2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Krejcárek, 9003: Tomáš Máca· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2. Kt8d5: Sheep221· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
Tatra KT8D5 is a bidirectional light rail vehicle currently (October 2026, and not expected to retire soon, except in Brno) operating in Europe and Asia. In several variations, it was designed and manufactured by Czech engineering corporation ČKD Tatra from 1984 to 1999 and a total of 206 cars were sold. The vehicle has an angular design similar to Tatra T6A5, Tatra RT8D5M, and Tatra KT4 both outside and inside.
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 42 years ago, in 1984.
- Weighs about as much as 6 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 30.3 m long: about 7 cars parked nose to tail.
- Seats 177: 4 full city buses (~50 seats each).
- Still in service after 40 years.
tram / light rail: Street-running or light-rail vehicles that share or skirt the road.
spec sheet
- built
- 1984–1993
- in service from
- 1986
- status
- in service
- number built
- 199
- kind
- tram / light rail
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
- builders
- ČKD
- top speed
- 65 km/h
- power
- 45 kW
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- 600 V DC
- length
- 30.3 m
- weight
- 38 t
- capacity
- 177 passengers
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q279278, Wikipedia: Tatra KT8D5 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.