Frontline Ukrainian city Dnipro renews public transport fleet with EU support

The eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro has put five new trams into service as part of a renewal of electric public transport backed by €21.4 million in financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The upgrade comes as Dnipro, home to around 800,000 people, keeps essential services running amid the war against Russia.

The new vehicles are Dnipro’s first low-floor trams – a significant addition to a fleet that is more than 40 years old on average. The low floors make boarding easier for older people, passengers with disabilities and parents with prams. The trams, which were manufactured locally, feature modern passenger-information systems. They are also quieter and more energy-efficient, helping make public transport greener and more resilient to climate change.

“Keeping people moving – to work, school, and around the city – matters every day and even more so during the war,” said EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer. “Our support is helping Dnipro renew transport that people rely on while bringing more accessible vehicles into service and supporting their production here in Ukraine.”

The trams were manufactured by Tatra-Yug at its production facilities in Dnipro, with up to 70% of the components sourced from Ukrainian suppliers. The vehicles are operating on line No. 1 between the main railway station and the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies, a route popular with both Dnipro residents and visitors to the city.

“Russia’s war has put enormous pressure on Ukrainian cities, but people still need to get to work, school and essential services every day,” said Joost Mohlmann, Head of Section for Reconstruction, Energy, Infrastructure and Environment at the EU Delegation to Ukraine. “By supporting public transport in Dnipro, the EU is helping the city keep moving while also supporting Ukrainian businesses and jobs. This is European solidarity translated into practical support for people.”

The renewal goes beyond the five trams. The EIB financing of €21.4 million also covers additional trams and maintenance equipment as well as 15 new low-floor trolleybuses set for delivery later this year and in 2027.

The investment in Dnipro is part of the €200 million Ukraine Urban Public Transport Project II, through which the EIB supports Ukrainian cities in upgrading urban public transport. The project is coordinated by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine and implemented by the Ministry for Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport of Ukraine in cooperation with the participating municipalities and their municipal transport companies.

“Renewal of urban transport has a direct impact on people’s quality of life,” said Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport of Ukraine Mykola Kalashnyk. “In Dnipro, thanks to cooperation with the EIB, the city is receiving modern low-floor trams and trolleybuses that will operate on key routes, including the first barrier-free route. It is also crucial for us that this project supports Ukrainian manufacturers: the new trams are being produced in Dnipro with a local content share of up to 70%, with more than 100 Ukrainian companies involved in the production process. Investments of this kind help communities modernise public transport, create a more accessible urban environment and support the Ukrainian economy at the same time.”

“In cities like Dnipro, people experience the impact of international support in their daily lives. Together with the European Investment Bank, we are not only renewing public transport but making it more accessible and inclusive for everyone,” said Deputy Minister of Finance of Ukraine Olga Zykova. “Equally important, these vehicles are built in Ukraine – supporting Ukrainian industry, creating jobs, and ensuring that recovery also strengthens our economy and our people.”

“This is a long-awaited renewal of our electric transport,” said Dnipro Deputy Mayor Ihor Makovtsev. “The new vehicles are accessible, built here in Dnipro and already serving our residents. And this is only part of the renewal still to come.”

“The difference is very simple for passengers: for the first time in Dnipro, they can board a tram without climbing steps,” said Chief Engineer of Municipal Company “Dnipro Electrotransport” Volodymyr Lehkiy. “That matters particularly for older people, parents with prams and passengers with reduced mobility.”

Background information

The EIB in Ukraine 

Present in Ukraine since 2007, the EIB Group has significantly stepped up its financial support for the country’s resilience and modernisation following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Since then, EIB financing in support of Ukraine has reached €4.5 billion. Through its EU for Ukraine (EU4U) Initiative, coupled with its key role in implementing a dedicated window under the Ukraine Facility, the EIB is strongly committed to stepping up and accelerating its activities in line with the mandate given by EU leaders and in close cooperation with the European Commission, the European Parliament, Member States and international partners.

Press contact

Olga Sushytska, o.sushytska@eib.org

Website: www.eib.org/press