Transport in Osijek on the verge of a revolution: renewal of the tram network and fleet

The entire tram network will soon be upgraded at a cost of €45 million (around 18 billion forints), a prerequisite for the new low-floor trams to enter service, the city authority said.

They stressed that the lack of significant investment has led to a situation where the city's electricity network infrastructure is completely obsolete. The last new tram arrived in Osijek in 1982, so modernisation is simply essential for public transport, they added.

The electricity network will be completed soon

Works started in March 2022 and include the construction of 8.5 kilometres of underground and 9.5 kilometres of overhead lines, the upgrading of 9.8 kilometres of existing tram lines and the renovation of 23 tram stops to provide barrier-free access for people with disabilities and people with reduced mobility.

So far, around 95 percent of the work has been completed. According to a statement from the city administration and the Essex Public Transport Company (GPP), the construction and electrical installation works will be completed by the end of the second quarter of this year.

The city of Osijek will thus have a high quality electricity network, which is also important for reducing vibration and noise, and the 380 new poles connecting the lines will be used partly for street lighting.

Modern trams and electric buses arrive

The administration of the city of some 96,000 inhabitants has signed a contract worth €23 million with the Croatian electricity, transport and energy company Koncar for the purchase of ten new trams. The first has already arrived and the rest will be delivered continuously until the end of September. Ten more low-floor trams are also planned, which will renew the entire tram fleet.

Mayor Ivan Radic said that the new trams are more modern and comfortable; they are 21 metres long and have 135 seats, while the previous ones were 14 metres long and had 88 seats.

He added: Preparations have also started for the purchase of 19 new electric buses and the construction of the infrastructure for their charging stations.

The investment is worth €15 million and will be fully financed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

In addition to the renewal of the fleet, Osijek also plans to build a new garage for these public transport vehicles, a project estimated to cost around €50 million.