The first of Naples’ new trams has arrived, made by Bozankaya

In recent days, the first of 20 new trams ordered in December 2023 by the city of Naples and ANM from the Turkish manufacturer Bozankaya has arrived in Naples. The tram is now at the San Giovanni a Teduccio depot, awaiting its first tests on the line. Three more vehicles are expected by 2025, with all deliveries scheduled to be completed next year.

The total investment amounts to €63 million, with an option for additional units, and includes all commissioning activities.

Bozankaya trams for Naples’ public transport

The vehicle features cutting-edge technology. It is bidirectional, articulated into five sections, 30 metres long, 2.4 metres wide, equipped with three bogies and four doors on each side, and can carry up to 274 passengers (64 seated and 210 standing) thanks to optimized interior space. There is also dedicated space for passengers with reduced mobility.

The tram has a fully low floor and air conditioning in both the passenger area and the two driver cabs. It is also equipped with battery packs that allow it to travel up to two kilometres in autonomous mode. The maximum speed is 70 km/h. The elegant blue livery reflects the visual identity of Naples’ public transport system.

The new trams will contribute to modernising the fleet, which currently consists of 22 three-section Sirio trams (series 1101–1122) delivered between 2004 and 2007, and around a dozen bogie trams from the 1000 series, dating back to the 1930s, with bodies rebuilt in the 1980s.

The new arrivals are part of the project to expand the Neapolitan tram network, including the return of the tram service to Mergellina—an initiative expected to improve urban mobility—and the construction of the new “Tram del Mare” line, approximately 10 km long. The Tram del Mare will connect Mergellina with San Giovanni a Teduccio and Poggioreale.

The new blue trams will operate on the new line, which in its first phase will link San Giovanni to Piazza Vittoria and then continue to Piazza Sannazaro. The route will run along Via Nuova Marina, Via Acton, the Galleria Vittoria and the Riviera di Chiaia. There will also be a stop before the entrance to the Galleria Vittoria on the Via Acton side.

The project is progressing smoothly, thanks in part to funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The goal is to have both the tram network and the new vehicles in service by June 2026.

by Stefano Alfano