Thales supplies ETCS on-board systems for Slovakian railways

Thales recently announced that it will provide Slovakian Railways (ZSSK Passenger) with its European Train Control System (ETCS). A part of the rolling stock fleet of Slovakian Railways will be equipped with Thales’s On-Board Unit (OBU) systems according to the ETCS standard. The solution will allow multi-operator interoperability on all ETCS equipped routes and guarantee safe monitoring of train movements, while ensuring the highest train availability and safety.

The Škoda 350 and Škoda 362 trains will be equipped with the system during a 17 month timeframe. The newly equipped vehicles will operate in both ETCS Level 1 as well as the existing, national train control mode. The ETCS Level 1 system will enable enhanced speed for passenger transportation and thereby improve network capacity while adhering to the highest safety standards.

“Thales has a longstanding and proven international experience in implementing ETCS. Rail operators can be even more competitive as a result of this specific know-how. Amongst others, the Vienna-Budapest corridor, routes in Bulgaria, high-speed lines in Spain, suburban lines in Mexico City or the entire railway network in Luxembourg have been equipped with the system,” said Alfred Veider, Director of Thales’s Security Solutions & Services business in Austria, who will be implementing the project.

About Thales

Thales is a global technology leader for the Aerospace and Space, Defence, Security and Transportation markets. In 2008, the company generated revenues of 12.7 billion euros with 68,000 employees in 50 countries. With its 25,000 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equipment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint, with operations around the world working with customers as local partners.