Czech Railways orders additional 31 modern RegioPanter EMUs

Czech Railways (ČD – České dráhy) has ordered another 31 three-car electric units from the RegioPanter family from Škoda Transportation. The new sets will target lines in Prague, Central Bohemia, Ústí nad Labem, and Hradec Králové regions. The new trains will offer barrier-free travel, an on-board Wi-Fi network and other services that passengers have come to expect on current trains. Extensive fleet renewal is part of ČD’s 2030 Strategy.

Credit: www.ceskedrahy.cz

Ivan Bednárik, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of ČD, commented: “We are continuing the announced massive renewal of our fleet of passenger trains in regional transport. We have currently signed an order for 31 RegioPanter three-car units worth almost five billion crowns, which we plan to deploy on passenger services from Prague via Kralupy nad Vltavou to Ústí nad Labem and on lines from Hradec Králové to Chlumec nad Cidlinou, Týniště nad Orlicí and Chocně, and Jaroměř.”

“The new units will replace older, obsolete units in the regions they are heading to,” eplxained Jiří Ješeta, ČD’s Deputy General Manager for Passenger Transport. “In the Central Bohemian Region, we will be able to remove from service both the older double-decker cars in the Hradec Králové Region, and the uncomfortable classic passenger cars of East German production. We will offer passengers air-conditioned compartments, barrier-free boarding, a large storage space for prams and bicycles, on-board Wi-Fi, the possibility of recharging travel electronics, such as mobile phones, laptops or tablets, from 230 V sockets or USB ports. In addition, it will be possible to recharge electric wheelchairs on trains and the sets will also be equipped with a modern audiovisual information systems.” 

Petr Brzezina, President of Škoda Transportation, said: “Modern, environmentally-friendly and comfortable vehicles with higher capacity – this is exactly the new generation of RegioPanters that passengers in other regions of our country can look forward to. It is very good news that the Czech Railways are undergoing a major refurbishment of vehicles, which will attract more passengers to public transport. Overall, this will increase transport efficiency and also improve the overall traffic situation. Thank you for the trust that Czech Railways has placed in us.”

By ordering 31 RegioPanter units, ČD exercised the entire remaining option for new trains from a framework contract concluded in autumn 2020. The units will be delivered in 2024. ČD will thus fully exhaust both framework contracts for the delivery of up to 50 EMU 160 units and 60 EMU 240 units, with a total value of more than Kč15 billion. After the delivery of all ordered units, the fleet of sets from the Panter family will increase to a total of 147 regional and 14 long-distance trains (the total number of all cars will be 436). 

The new RegioPanter offers a range of benefits, including:

• Modern bright and well-arranged air-conditioned interior with ergonomically designed upholstered seats in the first and second class
• Barrier-free boarding with the floor of the vehicle at the level of modern platforms without the need to cross the stairs, for wheelchair passengers they will be equipped with a platform for bridging the space between the platform and the floor of the car, at stops with lower platforms
• Modern safe sliding doors operated by buttons, centrally closed and locked before the train starts, in addition for the blind and partially sighted, the front door of the unit will be equipped with a remote control, operated by a walkie-talkie, and an acoustic beacon
• Spacious barrier-free toilets also accessible to wheelchair users with a closed system and also equipped with a folding table for changing babies
• Additional services, such as electrical sockets for powering passengers’ portable electronics, e.g., mobile phones, tablets, etc. including USB ports, Wi-Fi, folding or folding tables according to seat arrangement and 230 V socket for recharging electric wheelchair batteries
• Large spaces for strollers, bicycles, and wheelchairs
• A modern audiovisual information system providing information on train movements and stops to all passengers, including the blind, partially sighted or deaf, and information labels in braille will be available inside the kit for the blind and partially sighted.