South Korean train manufacturer Hyundai Rotem appears positioned to win a major tram contract in Warsaw worth up to ₩1.28 trillion ($1 billion), building on its earlier success in the Polish capital.
The company submitted a more competitive bid than Czech rival Skoda Transportation for a contract to supply up to 160 trams to Warsaw’s transport operator, according to industry sources. Hyundai Rotem proposed ₩8.38 billion per single-direction tram for the base order, while Skoda’s pricing was reportedly higher.
The tender calls for 64 single-direction and 96 bidirectional trams, with Warsaw committing to an initial firm order of 20 units while treating the remaining 140 as options. The selected supplier must deliver the base order within 28 months, with first units arriving within 24 months.
Hyundai Rotem holds a significant advantage through its previous delivery of 123 trams to Warsaw completed in 2019, demonstrating proven capability in the Polish market. The Korean manufacturer has leveraged this track record alongside its recent success in Poland’s defense sector, where it secured a $6.5 billion tank contract.
Warsaw officials emphasized that trams must use proven technology and include safety features such as collision prevention systems and driver fatigue detection. The procurement follows a two-stage process, with final contracts awarded based primarily on price competitiveness.
The outcome represents more than market expansion for Hyundai Rotem – it signals the company’s broader strategy to simultaneously penetrate European defense and transportation sectors following its K2 tank export success.
