Best tram drivers in Europe: Prague takes top honors at 2026 championships

Prague's tram drivers have officially been crowned the best in Europe after a two-person team from the Czech capital took first place at the 2026 European TramDriver Championship in Warsaw on Saturday.

Vendula Tmejová and Zdeněk Rychtář scored a combined 6,000 points across a series of challenges testing the precision, control and teamwork required to navigate a tram — along with some rather less conventional skills.

Prague finished ahead of Oradea, Romania, which took second place with 5,820 points, while Bulgaria's Sofia came third with 5,775.

The 12th edition of the championship brought together 26 teams representing 24 countries, including competitors from across Europe as well as Australia.

Competitors faced eight disciplines designed to put their driving skills to the test. These included maintaining a precise speed of 25 kilometers per hour, target braking, judging lateral distances and stopping with the tram's second door perfectly aligned with a designated point.

Other events were more unusual. In "tram bowling," drivers had to use their vehicle to strike a giant ball and send it toward a set of oversized pins. Another challenge involved basketball, while competitors also had to reverse their trams using only whistle commands for guidance.

Drivers were additionally judged on the smoothness of their acceleration and braking, while the total time taken to complete each run factored into the final score.

Both Prague competitors also placed among Europe's best individually. Rychtář finished second in the men's competition with 3,175 points, behind Kyiv's Andrii Bichev, while Tmejová took third among women with 2,825 points. Tampere's Hilda Polamo won the women's title.

Thousands of spectators watched the competition in central Warsaw, while organizers said around 80,000 viewers followed the championship online.

Prague finished ahead of some cities with equally celebrated tram traditions, including Zagreb in fourth, Bratislava in fifth and Vienna in 18th. Host city Warsaw placed 13th.

Prague's showing was the city's best after previously winning bronze at the 2023 championship. But for anyone who has ever watched a Prague tram driver stop a multi-ton vehicle exactly alongside a platform in rush-hour traffic, Saturday's result may not come as much of a surprise.