The first tram from Sweden could arrive in Mykolaiv by the end of the summer

Mykolaiv is set to receive 40 M29 trams from a transport company in the Swedish city of Gothenburg

The first tram carriage from Sweden could be delivered to Mykolaiv in late August or early September. Along with it, the city is expecting a set of tram bogies to begin converting the carriages for the Mykolaiv track.

This was announced during a staff meeting at the city hall on 12 May, according to NikVesti.

According to Yurii Smetana, director of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaivelektrotrans», five employees of the company are set to travel to Sweden this Friday for a 21-day trip. These are drivers, electricians and engineers who are to undergo training and familiarise themselves with the technical maintenance charts for the M29 model trams.

«Following this, as per preliminary agreements, we expect the first tram carriage to be delivered to Mykolaiv in late August or early September, along with a set of tram bogies, so that we can begin adapting them to our track,» said Yurii Smetana.

Yurii Smetana noted that to organise the delivery of the trams, the company must provide the Ministry with information on specific carriages. Following this, the Ministry will approach the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency with a request to arrange for the trams to be transported to Mykolaiv free of charge.

During the discussion, it was also mentioned that Mykolaiv is provisionally expecting to receive up to 40 trams, and the value of spare parts could amount to around 80 million hryvnias.

According to the company’s director, Sweden is also prepared to provide spare parts worth 17 million kronor, though obtaining them is complicated by legislative restrictions on humanitarian aid. Oleksandr Sienkevych stated that he had raised this issue in a conversation with the Prime Minister last week and asked for a letter to be sent to her.

«That’s good, because there really is a problem. Since 2023, companies like ours across the country have ceased to be recipients of humanitarian aid. Separate changes have been made regarding buses, trams and rolling stock. And spare parts are a whole other story. For example, Sweden has promised spare parts worth 17 million kronor, but we won’t be able to receive them without customs clearance,» said Yurii Smetana.

In addition, the M29 trams are low-floor models, so the city will have to address the issue of accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility.