicles still has to be made by the city authorities of Gothenburg and the regional council. From the Ukrainian side, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development has also already joined the process. This was said by Mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Senkevych during a session of the Mykolaiv City Council.

At the same time, before putting the vehicles into service in Mykolaiv a key technical problem arises — different track gauges. The city uses a wider rail system than Sweden, so the trams will have to be adapted: change wheelsets, modify the structure and carry out a complete modernization. To prepare for this process, already in April specialists from the enterprise “Mykolaivelektrotrans” will go to Sweden to study the technical features of the vehicles and undertake practical preparation for their conversion.

The financial question remains open. According to preliminary estimates, even a modernized used tram can cost around 800 thousand euros, while a new vehicle — up to 1.2 million euros. In addition, separate expenses will go to painting, technical tuning and adaptation to the city’s infrastructure.

Despite the difficulties, the city authorities view this project as a chance to significantly renew the tram fleet and improve transport in Mykolaiv, where the problem of worn-out vehicles remains relevant.

Earlier we wrote:

• 40 trams for Mykolaiv: Swedish company ready to transfer the vehicles — only the councils’ decision is needed
• Mykolaiv electric transport will cost the city almost 800 million UAH in 2026
• The tram that the war did not stop: 111 years of Mykolaiv’s electric transport
• Buses set free: the Verkhovna Rada ‘unfroze’ humanitarian transport
• In Mykolaiv the fare for trams and trolleybuses will be increased: how fares will change