Berlin launches 50-metre Urbanliner tram with 300+ passenger capacity
Berlin's public transport operator BVG placed Alstom's new Urbanliner Flexity tram into regular commercial service on the M4 line on 15 July 2026, following about a week of passenger test and training runs that had already put the vehicle on the network from around 8 July. The nine-section vehicle measures 50.89 metres in length and 2,400 mm in width, making it the longest tram in the German capital.
In its final in-service configuration, the Urbanliner accommodates 303 passengers, with 88 seats and space for 215 standees. This is broadly in line with the capacity of a coupled pair of GT6 trams (around 300 passengers), the older vehicles it is replacing on the M4 route, meaning the new single, longer vehicle matches the capacity of a double GT6 consist while eliminating the need to run two coupled units.
According to Alstom and BVG, which jointly marked the tram's entry into commercial service, the first Urbanliner began regular passenger operation on 15 July 2026. The M4 is one of Berlin's busiest tram routes, and the new vehicle is designed to handle high passenger volumes without requiring coupled formations.
The vehicle's regulatory approval currently covers only the M4 line, and — due to a software issue affecting the rear driving cab — it may only be operated in passenger service with its front cab leading, effectively restricting it to running in one orientation for now.
The deployment follows a lengthy delay: the trams were ordered in December 2020 with original entry into service planned for 2022, meaning the Urbanliner reached passenger operation roughly five and a half years later than initially expected. BVG has ordered 65 Urbanliner units in total (an initial batch of 20 in 2020, extended by 45 more in 2024), under a framework agreement that allows for up to 117 vehicles.
The Urbanliner Flexity was first exhibited as a prototype at InnoTrans 2024, where Alstom showcased the nine-section design; the passenger capacity shown at that time (312, with 92 seats and 220 standees) reflected the pre-production prototype and differs from the vehicle's final in-service configuration.
The new tram is also the first in the BVG fleet built without classic exterior mirrors, using cameras and monitors in the driver's cab instead.
The deployment of the 50-metre trams reflects Berlin's strategy to increase public transport capacity on high-demand corridors. By replacing coupled GT6 sets with single, longer vehicles, BVG aims to improve service reliability and passenger flow on the M4 line.