When Pumice Stones Curl: These Are the Disciplines of the TRAM World Championship 2025 in Vienna

When the TRAM World Championship is held in Vienna for the first time on September 13, 2025, the Town Hall Square will transform into an arena for tram drivers. 25 teams from cities on five continents will compete in eight disciplines. The program includes challenges such as target braking, reversing, stop & go, and the specially designed "Tram Curling" for the competition. The event is organized by Wiener Linien, who presented the first details at a media event.

"Not Just Transporting Passengers from A to B" - Focus on People in the Driver's Cabin

"Wiener Linien is a passionate mobility service provider with a focus on the mobility transition," said Alexandra Reinagl, CEO, during the presentation. According to Reinagl, the advertising value of the event will "easily recoup" the costs of around 500,000 euros. Sponsors are on board, but she did not name any yet.

The competition focuses not only on precision and technology but also on team collaboration. The goal is to put the people behind public transport in the spotlight, said Reinagl. According to the organizers, the security situation will be "closely monitored," and they are in close contact with emergency organizations and the city of Vienna.

Eight Disciplines at the TRAM World Championship in Vienna – From Braking Sensation to Curling

The events of the TRAM World Championship range from stop & go with water containers to millimeter-precise target braking and "Tram Bowling," where a tram pushes a giant ball towards pins. Particularly challenging is reversing without visual contact, which must be mastered with whistle signals. New to the program is "Tram Curling," where a handcar is to be rolled precisely into a target area – just like in regular curling.

In addition to technical performance, the time taken to complete the tasks is also measured. The fastest teams can earn additional points here.

Vienna Starts with Home Advantage

This year, Florijan Isaku and Elisabeth Urbanitsch are competing for Wiener Linien. "It's the first World Championship. I wanted to be part of it," Isaku told APA. Together, the duo wants to "show the best version of themselves." Their preferred routes – the Ring lines and the D tram – conveniently pass by the competition venue.

Participating Cities from Five Continents

The list of participating cities reads like an atlas of tram culture: From Melbourne to Rio de Janeiro to Kyiv and Casablanca. Also included are Hong Kong, San Diego, Florence, Rotterdam, as well as the European neighbors Brno and Riga, who recently qualified.

(APA/Red)

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