Behind the Scenes of the Tramdriver World Championship

Kaum war die letzte Bim nach Mitternacht über den Ring gerollt, startete für das Team rund um Oberleitungs-Profi Herbert Graninger von den Wiener Linien der Einsatz. Mit Turmwagen und Steiger machten sich die Kolleg*innen bereit für die letzten Handgriffe vor der TRAM-WM. 

When the champions of the TRAM World Championship are celebrated, it’s not only their driving skills that shine – the trophies and medals do too! They come straight from the Wiener Linien workshops. With plenty of creativity, craftsmanship, and modern technology, unique pieces have been created.

On September 13, the time has come: 25 teams from around the world will compete in the Tramdriver World Championship. And of course, Vienna is in the running with a strong duo. We had the exclusive opportunity to join Elisabeth Urbanitsch and Florijan Isaku during their training session at the Wiener Linien main workshop in Simmering – and take a very special look behind the scenes.

In exactly one month, Vienna will become the center of public transport. Valerie Simons (left), Michaela “Mimi” Plank (right), and Herwig Langer (center) are the event team behind the Tramdrivers World Championship, ensuring with organizational talent and dedication that everything runs smoothly on September 13. But that’s not all - they are also coordinating the "Öffi-Fest", the Public Transport Festival. Two events in one day - with one goal: an unforgettable experience.

Florijan Isaku and Elisabeth Urbanitsch are living their dream: as tram drivers with Wiener Linien, they guide their vehicles and hundreds of passengers safely through Vienna every day. But that’s just the beginning. On September 13, they’ll be representing Vienna at the first-ever Tramdriver World Championship—competing for the title of world’s best tram driver. But how does someone become a world-class tram driver? Florijan takes us back to where it all started—the Wiener Linien tram school—and shares what makes his job a dream career, what it’s like to train in a tram simulator, and why he and his colleague Lisi are determined to take home the title.

On September 13, the Ring in front of Vienna’s City Hall will transform into an extraordinary stage: 25 international teams will battle it out in the first-ever TRAM World Championship, competing in challenges like Target Braking, TRAM Bowling, and more.

But before the trams roll into the spotlight, there’s been a months-long journey of preparation – a mix of creativity, technical problem-solving, and countless test drives.

Two people who know this process inside out are Elisabeth Waltjen and Thomas Linsmeier from Wiener Linien. Together with a passionate team, they developed the championship disciplines from scratch – starting with a rough idea on paper and ending with a fully tested competition course.