The Škoda Group has officially presented the first completed four-car electric train designed specifically for both modern suburban and regional services on the Bulgarian railway network.
Unveiled in the presence of representatives of the contracting authority, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria; the unit recently completed a number of dynamic and safety tests in the Czech Republic.
The first unit recently completed a number of tests within Bulgaria
© Škoda Group
From 23 March; the first two Škoda trains will begin testing on Bulgarian infrastructure, thereby completing a several-month testing phase before being declared ready for deployment in regular passenger service.
Petr Novotný, CEO of Škoda Group, said:
Today’s presentation of the first train marks an important step in one of the most significant railway projects that Škoda Group has been implementing in Southeast Europe in recent years.
In total, we are manufacturing 25 trains for Bulgaria based on the proven RegioPanter platform, which already serves millions of passengers in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and more recently also on broad-gauge networks in Latvia and Estonia—both in fully electric and battery versions.
We are pleased to cooperate with the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport in delivering its railway modernisation plan and in helping to make rail transport more attractive to passengers through modern rolling stock. Bulgaria has long been an important market for us, and this project confirms that Czech technologies can play a key role in the modernisation of its railway sector.
Production of the first set of trains was completed within 14 months of the initial contract signing, with all units set to be fully compliant with European technical and safety standards. Each offers over 300 seats, a maximum operating speed of 160 km/h, and is powered by a 25 kV AC / 50 Hz overhead system.
All units are equipped with ETCS Level 2, air conditioning, Wi-Fi connectivity, onboard CCTV (both interior and exterior), ergonomic seating, and multifunctional spaces for passengers with reduced mobility, parents with prams, and cyclists.
The contract between Škoda and the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria includes both the delivery of the trains and 15 years of comprehensive maintenance, which will provided by the former directly within Bulgaria. In total, the contract has been valued at over 500 million EUR (approximately 13 billion CZK).
With both of the first two electric trains now in Bulgaria; both units are now set to undergo further certification processes and preparations for entry into service in close coordination with the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport and the relevant railway authorities.