Olomouc public transport faces heat crisis with few air‑conditioned vehicles

During the recent heat wave, passengers on Olomouc’s trams and buses have endured uncomfortable temperatures because only a small fraction of the fleet is equipped with air conditioning. The city’s transport operator, DPMO, runs about 150 vehicles, of which just 18 trams and 10 buses have climate control. The limited number is due to the fleet’s age; many vehicles were acquired before air conditioning became standard.

DPMO plans a gradual modernization, aiming to increase the share of air‑conditioned buses to over half by 2028 and to add nine more climate‑controlled trams within the next five years. Retrofitting existing vehicles is not feasible because of high costs—approximately three million crowns per vehicle—and the need to keep trams out of service during repairs. The operator stresses that improving passenger comfort is a priority as summer temperatures continue to rise.