The Škoda Vagonka and Škoda Transportation consortium signed a contract for the supply of electrical units for Eesti Liinirongid (Elron). The contract is for six modern vehicles with an option for another ten pieces. This contract is worth around 56,2 million euro (1.5 billion crowns). The units for the Estonian national railway carrier are designed for operation on electrified lines with a track gauge of 1520 mm, and they are adapted to the demanding climate in Estonia. The key parameters for success in the tender for Estonian Railways were low electricity consumption, capacity and service costs. The units should be suppliedat the end of 2024.
„Škoda best met the conditions for the tender in Estonia and offered the best price for the operation of new modern units. Our units are operating in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania and Ukraine, and now passengers in Latvia and Estonia can also look forward to them,” says Petr Brzezina, President and Chairman of the Board of Škoda Transportation.
“I am glad that we are once again successful in the Baltic region with our ecological units known under the name Panter, modified to a gauge of 1520 mm and a wide body. This contract builds on the recent success in Latvia, where we will also supply our modern electrical units,” says Zdeněk Majer, Member of the Board of Directors and Senior Vice President of Sales of Škoda Transportation, adding: “A business strategy focused on the Baltics has proven to be successful, and we see great potential in the region for our RegioPanters.”
The units are designed as dual-system units for 3 kV DC and 25 kV 50Hz AC power supply systems in a three-car design. The vehicles must be able to withstand climatic conditions in a temperature range of -40 °C to +35 °C. They comply with the latest international TSI standards and with all relevant safety regulations. The maximum speed of the vehicles will be 160 km/h. Great emphasis is placed on the comfort of passengers and personnel. Boarding is low-floor from 550 mm platforms. The train capacity is designed for more than 270 seated passengers, including 48 seats, which are allocated for the first class. After that there areseats for passengers on wheelchairs, prams and bicycles.
Part of the seats is removable, where ski holders can be installed in their place in winter. There are also allocated spaces for catering. The comfortable seats have 230 V and USB sockets, and the vehicles are fully air-conditioned, equipped with a modern information system, WIFI, passenger counting system and ETCS security device.
“The purchase of new electric trains contributes significantly to the development of environmentally friendly passenger transport in Estonia. Our current trains have been warmly welcomed and widely used by passengers. We are confident that Škoda trains will maintain the high standard of Estonian rail passenger transport,” says Merike Saks, Chairman of the Board of Eesti Liinirongid.
Škoda Vagonka has many years of experience in the production of trains for passenger transport. Its trains operate every day in many European countries. In the last 15 years, Škoda Transportation has supplied its customers with around 150 electric trains for suburban, regional and interregional transport. The Škoda Transportation group develops and manufactures all key train components, including electrical traction equipment, bogies and vehicle control systems. Škoda Transportation uses state-of-the-art technology in its production in order to reduce electricity consumption and save costs.
