A solemn presentation of new trams took place in Vitebsk
Deputy Chairman for Architecture and Construction of the Regional Executive Committee Alexander Nefedov recalled that Vitebsk was the first city in Belarus to open tram service.
- Today, on the eve of the celebration of the 127th anniversary of the Vitebsk tram, we are witnessing a significant event for all residents and guests of the city, - he said. - We are launching a new generation of trams into operation, which differs radically from the previous series, both technically and aesthetically.
The T811 tram model was put into production by "BKM Holding" in 2022, and mass production began in 2023. Initially, the trams were exported to Russia – to Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, and Krasnodar. In the summer of 2024, they were launched into operation in Mozyr, and at the beginning of 2025, the first cars went into service in the Belarusian capital.
A feature of this tram model is the presence of air conditioning systems, automatic fire suppression, a multimedia system, USB ports for charging phones, and also the possibility of connecting to the Internet via Wi-Fi.
The car has 35 seats. The total capacity is 159 people.
- The number of doors has been increased in this tram model – there were three in the previous cars, and there are four here, - said Oleg Bytko, Deputy General Director of OJSC Management Company Holding "Belkommunmash". - Opposite the double doors, there is an enlarged standing area for the convenience of passengers with strollers and people with disabilities. One of the doors has a ramp for disabled people. And the arrangement of the doors allows for an increase in the speed of passenger boarding and alighting.
The new trams are also maximally comfortable for the drivers.
- This equipment is very convenient to operate, - said Anna Shcherbakova, a driver with 26 years of experience, to "VV". – A comfortable driver's seat, a smooth ride. The controller is not on the control panel (as in previous tram models), but on the armrest, which is very convenient for work. At the same time, there are cameras inside and outside the cabin. Images from them are displayed on the driver's console.
During the grand opening ceremony, Oleg Bytsko handed over the symbolic key to the new equipment to the General Director of JSC "Vitebskoblavtotrans" Alexander Fedukovich. Veterans of the enterprise were also honored, and creative groups performed.
At the end of the program, participants and guests of the ceremony took an excursion around the city on trams, including on equipment of Riga production that ran in Vitebsk last century. The former head of the Vitebsk tram and trolleybus department, Vasily Pavlyuchkov, acted as a guide.
It is planned that the new trams will enter service at the beginning of June. They will start running on route No. 3.