Seven Solaris Urbino 18 will replace the Metro trains in Switzerland for at least three years. To this solution came the town Lausanne. For the time of the alteration of the Metro connection, seven busses of the company Solaris Bus
& Coach will be used on the construction route. 
On 25. April 2005 the contract between Solaris Bus & Coach and the Swiss town Lausanne has been signed. It is a complex deal, because the Swiss partners did not decide in favour of the purchase of the busses, like usually in such cases, but for a rental of the busses. The reason for this is the immediate need of the town for busses that will be used on the Metro route that is altered at the moment. This Metro shall be replaced within three to four years by the ultra-modern Metro "m2" that will operate a four times longer route.
The Solaris Urbinos shall arrive at the beginning of October partially in Lausanne, where they are completed with the ultra-modern operational control system and cover their first kilometres still before the initial operation.
With the initial operation on the line, which will be carried out probably with the change of timetable in the middle of December, the buses expect a hard everyday life. They replace the old Metro, which brought up so far the passengers the steep slope from Ouchy at the Geneva Lake to the city. Between 05.30 a.m. and 12.00 p.m. the 7 Solaris Urbino 18 will transport daily on two circuits thousands of urban commuters. The strict timetable as well as the mandatory high availability require the use of top-quality and reliable vehicles.
"Lausanne is already the seventh customer of Solaris Bus & Coach in Switzerland. Since the establishment of our representation "Solaris Schweiz GmbH." in the year 2003 we can post a constant growth of our sales figures. In the year 2004 the company has delivered 42 busses to Switzerland and attained for this reason an enjoyable market share"- reports Krzysztof Olszewski; president of Solaris Bus & Coach.
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Information Solaris
Solaris Bus & Coach sp. z o.o. is a leading producer of city and intercity buses in Europe. It focuses on the development of low-emission and zero-emission vehicles, i. e. electric and hydrogen buses as well as trolleybuses. Over 25,000 Solaris vehicles have been delivered so far and they ply the streets in 850 towns and cities across 33 countries located throughout Europe as well as beyond it. Solaris is part of the Spanish CAF Group (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) S.A. From conception, to the design and manufacturing phases, all Solaris buses are produced in Poland. All activities undertaken by the company are in line with its mission, which is reflected in the brand’s promise: to change the image of public transport. Solaris also actively partners with public transport operators and provides them with comprehensive support in their transition to zero-emission mobility. Solaris products have been repeatedly awarded for quality and innovation. The Urbino 18 hydrogen bus has won the prestigious 'Bus of the Year 2025' title.
Additional information
Mateusz Figaszewski
Institutional Partnerships and External Relations Director
mateusz.figaszewski@solarisbus.com
