The European Tram Driver Championship 2022 in Leipzig

Leipzig is history-conscious and vibrant. This can be seen in the colourful and diverse streetscape, and, above all, in the people who can whip up a passion for a cause.
By Stefan Gerlach

The European Tram Driver Championship 2022 was perfect proof of this: densely packed rows of spectators along the tracks on Augustusplatz in the centre of the city; palpable emotions when the teams from 25 cities completed the tricky disciplines; and European community spirit instead of petty local patriotism. The concept of Europe is also broadly defined with the team from Melbourne travelling the longest distance to take part.

So what is a tram driver competition with two-driver teams all about? Physical fitness, e.g. when changing from one track to another with precision. It calls for good reaction speed when applying the emergency brake and agility when hitting a billiard ball by delicately touching a billiard cue with the tram.

The teams clearly had a lot fun as they ambitiously competed, encouraged and cheered on by the many spectators and excellent commentators. The event was rounded off by a varied supporting programme, and the people of Leipzig were visibly proud of their L - the Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe. We, at HANNING & KAHL, are also proud of our long partnership with the LVB, which we support with our product portfolio as they continuously expand and modernise their public transport services.