Solaris Bus & Coach and the Warsaw (Poland) Public Transport Authority (ZTM) have signed a contract for the delivery of electric buses. Twelve articulated Urbino 18 electric buses will be delivered to Warsaw in 2024-2025, adding to the existing fleet of 150 electric buses from Solaris serving the public transport network in the capital of Poland since 2015.
Placing the order for the Urbino electric buses is ZTM; however, they will be used by Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe, a company that operates public bus transport in Warsaw.
The newly ordered electric buses will be equipped with Solaris batteries. Charging of the buses will take place using depot plug-in chargers as well as pantographs.
The interior and equipment of the buses will be adapted to the current standards for Warsaw vehicles. Passengers will therefore have access to a modern passenger information system, will benefit from air conditioning and will also be able to charge their phones using USB sockets.
Thirty-nine seats will be available on board the low-floor buses, 13 of which will be accessible from the low floor for people with reduced mobility. Additionally, the buses will feature two wheelchair and stroller-friendly bays. Vehicle buttons will also be labeled with Braille alphabet.
These newly ordered buses will be delivered to Warsaw in four batches in 2024-2025. The first models will arrive in Warsaw in autumn 2024 and will be deployed on routes that pass through the central areas of the city.
This is the first order that Solaris has received on behalf of ZTM Warsaw, but the company has been collaborating with MZA since 1997. Since then, more than 1,300 buses of the brand have hit the streets of Warsaw, including the 150 electric buses, which makes it one of the largest battery-powered fleets in Europe. Over 2,000 Solaris battery-powered buses from the brand are currently serving passengers in 21 European countries, with another thousand in production and soon to be delivered to customers.