25 Teams at Tram World Championship at Vienna City Hall Square at the Start

Many European cities are also participating in the first Tram World Championship at Vienna's Rathausplatz. Among them are Budapest, which won the European Championship title last year, as well as Paris, Stockholm, Kyiv, and Rotterdam. Two countries are sending mixed teams with participants from different cities. Germany will be represented by drivers from Berlin and Leipzig, Finland by participants from Helsinki and Tampere. The application processes for the last two starting places are still ongoing.

Vienna Team Aims to "Sweep Away" Competition at Tram World Championship in Vienna

The team from Wiener Linien consists of Elisabeth Urbanitsch from the Rudolfsheim depot and Florijan Isaku from the Hernals depot. They were able to prevail against more than a hundred other applicants and forty drivers in the qualification. Isaku has been a tram driver for eleven years and regularly drives on ten tram lines, preferring the route around the Ring. Urbanitsch can draw on five and a half years of experience and operates on 20 lines in Vienna, particularly enjoying the D-line.

Participating is a "huge honor" for Isaku, the 35-year-old said in a press conference on Tuesday. "Being there is everything," Urbanitsch stated, "but we also want to sweep away the competition," added the 48-year-old. Like her, Andreas Kainrad was also stationed at the Rudolfsheim depot, who, together with Sandra Kaider, won the Tram European Championship 2023. However, Urbanitsch and Isaku did not seek any tips from their colleagues in advance.

During the World Championship, drivers will compete in six to seven disciplines, such as precision driving or skill driving. Which exact challenges the participants will face this year, they will only find out themselves, likely in June. It is not possible to specifically prepare for all the events of the Tram World Championship in everyday life - keyword "tram bowling," the two said. Other things like target braking and maintaining speed can be practiced in daily use. "You develop a certain feel for it, which is why daily driving out there is a huge exercise," said Isaku.

Tram World Championship at Vienna City Hall Square with ULF and Flexity

The competition will be held with the models of the host country - in this case, these are Flexity and ULF of Wiener Linien. Before the World Championship takes place, all teams have the opportunity to train with the vehicles. However, the controls are similar for all models, the Vienna team knows, "one day to get accustomed should be enough," estimated Isaku.

In everyday life, traffic can sometimes become a challenge, "we are not alone on the track, you have to be considerate of everyone so that it works well and we can bring the passengers safely to their destination," said Urbanitsch. However, during the World Championship, the teams have free passage. For the competition on September 13, the Ring will be partially closed.

160 Years of Vienna Tram at Tram World Championship at Vienna City Hall Square

Since 2012, tram drivers from various cities in Europe have been demonstrating their skills at the Tram European Championship. In 2015, the European Championship took place in Vienna, and in 2023, the Vienna team took first place. The transition from a European Championship to a World Championship was also a great wish of Wiener Linien, said a spokesperson. After all, this year marks the 160th anniversary of the tram. In addition to the World Championship competition, there will also be a public transport festival at City Hall Square with exhibitions, interactive stations, and a children's program. The Public Transport Day will also take place as part of the Tram World Championship.

(APA/Red)

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